Exercises of Practical Life in Our Home - Primary

The Exercises of Practical Life are the oddest subject area in Montessori.

On the one hand, they can be entirely overlooked because it's not "academic" (it is academic and necessary for a child's development, but that's not the point to this post ;) ).

On the other hand, they are easiest to WAY OVER-DO - getting into areas that aren't, well, practical. This is where we start getting into the area of "independent learning activities" that aren't really Montessori. Useful, perhaps. Interesting, perhaps. Not going to harm your child, most likely. But NOT Montessori.
And can definitely over-burden a homeschool mom who "just wants to do it right" but sees everyone's ideas and thinks they are all necessary. No, they're not necessary - this is where you can have some creativity if you like, but it is NOT necessary!

Exercises of Practical Life: think practical. What is practical for YOUR life?

Montessori = Keys.

We actually started with old medicine droppers
at home - transitioned to glass ones later.
You can see our "supply shelf" in the back!

Home versus school = small available space.
(it could be argued that schools need to follow the same guidelines because they have more children who have less time with the materials than homeschoolers have, but I am writing about MY home right now :) ) .

Therefore, in our home, we stick with the practical exercises of the "Exercises of Practical Life" album.

At primary, that meant we had the following throughout our home - not all in one place:

Preliminary Exercises (any special materials introduced here are removed when the child is competent at the related activity)

How to Carry a Working Mat

How to Place a Pitcher

How to Carry a Tray

How to Roll a Working Mat

How to Put Down a Chair

How to Sit On a Chair at a Table

How to Fold Napkins - basic - styles added later in elementary

How to Pour Grain (dry pouring - something with weight - removed when competent with pouring)

How to Pour Water (wet pouring - removed when competent with own pitcher in the fridge)

How to Fold a Dust-cloth to Put Away (we just used the regular dust-cloths)

How to Fold a Dust-cloth to Dust (just used the regular dust-cloths) Transfer with Eyedropper - liquid from one bottle to another (related to polishing) Clothespin on edge of a jar (removed when starting to competently hang clothes in such manner)

Care of Self

How to Wash Hands

Snap Frame

Hook and Eye Frame

Button Frame

Buckle Frame

Zipper Frame

Bow Frame

Lacing Frame – V Pattern

Lacing Frame – X Pattern

Lacing Frame – Linear Pattern

Safety Pin Frame Combing Hair

Care of the Environment

How to Dust a Table

How to Use a Dustpan and Brush

How to Sweep with a Broom How to Vacuum (kid-sized vacuum)

How to Wipe Up a Spill

How to Dust Leaves

How to Polish Glass, Metal, Wood - I had separate trays, but the processes are streamlined for function within the home.

How to Care for Plants

How to Wash a Table AND counter

How to Wash Cloths

How to Iron

How to Arrange Flowers

How to Make Basic Food items (orange juice, fruit salads, pbj sandwiches)

How to Wash Fruits and Vegetables

How to Peel & Cut Various Fruits and Vegetables

How to Bake (a toaster oven is ideal; we did not, so he did everything EXCEPT when the over door was open - that part was my job) --- a primary aged child can help make almost anything from cookies and muffins to salads and sandwiches - even pizza!

Grace and Courtesy

How to Walk Around A Mat

How to Introduce Yourself

How to Apologize

How to Observe

How to Draw Attention

How to Accept a Compliment

How to Blow Your Nose

How to Sit on Upholstered Furniture appropriately (still working on that one!) How to answer the door

Control of Movement

Walking on the Line - rolled up ball of string - stretched out when ready to use

The Silence Activity

Visual Art

Rubbings (Exploration of Texture)

Cutting - Snipping

Cutting - Lines

Advanced Cutting

Contour Drawing with Crayon (Exploration of Line)

Drawing with Colored Pencils

Cutting and Gluing (Exploration of Space)

Painting (Exploration of Color)

Sculpting (Exploration of Form)

Beginning Sewing

Sewing a Button

Advanced Sewing – Running Stitch

Basic cross-stitch Exposure to crochet Others adapted for our home:  Grating soap "Guard" when Mama makes soap (have the vinegar and water buckets ready for accidents) Safety precautions around home-made soap Holding and carrying lit candles Other candle-care Cleaning the inside of a fridge or freezer Using tweezers to pick up small items - this was a novelty experience, but taught the use of the tweezers when needed for medical purposes. Other than medical or dissections, tweezers just aren't used here.  Rock sorting within a set of tackleboxes - this was very nonchalant - his work but not on a shelf of its own within "Montessori" work.  SPUR OF THE MOMENT activities that did not become permanent in our home: washing rocks, sorting shells Chores appropriate to age and ability Using other kitchen utensils - we just taught/learned as needed, not with a specific tray activity Stringing buttons - or any other activities that are not typically done ROUTINELY in real life. Something that is done once in a great while (ie stringing popcorn for Christmas decor), is taught at the time it is needed. There is NO need for a tray activity for such activities.  Art activities - again learning what is needed in the moment after he'd all the basic art lessons from the EPL album; including play-dough, clay, painting, drawing, gluing, etc. Beyond the basics I did NOT have a tray activity for everything. He knew where the supplies were (organized in a simple, Montessori-like manner) and he knew when he had free time to create as much art as he wanted.  Other games - we like to play lots of games here - so many things that some people put on trays and use as an independent learning activity, we just used as games. Repeatable, but not necessary to have on a tray and called "school".  "Inspired" unit studies that last for a time, but are not permanently on a tray or shelf.  Cultural experiences as appropriate - related to books being read, people visiting, videos watched, people or animals met. These were not permanently on display, but cycled back into our regular life (ie chopsticks are in the utensils drawer).

We did NOT have the following - either space or philosophy:

• polishing shoes (it is in the albums, but we just don't have shoes to be polished)
• anything with those little pom-pom, warm-fuzzy things. They have NO weight, so serve little purpose when applied to real life. We used cotton balls with polishing and these needed to be replenished, so there was plenty of work to do with carrying weight-less items. Activities that others have created are cute, but when do you ever spoon or tweeze soft weightless objects in real life? These activities are novelties; not harmful, but should be kept to a minimum (and Zero is an acceptable amount ;) ). 
• trays for EVERYTHING. It's just not necessary. Many things at home can and should be done in their proper context. Yes, sometimes a preliminary presentation is needed and that might be on a tray for a while; thereafter, the materials are kept where they belong (whisks belong in the utensil drawer) and are used at appropriate times. No tray needed :)