Montessori At Home
Activity Booklet
Easy Ways to Introduce
Montessori to Your Infant
For Infants
2 months to 17 months
“The child has a different
relation to his environment
from ours… the child absorbs it.
The things he sees are not just
remembered; they form part of
his soul. He incarnates in himself
all in the world about him that
his eyes see and his ears hear.”
Dr. Maria Montessori,
The Absorbent Mind
Hello from HotH
Dear Parent,
A warm welcome from all of us at House on the Hill! We are a family-run,
genuine Montessori school, committed to pursuing excellence in early childhood
education.
We pride ourselves as a leading Montessori pre-school where each child’s creativity
and talents are nurtured in a socially aware, stimulating and warm environment.
But Montessori practice shouldn’t end when school ends – starting and continuing
the Montessori approach at home is of great benefit to your child.
There are many benefits to the Montessori style of teaching. Every child is
born unique and full of potential. Montessori practice gives them the gift of
independence through structured freedom and by allowing to learn at their own
pace. This in turn enables the child to learn and grow, unimpeded, encouraging
discovery and development.
We love sharing tips with our parents about how to bring Montessori into their
homes. We have collected a selection of Montessori at Home activities that you
can use to help your child to develop better, instilling a habit of responsible
freedom and social awareness that will stay with them for life.
Thank you for taking the time to read our little booklet. There is so much more
that we would like to share. If you have found the tips here useful, please consider:
Signing up for our newsletter mailing list
Following us on Social Media
Facebook / Instagram: @HouseontheHillSG
Warm regards,
The HotH Team
How To Use This Booklet
All children, regardless of age, thrive in an environment where they are
challenged. Having said that, it is important to strike a balance between
challenging them and allowing them to develop at their own pace.
Use this booklet as a guide. Trust your instincts about what is best for your
child.
Take some time to plan and get organised. This applies to setting the
space up as well as before each activity.
Let the child take the lead. Take this time to talk to your child and explore
what is important to them at this moment. Perhaps they have an interest in
cooking or making a film. What is interesting to them is what they will focus
on, and truly want to learn. Observe them objectively and give them freedom
to explore.
Slow down. What’s the rush? Plan activities for and with your child – and
these activities don’t have to happen once. You can do them over and over
again, children learn different things in each step. Practice makes perfect!
Slowing down might also include lessening your reliance on digital devices.
Take time to find joy in real life.
Hands on learning in the home. Children like responsibility. They enjoy
being involved in preparing food, setting the table, tidying up and more.
Consider the child through their eyes - the most mundane task for adults can
be exciting for children, especially the younger ones. Surprisingly, one of the
most favourite activities for little ones in our schools is washing their dishes
after a meal! Don’t be afraid to involve your children in daily life.
You are the Guide – and Not the Boss or the Servant. Give help when
it is needed – but as little as possible. Let them help themselves, it is all part of
the learning process.
Be patient! It is not about perfection. Learning is a journey – and mistakes
are a part of it.
Don’t praise. This might seem counterintuitive but with time children find
intrinsic joy in independent work. We avoid praising the child to prevent
them from doing the activity only for our acknowledgment. In our Montessori
practice we use encouragement, not praise, to build healthy self-esteem and
habits in our children.
We are constantly updating our blog with
information about Montessori practice and
positive parenting. Visit our blog here!
HotH Montessori Prepared
Environment
Creating the Ideal Space for learning in the
home
If there is one Montessori term that you should know, it’s the Absorbent Mind! The
Absorbent Mind was Maria Montessori’s most in-depth work on her educational
theory, based on decades of scientific observation of children. This book helped
start a revolution in education. Since then, there have been both cognitive and
neurological studies that have confirmed what Maria Montessori knew decades
ago.
At House on the Hill, all our classes are carefully and purposefully designed to help
our children to develop well, based on Dr. Montessori’s learnings.
Key Points that you should take from the Absorbent Mind are:
The child gains knowledge from his environment – they learn from the
physical space around them, and they will mirror the language and movement
of adults and children
Starts with impressions being absorbed unconsciously
At its peak receptivity during the preschool years
Children do not need direct teaching in order to learn
What the child takes in during the absorbent mind period is taken in
effortlessly and remains as the foundation of their personality
We believe that with the right conditions, the full potential of a child can be
realised. In order to achieve this, we must create the ideal learning environment
for them. It needs to be structured by careful preparation, to aid the child’s life
and natural growth.
