Our homeschooling journey is something that consumes my heart and mind these days. I guess because it is unknown territory that we are walking into. So far it has brought great fruit and I feel that our everyday life is bursting with colors like never before. My daughter’s “whys” have got a completely new dimension, and I love, love, love how excited she got from receiving a magnifying glass by mail the other day. I would like to share what happened when we emerged into our Montessori work 3 – hour session. You can read about our Homeschooling routine in this post. I hand-picked a list of Montessori materials for our classroom. Aside from this list we also use some natural toys and materials that carry educational purpose.

Here is a list of general guidelines that I follow during the Montessori 3-hour cycle to help it run smoother keeping children engaged
- Always follow the child’s lead and build future lessons upon it;
- Give as much vocabulary, knowledge, and information as possible on the topic of conversation. I will explain this one. Once a child is focused on a topic and is in the moment when all his or her life is surrounded by that scorpion or whatever creepy thing it can be you know they are hooked. It means that they are keen to listen to you talk about it for as long as the interest lasts. This is a perfect opportunity to throw as many complex words and facts (of course still within their ability to grasp), as he or she will soak in like a sponge;

- Print when possible. I replace wooden puzzles with printables I can laminate and work with instead. It took us one week to master Globe 1,2, and the Continents World Puzzle. I used to blow up a simple Globe to explain the same concept about Land and Water. We colored in and laminated our world map with continents. She is a happy Montessori camper who can recite all continents and point to each on any given world map, our puzzles fit on one shelf and we saved literally hundreds of dollars.
- Homeschooling a child is very different from teaching a whole classroom for obvious reasons. Homeschooled children master Montessori materials at a much faster rate sometimes, since they have more opportunities for one-on-one demonstrations and activity choices can never be as broad as in a classroom.
- You can see my printables here and sign up to get access to free educational materials at the bottom of this post;
- Follow the sequence of presentations and always take learning to the next level. Knowing the Montessori curriculum and scope and sequence is very crucial. At times, I jump to the next presentation too soon, but I do try to go back and revisit the material/ subject if I notice a gap;



- One lesson on numbers and letters every work session is something that I always aim to include;

Use as many natural materials as possible. This is more or less activity with natural loose parts from Natural ReSourcer; These materials are incredibly versatile and can be adapted to many different areas of learning.

- Think outside the box. I aim to utilize our materials to make as much use of them as possible. For example, the metal insets get great to use every single day. We learned about parts of a butterfly with their help.


It is handy for doing art and fine motor activities as well.


We learn about different dimensions, comparisons, and patterns with the knobless cylinders and cylinder blocks.


