What Montessori station should I create next?

Whether you’re new to Montessori or have been practicing for a while, it’s no secret that setting up Montessori stations can be overwhelming. Which is the most important? What station will my child use the most? Which is age appropriate for my child now?

My goal as a Montessori guide is to simplify Montessori and make it accessible to all. Which is why I addressed how to easily create Montessori stations at home, and how to know which station to create next in my latest Montessori Monday training. If you want to catch these trainings live, be sure you’re a part of my free Montessori Toddlers Facebook group.

Last week, we had a live training on the 3 main components of a self-serve snack station. You’ve set this up…but now what?

There are three, easy steps you can take when deciding what station to set up in your home (or classroom) next.

Observe (To know what station your child might be interested in.)

The wonderful thing about stations, is that there’s not a rigid timeline as to when stations should be introduced. Stations should be introduced to our children when they show an interest in whatever the station entails. It’s important to remember, that our work as parents or educators is to observe what the children in our care are most interested in, and cater our stations to their interests. If your child is showing an interest in helping to dress or undress themselves, a dressing station would be a perfect next step. However, if they have shown no interest in the station but you set it up anyway, the child may show interest for a short while, but will likely, quickly become bored with it.

Follow

After you’ve observed your child, follow their lead. Maybe that means you’ve noticed that your child has a keen interest in water. They play in the water outside. They love to help you with dishes or laundry, etc. So, maybe a hand-washing station makes the most sense. When we truly make the effort to follow the lead of the child, we are more likely to set up stations that they can hardly tear their attention away from.

Create the station

I know that something like a hand-washing station sounds like a nightmare. You’re already picturing the water all over the floor. That’s why it’s so important to create stations that promote ‘freedom within limits.’ Meaning, our children have freedom of choice, but we are providing the choices and providing appropriate boundaries. When it comes to WHAT station to create, just remember to follow the child’s lead and that practical life activities are always a good place to start. For example; gardening, self-serve stations, self-care stations, etc. Anything that your child will one day need to complete independently, is a great station idea.

Interested in learning more about Montessori Stations? I’d love for you to join us in my Montessori Station Creation 2 day workshop. I’ll be covering the “who, what, when, where and how” of Montessori stations.

In the meantime, I’d love to know; What is your child currently, interested in completing independently? Remember, whatever that is, it may be a good thing to plan a station around.