"Beyond Numbers and Letters" activities are inspired by the Montessori Practical Life curriculum area, focusing on developing life skills, some of which have applications in numeracy and literacy concepts. One of the main benefits of these activities is the development of independence, self-confidence, and responsibility.
Below are a few exercises that your child can do at home independently and some others that will require assistance from an adult.
Direct Purpose: Fine Motor Skills; eye-hand coordination, independence, and healthy eating
Task: Slice an apple
Direct Purpose: Fine Motor Skills; Eye-hand coordination, independence, and healthy eating
Task: Open a can
Direct Purpose: Matching, organizing, and cleanliness
Indirect Purpose: Sorting and skip counting
Task: Arrange a shoe rack.
Direct Purpose: Tidying up, organizing, responsibility
Indirect Purpose: sorting, measurement, critical thinking, communication
Task: Organize your closet or dresser
Direct Purpose: Order, organization
Indirect Purpose: Grace and Courtesy
Task: Set a table for mealtime
Direct Purpose: Organizing, sorting
Indirect Purpose: Independence, Self confidence, creativity, problem solving
Task: Load a dishwasher
Direct Purpose: Self-confidence, independence
Indirect Purpose: Numeracy
Task: What is your home address?
Direct Purpose: Order, Self-confidence, Independence
Indirect Purpose: Writing, Reading
Tasks
1. Write and mail a letter to a friend.
2. Request to get mails out from your mailbox.
Direct Purpose: Memory game, matching
Indirect Purpose: Playing fair, following rules, communication
Task: Play a card game with someone.
Direct Purpose: Fine motor skills, logical reasoning, visual-spatial reasoning
Indirect Purpose: Communication, problem-solving
Task: Complete a puzzle
Direct Purpose:Responsibility
Indirect Purpose: Parts of a plant, Life Cycle
Tasks
1. Care for a plant
2. Plant a bean seed
Direct Purpose: Order, organization,
Indirect:accountability,Responsibility
Task: Clean up a space at home
Direct Purpose: Time-line, numeracy
Indirect Purpose: Maintaining routine, organization, time-management, and accountability, responsibility
Tasks
1. Randomly tell a time from a clock
2. Choose a time to complete an activity
3. Play "what time is it?" game
Direct Purpose:Discriminate between dimensions, measurement, ordering
Indirect Purpose: visual-spacial reasoning, coordinate pincer grip,
Tasks
1. Order bottles from shortest to tallest
2. Order bottles from smallest to biggest
3. Apply other ordering rules
Direct Purpose: Literacy Awareness
Indirect Purpose: Reading and Writing
Task:
(1) Read and write words on a named item around your house. Such as shoes, shirts, mugs, picture frames, hats/caps, water bottles, etc.
Direct Purpose: Matching, visual discrimination, visual memory
Indirect Purpose: Concentration, attention to detail, improved vocabulary, sorting
Tasks
(1) Pair up shoes/socks/clothing etc
(2) Arrange shoes from smallest to largest.
Direct Purpose:Following rules, socialization,
Indirect Purpose: concentration, boost memory,
Task: Play a card game
Direct Purpose: Fold clothes, use large and small muscle movements, sequencing
Indirect Purpose: Increased vocabulary, following directions, identifying similarities/differences, order, independence, responsibility
Task: Fold your laundry
Direct Purpose: self-esteem, responsibility,
Indirect Purpose: develop fine-motor skills, eye-hand coordination, measurement, following directions,
Task: Wash your dishes after use
Direct Purpose: Art, literacy
Indirect Purpose: Reading/Writing/Creativity/Vocabulary/Science
Task
1. Draw and design a cereal box
2. Pick a cereal box and copy listed ingredients
Direct Purpose: Literacy awareness
Indirect Purpose: Reading/Writing/Art/science
Tasks:
1. Choose a container from your refrigerator. Sketch and color a picture of the container
2. Copy ingredients listed on label.
3. If you could change the design on container, what would it look like? Create your own design.
Direct Purpose: Responsibility, Care of the environment, order
Indirect Purpose: self-esteem
Task: Take out garbage
Direct Purpose: Grace & courtesy, order, self-confidence,
Indirect Purpose: Numeracy, communications, vocabulary, communications, vocabulary
Tasks:
1. Answer an incoming telephone call
2. Make an outgoing call
3. Leave a voice message
4. What is your telephone number?