What Parents Need to Know About Montessori at Home

The Secret to Raising an Independent Child.

How does a child move from dependence on adults to autonomy? It’s all about their environment and the adults who guide them. Independence can be encouraged by setting up your home environment to allow your child to participate meaningfully in their activities of daily living.

Children succeed when their space meets their needs! The trick is to support as much freedom as you can to encourage your child’s independence, but not so much freedom that your home is falling apart. Thankfully, as a Montessori school we have experience setting up child-centered spaces. We’re happy to share our approach with you!

Key Parenting Tips Takeaways: Bringing Montessori Home

• Foster Independence: Modify physical spaces so children can access everyday items like clothing, snacks, and toys—completely unassisted.
• Observe Before Intervening: Give children the time and cognitive space to struggle slightly with an activity; this builds deep self-regulation.
• Emphasize Practical Life: Real-world tasks (like preparing food or sweeping) are core components of authentic Montessori development.

The first thing to know is that Montessori at home isn’t something you can buy in a kit. It’s less about WHAT is in your home than about WHY you structure your environment a certain way and HOW your child interacts with it. While we have recommendations for furnishings that can make things easier and more approachable for your child, you could adopt a Montessori approach without new purchases! The main change is a shift in mindset.

The Montessori “Prepared Environment”

In Montessori, we refer to the classroom as a “Prepared Environment”. That means that the space has been set up for children to interact independently with the physical space and learning materials. The furniture is child-sized, there is plenty of room to move around, and the learning materials are placed within reach.

This is different from a “yes” space, in that the space is not completely confined. There are things in the prepared environment that might be used inappropriately, so the presence of adults is a necessary element. In Montessori, this approach is called “freedom within limits”. The child is free to engage with everything in the environment, as long as it is in a safe and constructive way. 

The adult provides feedback that reinforces the limits:

• First by modeling, demonstrating, or giving a lesson on how something is used.
• Next, by re-teaching (at a separate, neutral time) if the material is used inappropriately.
• Last, by intervening if an inappropriate use is unsafe.

Through time and practice, the adult’s intervention becomes less and less necessary. Children who have spent significant time in the Montessori classroom are able to go about their school day as if the teacher isn’t present at all!

There are other key features of the physical space in a Montessori classroom (natural materials, activities placed on the shelf from left to right in order of difficulty), but the key to building independence is the amount of freedom given to the child to explore, create, and try new things. The thoughtful design of the space is directed towards supporting and allowing freedom. 

The incredible thing is that you can recreate this foundation for freedom at home!

Montessori at Home vs. School

The main difference between the home and school environment is simple… home needs to be a space for adults too! In a Montessori school setting, like our preschool in Boise, we prepare classroom spaces for large groups of children to feel comfortable working and playing. The teachers are full-time facilitators, and their needs are minimally considered in the classroom space. But your home has to meet the needs of you, your child/children, your partner, and any other family members in the home. That means that when you’re creating a “prepared environment” at home, you’re one of the people you’re preparing it for. 

A major pitfall families can fall into when creating space for their children at home is to enforce hard separation between adult spaces and children’s spaces. Maybe we’re anxious about our children accessing things in the kitchen or yard that could be dangerous. Maybe we’re annoyed when the living room, family room, and bedrooms get overwhelmed with toys. To raise children who know how to be a functional part of the family, we have to look at the home as a space for our whole family. This means meaningfully involving young children in the day-to-day work of the house. 

If we view our family as a community, and our home as a community space, we can see that every person has needs that must be met in every space. Assess your home using this helpful framework…

Four Criteria for a Successful “Prepared Environment” at Home:

1. Is it accessible? Your child should have access to what they need (within reasonable limits). After all, they can’t use it if they can’t reach it! Low tables, shelves, and child-sized chairs or stools are helpful in every home space. Consider a weaning table for your young child instead of a high chair. In spaces where furniture can’t be adjusted (like the kitchen or bathroom) step stools and toddler towers give your child access to the toilet, sink, or counter. Child-sized tools let them accomplish tasks without assistance. For example, a non-serrated butter knife is great for helping your child cut a banana or spread peanut butter on a cracker for a snack. Take advantage of already low shelves to store things your child should have access to. Things that aren’t appropriate or safe for children can be moved to higher shelves/cabinets for adult use. It’s also okay to limit the amount of tools your child has access to. For example, there are four forks in your child’s utensil jar. When all of the forks have been used, we’ll need to wash our dishes!
2. Is it organized? Your child needs to know where their things go! Staying organized and offering limited choices means your child won’t be overwhelmed. Let’s say you want your child to get dressed by themselves. Put a choice of three shirts, three pairs of pants, three pairs of socks, and three pairs of underwear in baskets on a low shelf in your child’s room. They can choose what they want to wear, and the rest go back where they belong until it’s time to change again! You can reinforce organization by modeling or prompting the beginning, middle, and end of each task. Let’s continue with our example: your child is getting dressed for the day… First, we notice that it’s time to change our clothes, and we choose what we would like to wear (sometimes this means taking out each item). “It’s time to get dressed! Do you want the red shirt, the blue shirt, or the green shirt?” Then, we change out of our pajamas and into the clothing we’ve chosen. “Alright! First underwear, then pants.” Last, we put our pajamas in the hamper and pack away our baskets of fresh clothes. Remember that every task ends with putting things back where they belong. “Let’s put these back on the shelf. You can wear them another time.” After repeating this routine whenever your child changes, your child will start to do each step unprompted. They will transition to managing this by themselves as you slowly fade back, offering less help each time. 
3. Is it inclusive? Your home belongs to your whole family. Your child wants to be part of the life of the whole family. Separating children’s spaces into playrooms sends children the message that some communal areas of the home are “off limits”. Of course, for the sake of privacy bedrooms and bathrooms DO have to be “off limits” sometimes. But spaces like the kitchen, family room, and back yard are real centers of connection for families. When you look around your spaces at home, do you see every member of your family’s needs represented? 
4. Is it intentional? Adults are responsible for supporting and curating the home environment. Your choices make your home cozy, comfortable, and beautiful! The best part is, these qualities are naturally attractive to your child. Take time to audit the spaces in your home, and think about how each space “works”. For example, does it make more sense in your household to set up an art station in the family room, or in the kitchen? The family room might make sense for longer, more open-ended projects. The kitchen might make sense because it’s closer to a water source and cleaning materials. 

