Montessori calls this “Practical Life Exercises” where the child is allowed to do regular activities of daily life and therefore adapt and orientate themselves in society.  “Practical Life Exercises” meant to resemble everyday activities, thus, it important that all materials must be familiar, real and functional.

Alex is very interested with Daffodil flowers. So much so that he requested to go to the market to buy it. He was so happy to finally get the flowers, holding it all the way home and can’t stop smelling the flowers. He says, “Mum, the Daffodils need to drink some water!” So when we get home, I provide him with a jug and a vase. He filled the jug with water and poured it onto the vase, then he put the daffodils into the vase. He took it out again and tried to count one-to-one correspondence to find out how many flowers do he has. He was so proud having arranged them onto the vase and placed them on the table.

Everyday since then, he stares at the Daffodils , smell them and says, “I want to make it bloom? Give water?” We could do a further extension of this activity such as looking after a real plant.

Materials

• A bunch of flowers
• Vase
• Water
• Jug