Spring-Clean Your Child’s Space—the Montessori Way

As the weather becomes warmer we use our time to spring clean or organize closets—activities that can help us organize our thoughts. I know I feel more peaceful in a fresh, clean home. I know where to find things. I can think more easily. I am inspired to do more.

I challenge you to look at your child’s space in your home. Not just his room—his play area, his bathroom, his place in the kitchen. Can he think clearly in the environment that is available to him? It may be time to rearrange it to allow a sense of peace for him, just as you’ve done for yourself.

The Absorbent Mind

Dr. Maria Montessori placed great value on the environment being prepared for the child to absorb the world in an ordered way. She spoke of the absorbent mind of a child who is soaking up everything like a sponge. He is absorbing the world through his senses and creating a sense of self. As he absorbs, he orders things mentally to file them away for later . She told us,

“the things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul.”

That is huge. It seems overwhelming and heavy.

But what a great way to look at your home: Are the items in my child’s environment helping him develop his sense of self?

Filter Out the Extras

We must provide order in our spaces so our children have order in their minds.

When we have lots of toys available to our children and we have the TV on in the background and he has access to the whole collection of 100 blocks, he is overwhelmed.

When everything is attracting his attention at the same time, he doesn’t have the willpower to deny these attractions and he moves from one thing to the next without any concentration or sense of purpose.

This may manifest in behaviors like constant interruptions as you are working from home. Your child may seem bored or unattached to the items in his space just when you need him to be engaged so you can jump on a work call.

Provide a Peaceful Environment

We must create an environment where our children can thrive and engage.

Examine these three principles:

• Limit the options available.

  • Give your child fewer toys to access.

  • Choose items that are beautiful and serve a purpose or skill you want your child to know.

• Keep your environment peaceful.

  • Especially for younger children, pay attention to the noise and visual distractions in your space.

  • Most of us need a quiet space to focus. That is true for your child in most things he’s doing and learning right now.

• Create spaces just for your child.

  • Have small tables and chairs that he can get in and out of without help.

  • Give him access to his plates and silverware.

Restructuring

We are all hoping for answers. How do we get our children to play unattended? What project or activity can we set up so that we can take a breath and navigate all these new changes to our lives?

But the answers may not be what we think they are. Because the truth is that we must look first and foremost at the structure of our home environment and we must make changes to the ways we arrange our space—changes that foster true independence engagement in the child’s absorbent mind.

*All quotations from The Absorbent Mind, by Dr. Maria Montessori