“The child must see for himself what he can do, and it is important to give him not only the means of education but also to supply him with indicators which tell him his mistakes……The child’s interest in doing better, and his own constant checking and testing, are so important to him that his progress is assured. His very nature tends toward exactitude and the ways of obtaining it appeals to him.” M. Montessori
There are phrases that I repeat almost every time we take off to the next activity:
“We always finish our work”.
“We keep on trying until we work it out”.
“We always check”.
“We always concentrate during our work. We learn when we make mistakes and fix them. If we are not focusing we can’t notice mistakes. It means we can’t fix them. We can’t learn if we do not fix mistakes.”
Now, feel free to share your favorite part of your homeschool Montessori work cycle in the comments below.
HOMESCHOOL RESOURCES, TIPS, AND IDEAS
Homeschool - Learning Resources and Must-Read Books
Back to School Learning Activities Bundle Preschool and Kindergarten
Back to School learning resources with hands-on activities gathered in one bundle. This bundle includes materials that help develop skills to support the main areas of a child's development - language, math, geography, fine motor, social-emotional, organizational skills, and sensorial. It fosters creativity and logical thinking and prompts moments of deeper concentration. The materials are suitable for use in a classroom setting at school or childcare and in the homeschool setting. It contains tools to help children transition and settle well into their classroom and support the development of their executive functioning skills. You will find many materials to include in your All About Me unit, editable name tracing printouts, and tools to help you organize your classroom such as a Linear calendar and Mobile calendar to start the day. Editable and Homeschool teacher planners are also included. The bundle contains language resources for learning to identify initial sounds and CVC words, and math hands-on resources for teaching basic mathematical concepts.
Chore Chart Editable In PDF Form for Children
Chore Charts for children of different ages
Fifty-six visual and thirty-six non-visual chore cards
Blank rounds and editable blank chore cards to add your chores to the list
Different chore board designs to choose from
Editable Homeschool Planner for Montessori Families
Editable and customizable homeschool planner with daily and weekly planner templates for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and lower elementary students based on key areas of Montessori scope and sequence. It can be used by families internationally with the option to choose Jan-Dec or Aug – July academic year.
Calendar Mobile for Children in Watercolor with Moon Phases Montessori
This calendar will be a beautiful addition to your classroom! It is a wonderful help for your calendar morning routine.
Seasonal Hands-On Activities for Montessori 3-6 Classroom Bundle
Seasonal printables were designed specifically for Montessori classrooms with a large variety of activities that cover different learning areas, such as geography, math – one-to-one correspondence, language – identifying the initial sound, reading, sight words recognition, classification, fine motor practice for students aged 3-6.
Montessori Editable Linear Calendar | Northern Hemisphere
Introduce your students to the concept of years, months, days, and seasons. Children can explore the passage of time with the help of the linear calendar for the Northern Hemisphere.
I Have Who Has Math Games Bundle
I Have, Who Has? Math Games help reinforce valuable lessons and math concepts whilst capturing students’ attention, focus and concentration in a fun and engaging way. Students will be learning while having fun and playing math games with their peers in pairs, in small and large groups. Once students are familiar with the subjects, these cards can be also used as an individual activity to review important math concepts.
Nature Curriculum in Cards Ever Growing Bundle
Nature Curriculum in Cards is an ever-growing bundle with resources that cover major Botany, Zoology, and Geography subjects, plus also includes Nature-Themed Early Learning resources.
Safari TOOB and Toy-Matching 3-Part Cards | Montessori | Editable
Early Learning Bundle with 40 printable sets that contain 3-Part Cards for an object-to-picture matching activity. Sets are designed to match the classroom favorites – Safari TOOB figures. Use in any language. All sets include an editable PowerPoint file. Types labels in your own language and print.
Emotions and Feelings - Printable Activities
I was always passionate about teaching children to understand their emotions and being empathetic towards each other. It inspired me to create this teaching resource.
A Tour of Summer's Homeschool Learning Environment
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Some of the Best Montessori Resources and Materials for Teachers and Parents
I often get asked where to purchase Montessori materials, what I consider Montessori essentials, what handmade items are best for those who prefer handcrafted materials, etc. Below you will find a list of materials, resources, and toys I sincerely recommend. Everything on this list is of high quality and value. I’ve gathered resources and products that I personally purchased, had in my Montessori classroom, reviewed, and would genuinely recommend.
Nature Display in Homeschool Setting
Setting up a nature display in a classroom or homeschool learning space can be very beneficial. Not every child enjoys going out in nature.
Many children protest and dislike being outdoors where they can experience discomfort from the weather, they might not like getting dirty and have fear of crawling creatures.
Outdoor Activities for Children with Free Seven-Day Planner
Prepare fun and engaging educational outdoor activities and nature-based experiences for your children. Now sure where to start? Use our seven-day outdoor learning pre-filled planner to get inspired!
Free One Week Planner for Preschool Children With Low Prep Hands-on Activities
Having a plan at hand, especially during uncertain times, can only benefit busy and overwhelmed parents. Sometimes parents can be going through a period of transitioning when they work on establishing new homeschooling routine.
Homeschooling - the Reality of it All Amid a Pandemic. Free Resources for Parents
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One Day in the Life of a Homeschooling Family
Do you wonder sometimes what a day in the life of another homeschooling family may look like? Unless you are a part of a dynamic and large homeschooling community, you may not have time or energy to connect with others on a regular basis to discuss your routines and timetable.
New to Montessori Homeschooling?
When a family decides to take a route less traveled to homeschool their children the number of questions and choices you have to make is staggering and overwhelming. The list is never-ending – from what approach to take to how to manage household and expenses on one income, and of course, there is socialization.
How to Do Montessori at Home on a Budget
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Mistakes Montessori Newbies Need To Avoid
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Enhancing Learning With Movement - Brain Gym For Kids
The connection between movement and learning is one of the central topics among brain researchers and educators. Maria Montessori has discovered this connection many years ago.
Routine For Our Montessori Home Preschool
It is not a secret that the child needs stability in life in order to feel secure. Order in life creates inner order and peace, something that lays the foundation for successful learning, smooth transitions, and a happy kid. One of the first tasks for homeschoolers is to establish their own rhythm, and set up a daily schedule that is the backbone of the whole process.
Tips for Successful Montessori Homeschool 3 - Hour Work Cycle
Montessori is a truly unique method. One of the main characteristics of this philosophy is that it requires parents and teachers to acquire a particular list of habits, behavior, and attitude towards children, learning, environment, and a certain mindset.

Mama, Why Am I Homeschooled?
It’s a question that nearly every homeschooled child asks at some point. With its delightful, hand-painted illustrations and rhythmic structure, this charming book shows readers how they can learn scholastic skills through everyday life.

Montessori Homeschooling, One Family's Story
A fifteen-year experience of day-by-day, year-by-year, learning how to create an authentic Montessori education at home through elementary, middle, and high school. The main guide or teacher during these years had taken AMI teacher training courses for 0-3, 3-6, and 6-12 and had taught for many years.

Absolutely Everything!: A History of Earth, Dinosaurs, Rulers, Robots and Other Things Too Numerous to Mention
Discover how history, nature, and science connect in this fast-paced, entertaining, and incredibly informative history of the world, from the beginning of time to the present day.
How was our universe made from a tiny speck of energy? Where did the first trees, plants, animals, and humans come from? What happened to the dinosaurs? What was so miserable about medieval times? How were railroads and electricity invented? What are the perils of global warming?

Montessori Math Workbook: A Hands-On Approach to Early Mathematics (Primary Book 1)
A hands-on open-and-go Montessori math curriculum. Use as a supplement to traditional, physical Montessori math materials OR as a stand-alone math curriculum. Montessori math sets a firm foundation in concrete principles before slowly progressing into abstraction.

Montessori Reading Workbook: A LEARN TO READ activity book with Montessori reading tools (Montessori Activity Books for Home and School)
This is a learn to read book for kids 3-5 and5-7. Each age group will use the book in a slightly different way. The first group will be able to work with the help of an adult, while the older group can start the Montessori reading series mostly on their own, as they will be able to cut, paste and color most of the reading activities by themselves.

Montessori Math Workbook | Number Concepts, Golden Beads, Colored Bead Bars, Arithmetics: Math Activity Workbook
Number Concepts - number rods, cards and counters and one to one association
Golden Beads - introduction and arithmetics with golden beads
Linear Counting - bead bars, teens, tens, skip counting, hundred board
Arithmetics - addition, multiplication, subtraction and division

Easy Wood Carving for Children: Fun Whittling Projects for Adventurous Kids
Looking for an outdoor hobby to engage your children and encourage them to be crafty and creative? Wood carving is not only easy to learn and fun to do, but almost everything you need to get started can be found for free -- right outside your door!

Science Experiments You Can Eat
Kids take the reins in the kitchen with this hands-on book of edible science experiments! With revised and updated material, a brand-new look, and hours of innovative, educational experiments, this science classic by award-winning author Vicki Cobb will be devoured by a whole new generation of readers.

The Arts: A Visual Encyclopedia
This beautiful art encyclopedia charts the evolution of the greatest cultural achievements in painting, sculpture, and photography.
The greatest art exhibition at your fingertips! Packed with fascinating facts, clear explanations, and stunning photography, this awe-inspiring art encyclopedia for kids aged 9-12 years takes you on a magical tour through time exploring every artistic style and movement in stunning detail. From Leonardo da Vinci's iconic Mona Lisa to Vincent van Gogh's spectacular The Starry Night, this art history book celebrates the lives of groundbreaking artists and their most famous art masterpieces.

