For me, one of the most beautiful parts of Montessori's vision for the environment is the ease of indoor and outdoor work. Children weren't meant to be indoors working all day, but free to go in and outdoors as they felt called. Both the indoor environment and the outdoor one provide important opportunities for children of all ages. So, instead of just focusing on preparing the indoors, the outdoors should also be ready for work.
With a super short summer season here, I try to take full advantage of being outside as much as we can while it is warm. While the winter months are fun, the work shelves just become too inaccessible. So, as a summertime treat, we set up a full set of Montessori work shelves for my children. Here's a look at the Montessori work we included this year on our outdoor Montessori work shelves.
Montessori Trays for the Summer
When choosing what kinds of trays to put outside I make a few considerations. One, I need things that will withstand heat, rain, and wind. I'm not bringing things in or covering them up. Often they need a wipe down, but otherwise everything is fine outside. Two, I want things that are easier to set up outside - water, bubbles, messy play - while we could do it indoors, the outdoors is just better. Finally, I consider where my kids interests are, and where they are developmentally. So, it's always a little different year to year.
On the left shelf (top to bottom):
- Baseball Tray: We need a place for everything and everything in it's place. So this is a spot to hold gloves/nicer balls/etc that my baseball obsessed preschooler needs. Supplies: Tray (cheap dollar store find)
- Color Mixing: Mixing colors and fine motor skills with this work. Has been most popular so far with all my kids (including elementary). Supplies: eye droppers, food coloring, color mixing tray, large tray (thrifted)
- Flower Arranging: A staple on our summer shelves to cut flowers from our gardens. Supplies: Tray (thrifted), various small vases, scissors, funnel, water pitcher (largest of this set)
- Ice Cube Transfer: A fun way to cool off on hot summer days and build some fine motor skills. The idea is to scoop the ice cubes in and out of a bowl of water. It's also fun to see them float! Supplies: reusable ice cubes (kept in freezer and gathered before work), mixing bowl (thrifted), scoop, and tray (old IKEA)
- Bubble Mixing/Squeeze: Another fun way to explore water while building skills. The bubble maker is a great whole arm movement for toddlers especially and well loved with lots of age groups. Supplies: bubble maker, squeeze bulb, large bowl (thrifted), tray (old Target)
On the right shelf (top to bottom):
- Bubble Bucket: Just a bucket of bubble blowing supplies. The bucket with a top keeps rain water out which keeps it from getting to be a sticky gross mess or ruining the battery blowers. Supplies: various bubble wands (dollar section), solution, cups, and container (old IKEA)
- Air Dry Clay Prints: This one is aimed mostly at my older kids and allows them to make air dry clay stamps of nature items. Supplies: air dry clay (in old IKEA container), roller, small tray for collecting items, large tray
- Practical Tools Tray: Just putting all the practical tools in one place for various practical work around the yard. Supplies: foam soap pump, hand brush, watering can, bird feed scoop (came with our bird feeder)
- Reusable Water Balloons: These are just the best for water balloon play. Minimal clean up and can be used over and over again. Supplies: reusable balloons, container (old dollar spot)
- Potion Water Supplies: Potion water is a favorite around here and so simple! It's just a squeeze of paint into a bucket of water to make it colorful and opaque. Supplies: large container, squeeze bottles, funnels, small cups (small ones from set), paint
- Sponge Transfer: Another fine motor challenge, moving small pieces of sponge in water to a cup. Supplies: cut up sponge, tea infuser, cup (old Target), tray (old IKEA)
