Motor Skills and Movement in the Infant / Toddler Montessori Prepared Environment
The first thing you’ll see upon entering a Montessori infant/toddler environment is its use of simple, natural materials, which are meant to promote learning and development while encouraging a sense of calm, peace, order, beauty, and security. Children are not bombarded and over stimulated with bright colors, loud sounds, and perpetual movement. Nor is their movement restricted by infant swings, cribs, high chairs, or bouncy seats.
Movement is encouraged and the Montessori environment is specifically designed to accommodate the variety of developmental movement milestones that occur within the first three years of life. Learn more about how the Montessori prepared environment is set up to encourage and stimulate movement and motor skills for the infant or toddler.
Motor Skills and Movement in the Infant / Toddler Montessori Prepared Environment
In the Montessori environment, children are free to move and explore as they are developmentally ready. The infant/toddler environment is specially prepared to accommodate babies who are not yet mobile as well as toddlers who are eagerly exploring their ability to move. There is plenty of open floor space with low shelves that encourage exploration. There are mirrors hung horizontally at floor height so babies may explore who they are, and mirrors hung at toddler height. For those who are more mobile, there are climbing stairs and slides.
Instead of cribs, children sleep on mattresses placed on the floor or on low cots, which the children can get into and out of by themselves. Tables and chairs are child-sized and light enough to be easily moved by children. Bookshelves are low, allowing accessibility to children while maintaining visibility by adults at all times. Coat hooks are hung at child height so children are able to hang and remove their own coats. Sinks are at various heights to accommodate various ages and heights. And of course, there are one or two adult rocking chairs used to feed infants or comfort children.
Eating is a social experience. In the Montessori infant/toddler environment, eating areas are designed to accommodate the different skills and abilities of children under three. Bottle-fed infants are held while being fed. Many Montessori infant facilities provide a dimly lit and quiet space for nursing mothers to nurse their babies. As soon as an infant can sit up with support, they can be fed at a low table. Typical high chairs are not used. Instead, children sit in specially designed infant chairs that are low enough for the child to get in and out of by themselves. Unlike other chairs in the Montessori environment, these chairs are heavy and not easily moved or tipped over. The Montessori caregiver feeds the child sitting on a low stool, facing the child, and they place the food dish on the table in front of the child. As soon as they are able, children are given the opportunity to feed themselves, practicing and mastering their developing motor skills. Once the infant can walk, they are invited to eat with other children, sitting at the table in a chair more suited for their developing needs.
The Montessori outdoor environment must be planned just as carefully as the indoor space. The outdoors provides many natural and beautiful sensory experiences for even the youngest of children. Babies may be placed on a blanket in the grass to absorb the sounds and smells of nature. Older babies may enjoy feeling the texture of the grass or the sound of crunching leaves. Toddlers will become absorbed watching ants crawl across the path. It is not necessary to purchase expensive playground equipment. Many Montessori infant/toddler outdoor environments have a sandbox and sand toys such as shovels, rakes, buckets, and watering cans. In addition to developing movement, sandboxes are a great place to develop social skills! Other outdoor features may include a small hill for walking and running up and down, a low platform for climbing, large tires to climb on and sit in, and wide, heavy boards of various lengths to balance on.
Here are few simple tips about planning a Montessori infant/toddler environment: (* Special note: Please check your local licensing agencies for area specific guidelines regarding diapering/toileting, sleeping, and eating arrangements.)
- Open space that allows children to move and explore freely as they are developmentally ready.
- Space that keeps non-mobile infants safe while they are lying on the floor, but that allows them to see and hear others in the environment.
- Quiet space for presentations or independent activities.
- Quiet listening area.
- An area for toddlers and twos to work with materials.
- A well-lit, comfy corner for reading books.
- A quiet place to feed or rock infants.
- A diapering/toileting area.
- An outdoor space with a variety of hard and soft surfaces and objects to explore.
Movement is critical for developing the neural pathways of intelligence. Restricting movement not only restricts a young child’s ability to gain independence, it also hinders their ability to learn.
See our other related blogs in this series:
