Teaching Montessori in the Home: Pre-School Years: The Pre-School Years

The author of this book gives a brief history of Maria Montessori and how she discovered how children learn. It then goes on to describe the methods used, and gives detailed instructions for all the exercises and demonstrations which are used with preschool-aged children.

The author also gives instructions for making many of the Montessori materials at home, with common household items or easy-to-obtain craft supplies. Throughout the book she offers many alternative suggestions for the materials which are typically used in a Montessori classroom. For instance, she mentions that a muffin tin can be used very effectively to sort buttons, and that a handtowel may be used for the workmat.

Although this book was orginally written in the 1960's, most of the information is still useful today. The cover mentions that it has been updated and revised, but it is not clear what information has been changed in this edition. Still, overall this book is a wonderful resource for frugal parents who are able to teach their children at home, and who want to use Montessori methods to do so.


Practical book for teaching the very young.   February 26, 2001
Beth Pierce (Rock Hill, SC)
70 out of 71 found this review helpful

My mother was an educator who spent the first nine years of my life staying home with my sisters and me. My parents could not afford to send me to Montessori School. Instead, my mother constructed many of the materials described in the book and used them with me. Because of her efforts, I was reading phonetically at 4 in addition to being well prepared for 1st grade math. I remember fondly the time when we spent together with "school" and do not remember any insecurity or feelings of being pushed. I feel I have benefited from a lifetime a learning and self-confidence that has aided me in many of my endeavors.

When I became pregnant with twins, my mother purchased the new addition of this book for me. I work full time, but still have found time to make the materials in the book (they are very easy!). I enjoy spending time on the exercises with my girls, who are now two and a half . They also look forward to when he have "school".

As an introduction to the world of Montessori; this book has been an eye-opener to me. This book has shown me the beauty of the Montessori Method itself, so much so that my husband and I are considering placing our girls in a Montessori school when they get a little older.

I did find the index of toys and materials outdated, as hinted at by the below critic. Some of these toys are no longer manufactured. I find it sad, however, that the below critic finds teaching manners such as cleaning up after yourself outdated. My girls, at two and a half, enjoy watching me and my husband in the kitchen, helping us clean with their child-size brooms and mops, dusting, etc. I want my children to understand that they are a contributor to their own environment, and not to expect such things to be taken care of by maids or parents.

I recommend this book to you as I have to many parents of pre-school children.


Inspiring work for parents and young children!   February 15, 2004
S. Adams (Seattle, WA USA)
51 out of 53 found this review helpful

I was completely ignorant about the Montessori method when I bought this book. My son is almost 3 and as I had become tired of playing with cars and trucks and saying "no" all the time. I was looking for a more engaged kind of play-with-learning that we could do at home.

This book is fantastic - outlining many activities and giving a taste of the Montessori approach that will let you decide whether you want to know more (I did!). Many Montessori programs are expensive but this book equips you to do the activities with home made equipment. It also inspires parents to teach their children about everyday activities in a more formal way - eg. my son loved the 'lesson' on how to open and close a drawer properly. He quickly 'taught' his panda and Maisie how to do it noiselessly and showed a great deal of pride in his new ability. What a change from throwing Hot Wheels cars at the wall!


Thank You For This Book!   June 7, 2003
Kristin N Pedroza (Vista, CA United States)
22 out of 22 found this review helpful

I spent a year agonizing over how I could implement Montessori in my home preschool. Materials, which are so important to the montessori method are very expensive. This guide tells you how to make your own. It is very simple. If you want to homeschool, are trying to figure out how to transition your toddler into a preschool routine, and want them to LOVE LEARNING...try this out!(I went to montessori as a preschooler and I can still remember the way the materials felt in my hands. It is a sensory and movement based learning that is very appealing and residual)


Excellent Resource   March 4, 2007
Ami Scott (Moscow, ID)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful

I became interested in this method of schooling the first time I ever read about it. I had yanked my four year old son from his preschool program because he had gone from a normal happy preschooler to a biting, kicking, swearing little monster. He also has a speech delay, which did not help matters at all because we could not understand what he was talking about when he tried to tell us what was happening during his day.

His father and I decided to homeschool him until he's six, upon which time we will enroll him with the local charter school. So I started researching different methods and the first time I saw this I fell in love. But my heart sank when I saw just how expensive the equipment is. I was also dissapointed when I discovered that we have a local Montessori school only to find out it cost more than we make in a month. My husband is a full time student on a very low, limited income. I could not in good concious sanction spending that kind of money. So I read everything, online and books, that I could get my hands on. And while all I read talked of the different methods, it never said how to implement them.

I saw this at Paperback Swap (awesome site) and snagged it on impulse. I am so glad that I did. It gave me everything I needed to get a start. It helped me understand the resources I already had and told me how to pull them together in a cohesive whole. I have four children ranging from 8 months - 4.5 years. The three oldest think it's great and they are so proud of themselves every day. Even my husband got in on it and helped me construct several items. We both love this book and I reccomend it to everyone that talks about teaching Montessori.

I also reccomend Seven Times the Sun: Guiding Your Child Through the Rhythms of the Day by Shea Darian