We wanted to speak about a non academic but equally important component of our curriculum. Physical movement and learning success are correlated, which is why Montessori programs are so attentive to childhood motor development. At Abintra, students benefit from ample opportunities to practice these skills and even receive individualized lessons. Below is a description of our goals and developmental expectations for EC students.   At three years of age, children are very motivated to develop their gross motor skills, which help bring awareness to the body in space. They enjoy balancing, jumping, and climbing. Self-care skills such as dressing provide additional opportunities for them to refine these skills. At age 3, most children: Run smoothly, making sharp turns and avoiding obstacles Jump forward, backward, sideways, and over a short barrier without falling Stand on one foot for 5 seconds   Four-year-olds are comfortable with gros...

Large motor skills, more commonly referred to as gross motor skills, are the ability to control the large muscles of the body. These are the muscles involved in activities such as running, jumping, lifting, and reaching, as well as in maintaining proper posture and balance. Riding a tricycle is great for the development and exercise of those large muscles, and recently our EC students have been all smiles as they motor their vehicles on the porch. Children on tricycles learn how to pedal and steer at the same time. The dual wheel in the back offers balance as the child learns the rhythm and coordination of feet pushing the pedals while steering the handlebars. This activity enhances bilateral motor coordination and spatial awareness. The need to travel safely, accelerating or decelerating as needed, helps build motor planning ability. In celebration of spring's arrival, we have been taking our large motor skills into the woods of Abintra! Our walks through the w...

The students are having a lot of fun working on the EC porch.  Moving through various stations we practice crawling, balancing, climbing, rolling, and spinning. Walking the balance beam is one their favorite activities.    Beam exercises are great for children, strengthening core and leg muscles while also developing a stronger sense of balance and agility. Also very popular is the "spinning chair," a small legless seat that requires the activation of legs, feet, and core in order to send their bodies spinning! I only wish we had a larger one!  Before returning to class we strengthen and stretch our bodies by practicing yoga. Children easily assume the role of animals, trees, flowers, and warriors, standing strong like the tree, hissing like the cobra, and stretching long like the dog. Yoga and gross motor practice help to strengthen the powers of concentration and attention. Self-esteem and self-acceptance are bolstered as children gain cont...

"The bicycle is a curious vehicle.  Its passenger is its engine."  - John Howard "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling."  - James E. Starrs Our Early Childhood students are all smiles as they motor their vehicles on the front porch. Large motor skills, more commonly referred to as gross motor skills, refer to the ability to control the large muscles of the body. These are the muscles involved in activities such as running, jumping, lifting, and reaching, as well as maintaining proper posture and balance. Riding a tricycle is great for the development and exercise of those large muscles. Children on tricycles learn how to pedal and steer at the same time. The dual wheels in the back offer balance as the child learns the rhythm and coordination of feet pushing the pedals while steering the handlebars. This activity enhances bilateral motor coordination and spatial awareness. The need to travel safely, accelerating or decelerating as n...

The students are having a lot of fun working on the Early Childhood porch.  Moving through various stations we practice crawling, balancing, climbing, rolling, and spinning. Walking the balance beam is one their favorite activities.  Beam exercises are great for children, strengthening core and leg muscles while also developing a stronger sense of balance and agility. Also very popular is the “spinning chair" (pictured top right), a small legless seat that requires the activation of legs, feet, and core in order to send their bodies spinning! Before returning to class we strengthen and stretch our bodies by practicing yoga.  Children easily assume the role of animals, trees, flowers, and warriors, standing strong like the tree, hissing like the cobra, and stretching long like the dog. Yoga and gross motor practice help to strengthen the powers of concentration and attention. Self-esteem and self-acceptance are bolstered as children gain control ov...

The students are having a lot of fun working on the early childhood (EC) porch.  We practice crawling, balancing, climbing a ladder, and rolling a ball. One of the children made the observation, “Crawling is good practice for climbing the ladder.  It feels the same.”  If you would like to help your child practice crawling at home, you can have him/her try crawling on steps, playing animals, making tunnels to crawl through with chairs and tables, and crawling under the bed.  Changing the distance your child crawls and the height of the objects he/she is crawling under keeps crawling fun.   This month we start to practice jumping.  We will be jumping on, off, and over.  This is one of the children’s favorite lessons. Gross motor activities also aid in academic development.  All gross motor activities are designed to increase muscular function and improve eye tracking abilities.  Increased muscular function is helpful in all areas from...