Are you excited about putting together your new winter and spring materials for homeschool? Montessori lessons are not only educational but flexible when it comes to creating works or lessons. But materials can get really expensive quick!
So, think outside the box and hit some discount stores for inspiration.
A great place to start is the Dollar store or a local thrift store. You can find endless amounts of trays and baskets that are perfect for carrying a “work/lesson.”
I bought pitchers and cups from Goodwill, and I found some of the cutest little boxes and bottles. Remember, children love small objects. Don’t be afraid to use glass and ceramics if they are older than three. Yes, they will break things; BUT they need to feel as if they are doing meaningful work. The weight of glass and ceramic feels utterly different than plastic.
You are teaching them how to treat the environment and how to care for the things in it.
Some of the great finds I found at the Dollar store included:
- Paper cut-outs of numbers and letters.
- Wooden letters and dowels.
- Glass jars with lids.
- Wooden beads with string.
- Poster paper.
Not to mention all the paper, glue, scissors, thumbtacks, and “whose it’s and what’s its galore.”
You can create endless practical life lessons using only thrift store items for your homeschool shelves. Consider putting new lessons up for Winter/Spring that look seasonal, and put the Fall ones in a storage bin. Rember not to overwhelm your child with too many choices.
Less is always more!
Now get out to these super cheap stores and start creating a fun new curriculum for your at-home Montessori classroom.
