17 Mar Spring Cleaning the Montessori Way

Spring is a great time to clean out your house and get organized. It’s also a great time to declutter and make space for new things. Montessori education is all about creating a child-friendly environment at school and home. Meadow Montessori has put together a guide for Montessori-friendly spring cleaning practices, techniques, and goals. When you’re completing your chores this season,

If you are in the Richmond, TX area, and are looking for a Montessori school for your child, contact Meadow Montessori today!

The Importance of a Clean Space

A major keystone of the Montessori method is that a child’s environment is crucial to their success.

• Promotes a peaceful environment
• Helps increase mental clarity and focus
• Teaches children the importance of caring for their space
• Establishes lifelong tools to create responsible teens and adults

Our Spring Cleaning Tips

Set Goals

Children thrive when they have structure and clear goals. Create a chore chart or list to help outline tasks. Most importantly, let your child choose which chores they want to complete. Independence and exploration are essential in our teaching, so letting their interests and intuition guide them helps foster these skills.

Model Projects for Your Child

Children love to do everything we do, which can sometimes be frustrating. But it is also a great way to teach good habits. Instead of telling your child what to do, actually demonstrate it for them. Even during times that require a quick cleanup, make sure your child is there to watch you complete the task. Once they see you do it, they will want to try it out for themselves!

Declutter

Open, organized, and uncluttered: these are the goals you should aim to achieve in your space.
If your home is cluttered with miscellaneous items or furniture, it can feel cramped or crowded. This makes it easy for children to become overstimulated and has a major effect on their mood. In Montessori teaching, we want our space to be calming. Focus on minimal distractions, open areas, and lots of natural light.

Everything Has a Place

In addition to decluttering, an important tip is to give everything in your home a designated place. When your child goes to put something away, this eliminates confusion about where it should go. A great way to do this is to keep storage items with their own purpose, i.e., a shelf for books and cubbies for toys.

Encourage Independence

Allowing your child to complete tasks at their own will is key. Try giving them a basket of safe cleaning supplies (like a hamper, wastebasket, or dust cloth) and letting them choose which room they work on. This also means giving kids choices: instead of saying “pick up your blocks” or “go brush your teeth,” frame it as a question, like “which task would you like to do first?” They will love the feeling of independence and accomplishment it gives them, which will encourage them to later pick up these habits on their own.

Skills to Last a Lifetime

Spring cleaning should be something your child is excited about, not something they dread. By following our tips, you can make chore time a positive and fun bonding experience for the whole family.

Interested in a Montessori learning environment that fosters these important life skills in its students? Contact Meadow Montessori in Richmond, TX, today!