The Prepared Environment

Having a prepared environment is one of the things that makes the most sense to me about Montessori.

The prepared environment is

designed so that the child has the maximum ability for learning and exploration. The phrase ‘prepared environment’ refers to a well-thought out environment, classroom or home, designed with the child in mind. The goal of the prepared environment is to foster independence in the child.

Doesn’t that just make sense?

We don’t have to send our children to a Montessori school to have a prepared environment. The best place to have a prepared environment is in the home where our children spend most of their time!

Over the last couple of years I’ve learned a lot about setting up and maintaining a prepared environment from the daily aspects of making sure the shelves and materials were ready for eager minds to setting up classrooms from scratch (after our school moved to a new location).

Now, I have another learning experience to add to the set…our new home. In some ways, preparing the environment for Joey hasn’t been as easy as I thought and has definitely taken longer than I expected! But I’m learning, adapting, and tailoring our home so that he is able to maximize his potential and foster independence.

Next week I’ll begin to share the basics of the Montessori prepared environment in a classroom, at home, as a parent, and teacher along with how we’re sitting up our home and the plans for the future.

I’d love for you to join me and share how you’ve prepared your home as a prepared environment.