One important factor in curation is the amount of your child’s toys you have available for use at a given time. One of the best tips for keeping your child engaged (and your home spaces manageable) is to only put out a limited number of toys at a given time. The rest can be stored away, and rotated back into use as your child loses interest in what’s on the shelf.

Finally, safety is the foundation of a truly independent space. Baby- or toddler-proofing should happen before making any changes to your space. 

Montessori Furnishings to Encourage Independence

None of these objects are requirements for a Montessori home! However, if you’re looking to set up your space for your child’s independence, these things can be helpful in the areas where your child spends time.

Where your child sleeps: 

• Floor bed or mattress. 
• Accessible storage for clothes, and a child-safe mirror for dressing. 
• Small selection of quiet toys, arranged in baskets on a low shelf (instead of piled into a toybox). 

Where your child eats: 

• Food preparation tools: A small cutting board, safe chopping implements, spatula, mixing bowls. Set on a low shelf or drawer. You can purchase food preparation equipment from companies that specialize in child-sized tools (like For Small Hands), or you can source child-sized utensils, flatware, and food prep equipment from your local restaurant supply store. 
• Tools for cleaning messes: Start with cleaning cloths, a hand broom, and a dust pan. You can also introduce a basin for rinsing and scrubbing dishes. 
• Low table/chair. 
• Accessible plates/bowls, utensils, and glasses. This is another set of items that can be sourced from your local restaurant supply store.
• An accessible source for drinking water (a small pitcher on a shelf or in the refrigerator).
• Toddler tower for reaching kitchen counters/islands.
• ***For more inspiration, check out this video on everyday food from Montessori Guide.

Where your child does bathing and toileting: 

• Low hook for towel.
• Step stool to reach toilet and sink.
• Accessible storage for clothes, and a mirror for dressing.
• Space beside the toilet or training potty for changing clothes.
• Self-grooming tools (hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste) within your child’s reach.
• Small bar of soap or easy-to-pump foaming soap.

Where your child gets ready to leave the home: 

• Low hooks for hanging outerwear. 
• Baskets to hold loose items like mittens, hats, or sunglasses.
• A low stool or bench where your child can sit to put on shoes.
• A spot for your child’s sunscreen.

Where your child plays indoors: 

• Low shelves with baskets for toy storage. 
• Small table and chair. 
• Small floor rugs or mats for defining your child’s play space.

Where your child plays outdoors:

• Tools for helping in the garden (child-sized watering can, gardening gloves, trowel for weeding, basket for harvesting).
• Organized storage for outdoor toys (small hanging baskets or pails).
• Child-sized broom, rake, and snow shovel.
• Spot for your child’s water bottle.

Bonus spaces! These spaces are likely part of another space in your home…

Art space:

• Low table/chair.
• Accessible art materials, organized into project trays, baskets, or boxes.
• Accessible tools for cleaning messes (rags/cleaning cloths, hand broom, dust pan).
• Low hook for apron/smock.

Cozy space for reading: 

• Cozy seating (a soft chair or cushion).
• A small selection of books (ten or fewer) stored with covers facing outward so the child can see them (using a front-facing bookshelf or a floating shelf with a lip).

Cool-down space:

• Cozy seating (a soft chair or cushion).
• Low shelf with a few calming/self-regulating activities (books, fidgets, sensory bottles). Choosing these activities with your child during a neutral moment will set them up for success when it’s time to practice self-regulation.
• Canopy, screen, tent, or other divider to make the space feel enclosed and cozy (ideally something that can be moved if your child needs you beside them).

Montessori Parenting Tips for all spaces:

Keep it simple! A minimalist approach will keep your home from becoming an overwhelming space.

Be mess-friendly (by making cleaning accessible). Spills and scribbles are a part of life! Your child can play a meaningful part in making things clean and ready to use again. Have cleaning tools like rags, brooms, and dustpans available for your child in spaces where you can expect a mess.

See it from your child’s perspective. Get down to your child’s level when you set up spaces for them. You’d be surprised how inaccessible our grown-up spaces can be for small children.

Create spaces where you are comfortable, too! Consider adding low chairs or cushions for you to comfortably join your child.

If you’re interested in continuing your Montessori-at-home journey, some resources are especially valuable. While refining your space and building habits for independence, we recommend reading Simone Davies’ body of work. For another quick overview with links to children’s developmental needs by age, check out the intro to Montessori-at-home by the American Montessori Society. 

Making it Work Long-Term

Once you’ve set up your home as a full family space, the trick becomes maintaining that space together. Thankfully, that’s part of the magic of Montessori!

Check out our blog: How Do I Get My Child to Clean Up for the secret to getting your child involved in household chores. And for inspiration on how to organize, nothing beats spending time in a Montessori classroom environment. Families in Boise can tour Lakewood Montessori weekday mornings and afternoons.