How do you create this ideal learning environment at home?
If you think about what an ideal environment for you to work in is like, the same
would apply for children. Peaceful, quiet surroundings enable concentration. A
beautiful environment helps to motivate. A place that is orderly and tidy.
Here are our top tips for creating the ideal
environment!
Follow your child – Observe your child’s interest and development
Invest in open shelves and baskets – Create an organized and peaceful
environment
Choose some of your child’s nicest toys – Do they inspire and nurture?
Which one sparks your child’s imagination?
Limit quantity of toys available for the child to select
Natural Materials – try to use materials that are beautiful and delicate to the
touch
A home for everything and everything in its place
Accessible space – giving children the opportunity to be independent in
their own space
Get support – don’t be afraid to ask for help! It could be from anyone at
home who is actively participating in raising your child, other parents from the
same school or from your child’s class teacher
Age Group Expectations
Infant (2–17 months old)
Absorbing The World Around Them
Maria Montessori created a philosophy of education that begins at birth, when
infants’ minds are already busy absorbing their environment and learning about
the world. Montessori for Infants is about how to talk and respond to our babies,
how to set up a safe and stimulating environment for them, and how to nurture
their natural curiosity and drive for independent exploration. We call our space for
Infants the ‘Nido’, or ‘nest’ in Italian.
In Montessori terms, Nido is the environment for children from birth to 17 months
old. Within the Nido there are two groups of children: those that are curious, but
not yet mobile and those that are crawling, scooting, and exploring the world on
their feet. Children in this age group are developing at an incredible rate and it is
very important to create the right foundation for them.
More Than Just Care-taking
At this vulnerable age the child should not be overwhelmed with flashy objects
and bright lights, but rather they should be appropriately stimulated with simple,
elegant and natural materials that are appealing to them.
Do set-up the space you are working with your baby in to encourage movement.
It’s important for them to have lots of space to be able to wiggle, crawl, and walk.
Their bodies are programmed to move: it is how they explore and learn! In our
Montessori for Infant Nido, we encourage it however we can, with tunnels, pull-
up bars, and a variety of textures on the floor to feel and discover.
Don’t be afraid of a little mess – and be prepared for it! We use plastic sheets to
protect the floors and furniture. Oh, and lots of rags for wiping up after!
Start as Early as Possible
We can’t emphasise the importance of early language exposure to infant
linguistic development. Always talk and sing with your little one! When they
babble, respond! This helps them develop the natural pattern of language
and conversation. We also encourage you to talk to your baby about what is
happening to them. Dr. Montessori believed in the dignity of the child, so try to
always be gentle and give verbal cues when an event is happening, such as diaper
changing or bath time.
In this booklet, we have put together a collection of activities that should get you
started on how to engage meaningfully with your baby. Each of these activities is
engaging and fun for our babies, but they also have developmental intentions.
Some promote language development, support spatial awareness and gross
motor development, help them understand emotions, strengthening grips and
developing fine motor skills, learning to track movement and much more! This
is just the tip of the iceberg, do continue to explore how else you can create
situations for your baby to develop well in.
Most importantly, have fun! Try not to get stressed! At this stage it is difficult to
see concrete results of your efforts, but trust us when we say that it will not go to
waste!
Montessori at Home Activity
Mirror Time
Starting around 6 months, babies begin to recognize themselves in the mirror and
can begin to learn more about what they can do. They are also beginning to put
language and vocabulary together. A mirror is crucial to this process. Simply put:
mirror time matters.
What You Need What To Do
A mirror! Full-length Sit with your baby in front of the
preferably mirror
Try these movements:
1. Clap your hands
2. Sing nursery songs with motion
3. Make funny faces
4. Play peek-a-boo
5. Stick out your tongue
Montessori Tips
Mirror time can be done every day for at least 15 minutes and everyone in the family can
join in.
The more the merrier – the more baby has to look and check out in front of the mirror,
the better!
Mirror time helps develop vision tracking, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, gross
motor movement, attention span, sense of self and language and emotional skills.
Older infants can learn new vocabulary (e.g. learning parts of the body).
Plus, they love to dance in front of the mirror!
Montessori at Home Activity
Let’s Make Strawberry Yogurt!
This sensorial cooking activity lets little ones ‘cook’ safely whilst feeling different
textures with their hands and tasting different flavours with their tongues!
