I can suggest a few of the things we have done in our yard to encourage Montessori activities, stewardship, reposnsibility, and (most importantly! For learning purposes regarding all
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So, many of the things already mentioned are prominent in our garden...a few other suggestions we have done:
Installing a simple thermometer and barometer at her level, as well as taught cloud and weather information...we now mention these hings every time we go outside (courtesy of IPhone! And she immediately checks ( and can read from instruments...it doesn't take much, just a relative scale of things like freezing, need a jacket, wear shorts, too hot to go outside, a microwave, oven, temp of sun, etc...
A very simple compost pile...our original was in a very large, transparent box...Red Wigglers are superb for this, and all cycles are clearly visible...we ordered ours (and researched ALL information through this site:
http://unclejimswormfarm.com/Now we have the larger box, but Alex also had her own box from Educational Insights. I LOVE this as it has three seperate, transparent boxes, one of which we use as a control! Awesome use of scientific method: a variable and a contol are side-by-side!
http://www.educationalinsights.com/product/now+you+see+it%2C+now+you+don--39-t+see-through+compost+container.do?sortby=ourPicks&sortby=&&from=SearchWe also have set up a bird feeder and bird bath, directly visible through breakfast-nook window....after a detailed lesson, Alex is in charge of cleaning and refilling both the birdbath and the feeder...she knows it is irresponsible and dangerous to provide feed and then forget...birds get used to it and depend 'on her'...
We don't have true pets, per say, but she does have responsibilities...
Also, inside the breakfast nook, directly overlooking the bird bath and feeder, we keep a laminated, fold-out bird identification guide for the area, plus a simple set of binoculars! Also, a 'journal' for her records!
We have also planted butterfly bushes and local hummingbird attractants...with an identification chart readily available...
On the back patio, Dad painted a semi-permanent number-line and hopscotch setup on the concrete...
Our 'stepping stone' path is a number line from negative numbers in the front yard, zero at the fence, and positive numbers in her area...
Hanging from a tree she has a knotted climbing rope for physical activity.
On one large section of fence we have installed the biggest draw-erase board you can imagine, to encourage art and writing.
She has a lage bucket of sidewalk chalk to draw with on the patio...
Daddy drew Her a VERY simple map outline of seven continents on the sidewalk...
We recently visited a private, in-home, Montessori school...her whole area and garden were so superbly set up that we have decided to ' borrow' ideas! They had a huge, metal feeding trough for horses set out along side the house...they had filled it full of Koi, water plants, etc...I think Alex may well be getting a similar setup for Christmas!
And, of course, we have our climbing wall, playground setup in the garage area! If you haven't seen pictures, it continues to grow daily! This weekend daddy is adding a 'chicken coop' style ball pit for her...climb the ladder, play in the balls, climb through the tunnel, slide down the pole!
We also have added a slack line, a zip line, a swinging hammock, and a tree- bench swing!
Ooohhh!
And HIGHLY suggest a set a various scraps of PVC pipe, joints, caps, etc! Use brightly colored ping pong balls or even water to let them problem solve!
BTW- the compost pile has taught her to question not only what materials are recylcable, degradable, etc, but what TYPE of material it is...and where it comes from!!! She now wants to know HOW everything is made, and the origin of materials...
Anyway, a few thoughts...sure we have a lt more I haven't touched upon as our Montessori Garden grows daily by Alex' s curiosity and Moms thought processes!
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