Practical life is the core area of the Montessori environment. It is the first area that the child is drawn to and the first area that is introduced to the child just starting in a Montessori classroom.

Practical life is the area of the environment where the child is able to do the adult activities he sees at home. The exercises come from simple, everyday activities and use items that the child is familiar with from home, such as water, pitchers, bowls, spoons, beads, buttons,a nd all kinds of kitchen utensils. The exercises are constructed in a way that allows the child to discover and develop.

The exercises include such simple tasks as table scrubbing, bottle opening, buttoning, food preparation, using scissors, walking a balance beam, and skipping. yet these familiar tasks challenge the children and because they challenge the children, they are an opportunity for each child to become more competent and more self-confident. Indeed, the primary aim of the Practical Life area is not to teach the skills of table scrubbing or food preparation, but to foster concentration, coordination, a sense of order, self-confidence, independence, and a sense of responsibility in the child. These are the skills that the child will take with him and use throughout his life as he meets new challenges.

It is a joyous event to watch a child pour juice without spilling or put his shoe on and then listen to the triumphant"I did it!" these are the moments when a love of learning is born.

The Practical life exercises also help the child to master the fine motor skills he will need for writing, reading, problem solving, and math. Large motor tasks, like scrubbing, give the child a chance to organize his tools and plan of action, while developing his concentration skills. The spooning exercises, the pouring, the cutting, the pasting, all contribute to the child's eye-hand coordination and focus on details that will enable him to master the skills of writing.

Other Practical Life Links

• Examples of Practical Life in the Classroom - The importance of Montessori Materials
• Practical Life and the Montessori Mother -
• A better understanding of Practical Life at a San Francisco Montessori School - Excellent reference site
• Pictorial of practical life materials - Visual examples of how the materials assist your child's learning.