What You Need What To Do
1 bowl of plain yogurt Prepare table mat
1 bowl of pre-cut Put bib on child, along with the things
sweet strawberries on the table
(according to your
Introduce the ingredients and let your
child’s developmental
child taste them individually
readiness)
Spoons Scoop 3-4 spoonful of yogurt into an
empty bowl and have your child put
Bowl the strawberries in
Mix everything together
Taste!
Montessori Tips
For infants under 12 months, this is a great exercise for sensorial development, developing
their sense of taste and feeling different textures.
For the over 12 month olds, try to include them as much as possible in the preparation of
the recipe. This is great for motor skill development.
The fruit can be mashed up or whole, depending on your child’s developmental readiness.
Other fruit suggestions – blueberries, passionfruit, mango or green kiwi! Watch out for
sugar levels in the fruit, not too sweet is preferable.
Montessori at Home Activity
What’s that Flavour?
In this activity, the children will explore their sense of taste by trying different
foods. They also get to feel lots of different textures and learn new words!
What You Need What To Do
3 empty bowls Prepare table mat
1 piece of salty pretzel Put bib on child, along with the things
on the table
1 tablespoon apple juice
Introduce child to the foods as a whole
1 lemon wedge
Get them to taste it and encourage
them to say the appropriate word
-“salt/ salty” for the pretzel, “sweet”
for the apple juice and “sour” for the
lemon
Taste and repeat!
Montessori Tips
The fine motor skill development aspect of this activity enhances the child’s pincer &
palmer grasp. There is a cognitive function as they learn to associate words through objects
and actions and practice repeating familiar words.
Encourage your child to express themselves through activities and movements for social
development.
Montessori at Home Activity
Art in a Bag
Mess-free sensory art! Little ones can explore textures and colours without the
mess!
What You Need What To Do
A4 paper Squirt some paint onto paper
Paint Insert into a ziplock bag
Ziplock bag Seal
Let infant squish, smoosh, rub, and
throw bag around to their hearts
delight
Take the paper out and let dry
You now have a piece of baby art to
hang up!
Montessori Tips
Be as animated as possible while doing this exercise to engage more with your baby.
Some talking points:
- Swirl the paint
- Describe what you’re doing
- Talk about the colours you’re using
- What textures are you feeling?
It may feel as though you’re talking to yourself – but you’re doing a world of good for your
baby!
Montessori at Home Activity
Starry Night
Now you can make your own starry night masterpiece! Inspired by Dutch post-
impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, whose work was notable for its beauty,
emotion, and colour, this activity is great for introducing colour and for working
on sensorial development with.
What You Need What To Do
Aluminium foil Paste the aluminium foil to the
(A4 size) cardboard
Edible paint: Blue, Drop some blue, black, and white paint
Black, White and Yellow on the foil
(for stars)
Get the child to smear the paint using
Cardboard (A4 size) their fingers to create dramatic effects
on the night skies
Glue
When the paint is dry, help the
children to paint some stars on the
dry out paint and voila! You’ve made
yourself a Van Gogh-inspired Starry
Night painting!
Montessori Tips
Be as animated as possible while doing this exercise to engage more with your baby.
Some talking points:
- Swirl the paint
- Describe what you’re doing
- Talk about the colours you’re using
- What textures are you feeling?
Painting can get messy, so plan for waterplay or bath time after this! Also, don’t forget to
put down newspapers or plastic sheeting to protect the surrounding area from flying paint.
Montessori at Home Activity
Several Circles
Let your baby’s inner Wassily Kandinsky out! Inspired by the pioneer of abstract
art, this activity using block printing to introduce the circle shapes and colours to
little ones. They are also developing motor skills and hand-eye coordination when
their hands stamp circles onto the paper, whilst working on pincer and palmer grip
work.
What You Need What To Do
A4 size white drawing Pour the paint individually into
paper different containers
Paints Get your white drawing paper ready
(various colours)
Have your child dip the toilet roll or
Toilet rolls, bottle caps the bottle cap into the paint and print
(anything that creates a it onto the white paper. Do the same
round print) method repeatedly by using different
colours
Let the paint out to dry
Now you have an abstract painting
inspired by Kandinsky. Frame it up!
Montessori Tips
Focus on the PROCESS of making art, rather than the final product. This allows the child
to experience the sensorial element of art without the expectation of creating something
recognizable.
Some words to keep emphasising during this exercise:
- Big
- Small
- Circle
- Colour
Try to be as animated as possible. It will help the child to focus and engage better.
