Customer Reviews

Montessori Play And Learn: A Parent's Guide to Purposeful Play from Two to Six

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Montessori school can be unbelieveably expensive (approx. 500 dollars per 8 week sessions, and that's just half days!), and your child has to be "approved" in most institutions. Based on the teaching of Maria Montessori, it is designed to help toddlers and young children learn in five simple steps: observation, participation, practice, "eureka" movement, and performance. This learning process can help youngsters be well ahead of the game by the time they go into Kindergarten. While a Montessori school can help give your kids interaction with kids of all ages, you can still apply this method of learning in the home, as Montessori pointed out: "Parents are still the child's first and most important teachers".

"Montessori Play and Learn" is a great tool to have in applying this learning method at home. It isn't difficult or complicated but does require dedication to achieve your goal. In other words, buying and reading this book and performing only a handful of the ideas on an irregular basis will not get your child where you'd like him/her to be. Activities are broken down by age groups, and games can be something as simple as putting 10 bottles of herbs and spices on the table for your child to smell and explore. Other tips included exploring the neighborhood, setting the dinner table, allowing them to do tasks (such as applying lip balm) you'd normally do for them (this gives them a sense of accomplishment), and other activities that stimulate our children's inborn motivation to learn. Worth finding a used or out-of-print copy until Crown decides to publish a revised edition.

If parents are the first teachers, and home is the first school, then this is the instruction manual! Great ideas for helping young children learn in a way that they enjoy. Easy to follow examples trancend Montessori-these are activities every parent should do with their child.

I was looking for a good way to teach my preschool son at home using some elements of the Montessori method. However, I wanted to go at my own pace and in a relaxed way. If you need a more regimented and structured Montessori method at home read Elizabeth Hainstock's books. Leslie Britton's book is well-written, concise and hits all the main points. I really like the games and activities designed for children from two to six. I am able to pick and choose and with home materials to teach my son at home. My son is two so he's only able to participate in a few exercises. Can't recommend it enough.

Parents often wonder what activities they can do with their children to help them learn, this book is crammed with great ideas! The activities are mostly simple to set-up, they are fun for the kids and help kids learn a variety of skills. Every parent of an under-five should own this book.

Before buying this book, I knew very little about the Montessori method other than it was supposed to be extremely child-centered. I bought "Play and Learn" looking for a basic introduction to Montessori with specific ideas for educational activities I could use with my 2-year-old, and that's exactly what I got. More, even, as it has really influenced the way I look at her development and has encouraged me to have the courage to let her do things independently earlier than I would have otherwise.

Here's how it's set up: the first section of the book is devoted to introducing Maria Montessori, the essence of her method, and how to use it. I was absolutely fascinated by what I learned about the stages of development. It's very clearly laid out and easy to reference, plus you'll find your first practical tip -- the Montessori way of teaching a child to put on her coat by herself, complete with photos.

Next, a section on organizing your home in a Montessori way, which is not to say that you have to change everything to suit your child but it is important to have an environment that doesn't exclude them and *does* allow them to fully participate as a family member. This section covers room by room with safety suggestions along with practical life activities for your child. An example of a suggestion that I implemented with success is hanging low hooks by the door, and my (just turned) 2-year-old does consistently hang up her own coat and put away her own shoes. Now it seems perfectly logical, of course, but I just hadn't thought of it before.

Next is a "games and activities" section that is broken down by ages and into the following categories: language and reading, sensory development, mathematics, science and nature, history, geography, and arts & crafts. This is the meat of the book, and explains how the activities help your child, what you need and how to set it up. There are also black and white photos illustrating certain activities.

After the concept of "home" is explored, the book then expands to exploring the neighborhood, with sections on the backyard, in the park, in the countryside, in the city, and going to school. As in the other section, there are safety guidelines along with practical ideas. Then yet more games & activities, again broken into the categories mentioned above.

Finally, a section on discovering the world, in the same format as the other two main sections of "home" and "neighborhood."


After looking at all the high ratings, I think this book is your safest bet for parents who are new to Montessori and are looking for an introductory book with lots of practical ideas. It has definitely been life-changing for me as someone who is new to parenting as well as new to Montessori.

This is a good book for parents not just those with toddlers and preschoolers. It gives insight into the montessori method and really shows you the interelationship between how a child deveopls intellectually and physically. I wish that I had gotten it earlier because it has good insights into toddlerhood - tantrums and all. My son is 21/2 and we are hoping to send him to pre-school in September, so we wanted to get a guideline so to speak about what we should be looking for and the best kind of learning at his age. Also we were looking for new ways to engage him, so I'm anxious to try out the activities. He's in the 'I want to be independent stage' and after reading the book I have adopted some of its advice on how to help him acheive this. All in all I would say its a good buy, quite informative.

My daughter will be attending a Montessori preschool in a couple of months [she's 2], and I wanted a practical manual that would introduce me to Montessori methods I could implement at home. This book is full of practical ideas, and is filled with activities and games thatare easy to implement in the home, and as a follow-up to preschool learning. The book covers topics like who is Maria Montessori, what is the essence of the Montessori method,how to use the Montessori method, planning your home around your child[child's bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom, hall &stairs, games & activities] , exploring the neighborhood[in the backyard, in the park, in the countryside, in the city, going to school], & discovering about the world[the human family, journeys & explorations, the universe]. There are lots of practical & useful activities & games that one can implement with relative ease in the home or outside. The ideas in this book go a long way to helping stimulate a young child in line with the Montessori method.

The introduction to this book is horrible. It uses the good name of Maria Montessori to promote "progressive" education; whole language; and socialism. The intro boasts that Montessori was part of the progressive education movement. The PM was started by John Dewey. I've done extensive research on Maria Montessori and not once have I read that she crossed paths with or mention John Dewey. The Montessori method is about sensory education. John Dewey on the other hand says, "The mere absorbing of facts and truths is so exclusively individual an affair that it tends very naturally to pass into selfishness." Their two educational philosophies are wholly opposite.

The introduction doesn't say Montessori was a socialist per se, but that this topic was studied a lot in colleges of her time and she "no doubt" was "eager for social change." And in the introduction, the author makes a plea for, of all things, whole language! Whole language has been an abysmal failure in teaching children to read.

I want with all my soul to recommend a book about Montessori. But this books serves to smear her good name. A common misconception about Montessori is indeed that it is more of a "progressive" education where children are given no guidance, rules, etc. But anarchy is NOT what the Montessori method is about. It is about very specific guidance given to children to help them become self learners. Montessori's primary goal is to create a child who is a self learner, thinker and producer; Dewey's goal was to "socialize" children.

This book may have good practical advice but please beware the propaganda at the beginning.

I am a medical student, single parent and needed something to introduce me to Montessori instruction. I plan to enroll my 36 month old soon, but at this time, she is fine in the care of her grandparents and in the evenings, with me. Until she begins Montessori, I want to begin instilling some of the instructions. I ordered this book along with one other you will notice in my reviewed items. Both books are very good in my opinion, and all that I need. Even if I never enroll her in daycare, preschool, this is adequate. It gives great ideas that a parent or caregiver can share while with the child. Very good quality book.

I was not impressed by the content of the book. Many of the activities seem very intuitive.
I will however keep the book to help supplement what I currently do with kids.