As parents of Montessori students, it is important to find the balance between the freedom and bliss of summer without losing the routines and knowledge for which you and your child worked so hard during the school year. The following are a few suggestions from the educators at Triangle Montessori Academy (TMA).
Schedules: We encourage you to ease up on your children’s schedules and routines during the summer months. Bedtimes and waking times can be moved around so you can enjoy the relaxation offered by the summer months. We do encourage you to start easing back into your school year schedule a few weeks before Montessori school starts up again in the fall.
Journaling: Help your children select a blank book or journal. Encourage them to record something in this book every day during the summer. This helps with literacy skills and creative writing. It also has the potential to serve as a keepsake your children will cherish for years to come. As summer sets in and siblings begin to squabble, redirecting your Montessori children toward journaling their feelings can also aid with conflict resolution. A summer journal can become an annual tradition for your family.
Family Visits: It’s great family bonding time exploring local resources and places of interest. Historic homes, farms, zoos, walking trails and many other interesting opportunities that are close to home can be fun and educational adventures. Take small field trips throughout the summer and include your Montessori child in the planning.
Around the House: Include your Montessori children in your daily household activities. If they aren’t doing so already, summer is the perfect time to encourage their assistance with planning meals for the week, grocery shopping, and meal preparation.
Gardening: Tending to (or starting) a family garden at your home is a great idea. This will continue the education they receive at TMA, yield delicious rewards, and encourage growth in the craft of sustainability.
Cooking: Involve your child in home cooking ingredients and recipes. This will foster learning, and make them more independent in years to come.
Reading: Start a family book club by suggesting one or two book titles that they have not read. If some members of your family too young to read, end every evening by taking turns reading a book aloud. The anticipation of knowing what will happen next will keep everyone coming back for more.
Family Games: Put together a scavenger hunt for your Montessori children. This can be a great option for a rainy day, but on a sunny day you can include biology and botany related clues outdoors. The hunt can be fun and educational in origin, testing your children’s knowledge or research skills.
Ask: For specific academic skills that may need work or refreshing over the summer, do not hesitate to ask your child’s Montessori teacher, or your child himself. Identify what could be practiced, and create an easy routine that makes practice time enjoyable and fun.
Triangle Montessori Academy is a Cary preschool emphasizing art, mathematics, practical life, Spanish, yoga, mediation, and music. The private, year-round school was founded in 2008 and accepts children from 18 months old up to six years old. The school is a member of the American Montessori Society and all teachers are AMS-certified. Students at the school are exposed to Montessori-style teaching approaches, including individual learning according to each child’s style and pace, multi-age classrooms that allow children to advance when they are ready, and a nurturing of students’ natural curiosity.
For more information, call 919.463.7770, or visit our Website at www.trianglemontessori.org.