Montessori at Home Activity
Sensory Bottles
We love making our own sensory bottles. They’re easy to make, fun, colourful –
and so good for cognitive development!
What You Need What To Do (for parents)
Empty, clean plastic Pour the pour-ins into the bottle
bottles (with the label
Seal either with glue or tape
removed)
Superglue or clear tape What To Do (for infants)
Pour-ins e.g. rice, dry Shake to use! Ask them if they can hear
pasta, coloured sand, the different sounds?
quinoa, beans, split
peas, small toys, sand,
feathers, beads
Montessori Tips
Sensory bottles are very good for children aged one to three years, who are in the sensitive
period for small objects.
During this period, children are fixated on small objects and tiny details, which prepare the
child’s mind for understanding how little things make up their world.
Here we have a dry sensory bottle – but do try out liquid bottles for visual sensory work as
well!
Montessori at Home Activity
Threading
This activity is great for curious little hands. Have fun whilst strengthening grips
and developing fine motor skills!
What You Need Presentation
Colander Place a mat on floor
Container with cover Place the item which you would want
to start first and show them to your
Toilet rolls
child
Separate baskets for:
Introduce to them how the activity is
• Pipe cleaners
being done
• Sticks
• Yarn Invite your child to the activity
• Straws
Activity 1
Show child how to thread the pipe cleaners through the holes in the
colander
Complete the work cycle by removing all the pipe cleaners from the holes
and place them back into the basket
Activity 2
Poke a few holes through the plastic lid of the container. Make sure they’re
big enough for the sticks to go through
Show child how to thread the sticks through the holes from the top of the
container
Complete the work cycle by opening the lid of the container and place the
sticks back into the basket
Activity 3
Cut the toilet rolls into smaller tubes
Show child to thread the yarn through the toilet rolls
Complete the work cycle by removing the thread
and place them back into the basket
Montessori Tips
These activities help to develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination for mobile
infants (over 12 months old).
Don’t just leave them to play on their own though.
Fill the time with plenty of eye-contact and talk to them! This helps them develop the
natural pattern of language and conversation.
Key details about HotH
Founded in 2012, House on the Hill is a family-run school. We are a house of
curated learning, a genuine Montessori. We believe in immersing the child in an
open and stimulating environment with a curriculum of experiential learning. This
allows each child to develop life-long skills for their futures successes, at their own
pace.
Here are 5 things you should know about us:
Genuine Montessori
We stay true to the values and education excellence of the Montessori
method. Our specially-trained Montessori educators help to ensure our
curriculum instils strong language and mathematical skills, preparing each
child for their next step in either local or international schools. House on the
Hill is one of a few Montessori pre-schools with individualised curriculum,
vertical – learning, and 3-hour work cycle classes.
Life is an Adventure
To build critical thinking skills and creative independence, we create and
weave in experiences that help with fostering a lifelong love of learning.
Children at House on the Hill are imbued with a lasting sense of positivity to
seize every moment of life.
Prepared Environment
From large green spaces to the cozy, wood-filled classes, our spaces are warm,
inviting and purposefully built to be safe, accessible and to subtly nurture
sensorial and motor skill development.
Nutrition
We are what we eat and this is doubly so for children. Our menu has
been developed in collaboration with “The Food Doctor” Ian Marber, an
internationally-renowned expert on diet and nutrition, using only the highest
quality produce and no added salt or sugar to create well-balanced and
nutritious meals for our growing children. This allows them to concentrate
better and learn more actively.
Close Relationships with our Parents
We believe in being a pillar of support for parents. Regular and specific
feedback is provided often to optimise each child’s individualised curriculum.
Our Parents-Teachers Association is highly engaged and parents are invited to
participate in school activities on a regular basis. Bringing up your child is a
team effort and everyone who joins us becomes part of the HotH family, both
child and parents alike!
To find out more about House on the Hill or
to book a visit, please click here
houseonthehill.com.sg/welcome
LOCATIONS
Mount Sophia
33 Mount Sophia
Singapore 228481
Balmoral
2H Balmoral Crescent
Singapore 259887
Pasir Panjang
396 Pasir Panjang Road
#02-01, Singapore 118733
CONNECT WITH US
houseonthehill.com.sg
@houseonthehillsg
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Please check out our blog for more
Montessori at Home activities and
information about Montessori
houseonthehill.com.sg/news-events
