This week I wanted to challenge myself to create DIY Montessori lessons with things I had lying around the house. And after a day of collecting random items around house to see what I can create, I had an accidental ah-ha moment at dinner.
For dinner that night we made Trader Joes Instant Ramen & loaded it with veggies (and boy was it yummy 😉 ). Once I emptied the Ramen cups into our larger pot, I quickly stacked the cups to toss them in the trash. In that moment, I realized that these cups were not trash. They were the Montessori lessons I had been looking for.
So I challenged myself to turn these 4 Cups into 4 Montessori Baby Lessons! And that I did… 🙂
Montessori Lesson #1: Stacking
This Montessori baby lesson is typically given using nesting cups. That said, any cups that stack will do for the stacking lesson! This simple but effective lesson is easy to offer and will give your baby opportunities for fine-motor refinement + eye-hand refinement.
I would offer the lesson with all 4 cups initially stacked. Then model how to remove each cup from the stack; one at a time. Then, slowly re-stack the cups one by one as your baby watches you modeling this motion. Finally, allow your baby to try for themselves! Re-offer the lesson as needed. 🙂
Montessori Lesson #2: Transferring
This lesson is perfect preparation for Practical Life and Food Preparation. The transferring lesson offers your older infant an opportunity to use utensils like small serving spoons, chopsticks, tweezers, pitchers, and more in a controlled setting.
For this transferring lesson, you will need two of the paper cups, a size appropriate utensil, some dry pasta (or whatever dry grain is in your pantry), and a tray or large plate.
Place both cups on a tray or plate. Fill the left cup 3/4 with your dry grain or pasta. Place the utensil on the tray in front of the cups.
To offer this lesson, sit on the side of your child that is your dominant side. I’m left handed so I sit on the left. After that, use your dominant hand to grab the utensil and transfer the pasta from left to right.
(We transfer from left to right as indirect preparation for reading and writing…. so interesting, right?!)
This transferring lesson hones in on fine-motor refinement, development of concentration through points of interest, and empowerment through practice of real-life activities.
Montessori Lesson # 3: Sorting
To create this lesson, I used 2 paper cups, white index cards, one red marker, one blue marker, one small bowl, scissors, and an adhesive. I leant out my non-toxic markers or else I would have used those instead of Sharpies. (In a separate activity, you can have your young toddler help color the circles using a non-toxic marker.) I also would have used scotch tape instead of the staple but I was out. Soooo… I used what I had!
To offer this sorting lesson, offer a small language lesson discussing the two colors. Point to the big red circle on the cup and discuss the color. Perhaps you say, “This is a red circle.” After, do the same with the big blue circle on the cup.
Then grab a small red disk, talk about the color, point to both the small disk + the large circle and drop it in the appropriate cup. Do the same with a blue disk. Then give your baby a try.
After your child masters this lesson, there is a way to make it slightly more difficult! To make make it harder, remove the large circles on the cups. This takes away the guidance of the color on each cup and offers your child an opportunity to sort the colored disks within themselves. This challenges + aids in their development of their mathematical mind. 🙂
Montessori Lesson #4: Slot Box
The 4th and final Montessori lesson I created with these 4 paper cups is the slot box lesson! This is usually offered using a wooden box with a slot on the top and wooden disks. That said, I decided to use the colored circles & cups we created for the sorting activity and transform them into a slot box lesson.
For this slot box lesson, a paper cup & colored circles from the sorting lesson, tape, small bowl (big enough for the paper cup), tiny dish, scissors, and a tray for lesson presentation.
Step 1
Use one of the cups from the previous sorting lesson that is already wrapped in white paper. Wrap with a tape of your choice.
Step 2
Wrap the colored circles in that same tape (for color association) and cut them out. I used duck tape because it is thick, so it made sturdier disks. (It also happened to be the only tape I had on hand. Lol!)
Step 3
Place the disks in a small dish, cup, or lid. (I used a mason jar lid that I had on hand but you can use anything… even the bottom half of one of the paper cups!)
Step 4
Cut a small slit in the bottom of the cup. I used my scissors to make a slice just big enough for the disks. (I taped around the slit to make the slit distinct.) Then, place the cup bottom-side-up in a small, size-appropriate bowl.
Step 5
Finally, place that cup in a bowl on a tray & place the disks in a small dish and also place it on the tray. Then, the lesson is ready to be presented to your sweet baby!
To present the lesson, grab one disk with your dominant hand and slowly lower the disk into the slit, making sure to over emphasize your movements. (This allows your baby to observe the small movements.)
Then, drop the disk into the slit. Make sure to make your release dramatic, again emphasizing the movement of your grasp and release.
Finally, lift the cup and bring attention to the disk in the bowl. You can point to it and say something like, “Look! I released the disk into the slot and here it is!” Then, you can offer your baby a turn.
This slot box lesson is great for fine-motor refinement, releasing, object permanence, eye-hand coordination, and more!
I hope you enjoyed turning 4 paper cups into 4 Montessori lessons! I usually prefer not to give exact ages to offer each lesson to your baby because every child is so different. To determine if your child is ready for each lesson, I would say to consider the necessary movements and objects within each lesson. Then, observe your child’s movements to decide if your child is ready for each lesson.
I know nowadays we are spending a lot of time inside. So I hope these activities can offer a fun way to be creative, interact, and optimize development with your babies and toddlers at home.
Sending you so much love and grace always!