The Hand is the Instrument of the Mind

Recently we have been doing some practical life activities in the classroom. The children have enjoyed baking, gardening, weaving, finger knitting as well as care of the environment. Maria Montessori believed that practical activities help children to develop hand-eye coordination, concentration, independence and self confidence. Although preschool classes have shelves dedicated to practical life activities, in the primary classroom, practical life is usually related to actual activities in day to day life. Here are some pictures of our practical life activities:

Focussed on weaving

Weaving takes lots of concentration when you first start

Baking with friends

Doing a jigsaw puzzle takes concentration, hand-eye coordination and teamwork

Feeling a sense of pride when the jigsaw puzzle is complete