The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life
Parents who are deeply invested in their children's education can be hard on themselves and their kids. When exhausted parents are living the day-to-day grind, it can seem impossible to muster enough energy to make learning fun or interesting. How do parents nurture a love of learning amid childhood chaos, parental self-doubt, the flu, and state academic standards?

i-Poster My World Interactive Map - Educational Talking Toy for Kids of Ages 5 to 12 Years Old
MULTI AWARDS WINNING FUN LEARNING TOY - Family Choice, Mom's Choice Gold Metal & Tillywig Brain Child Award Winner 2018, and Creative Child Kids Product of the Year Winner 2019! The most popular interactive smart educational talking world map poster.

Continent Race Geography Learning Educational Game for Kids 7 Years and Up
Continent Race Geography Game for kids was created by 6 year old Byron duringpassion for geography with a desire to help boys and girls like him learn and have fun during their hospital stay - and beyond! For 2+ players

ShillerLearning Math Kit I - Homeschool Montessori Math Curriculum - (Pre-K to 3rd Gr)
The ShillerLearning Math Kit I - everything you need in a single box! No lesson preparation required by parents!
Your package contains over a dozen different manipulatives based on Dr. Maria Montessori's method developed over a hundred years ago. Includes a balance, number cards, number tiles, operator set, foam ball, wood dominoes, a US/metric ruler, wooden shapes, dice, measuring cups, and probability bag.

SolarQuest The Space-Age Real Estate Game: Mission to Mars Edition - Space Adventure - Family
Magnetic Fuel Tank Monitor Card. Magnets on the game board to hold Fuel Stations in place. 2 levels of game play.
This game will arrive in new condition. Please note that each Mission to Mars Edition game was opened in the U.S. for the sole purpose of adhering the magnets to the game board, thus saving customers the task. The game will arrive taped closed with clear tape on all 4 edges of the color box.

Thames & Kosmos Simple Machines Science Experiment & Model Building Kit, Introduction to Mechanical Physics, Build 26 Models to Investigate The 6 Classic Simple Machines
Through 26 model-building exercise, gain hands-on experience with gears and all six classic simple machines: wheels and axles, levers, pulleys, inclined Planes, screws, and wedges.

Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World
It’s time to say NO to trying to fit square-peg kids into rounds holes, and YES to raising them from a place of acceptance and joy.
Today millions of kids are stuck in a world that doesn’t embrace who they really are. They are the one in five “differently wired” children with ADHD, dyslexia, giftedness, autism, anxiety, or other neurodifferences, and their challenges are many.

Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students
Teaching children how to manage their intense emotions is one of the most difficult aspects of parenting or educating gifted children. Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope With Explosive Feelings provides a much-needed resource for parents and educators for understanding of why gifted children are so extreme in their behavior and how to manage the highs and lows that accompany emotional intensity.

Parenting with Presence: Practices for Raising Conscious, Confident, Caring Kids (An Eckhart Tolle Edition)
Our children can be our greatest teachers. Parenting expert Susan Stiffelman writes that the very behaviors that push our buttons — refusing to cooperate or ignoring our requests — can help us build awareness and shed old patterns, allowing us to raise our children with greater ease and enjoyment.
This is one of the first blogs I have read that reveals why homeschool is not the same as a classroom and Montessori parents don’t need every piece of equipment a class world need and no your child won’t miss anything not being in a class, he will actually learn quicker!
Thank you, Carol, for your comment! I agree with you! We made a few sacrifices along the way when we chose to homeschool and our homeschooling does have a budget. Nevertheless, not even one moment of it is dull. My goal is to aspire my children to find their passion in life and follow it wholeheartedly. This is when I will be prepared to invest as much as I can in lessons, equipment, etc.
I love your goal! This is precious!
I am about to start homeschooling my 28. months old boy, and was very happy to find your blog. I am readning all I can find about Montessori and we are convinced that it is the right method for us, but I find it hard to know where to start. I guess I will learn as I go:-) I will read more in here, and sign up for some things, but since we are a Norwegian /Spanish family I can’t use all your materials. Anyway, thank you for such an organized blog :-)’
Thank you for visiting, Lindy, and for your support! Congratulations on your decision to start doing Montessori with your child. Usually parents start with setting up practical life area first, making sure that child has opportunities to do things on their own whenever possible, like pouring water, putting on shoes, washing hands, helping with food preparation. Minimizing amount of toys, creating time appropriate learning activities that target fine motor. wooden puzzles are great tools as well many Montessori parents choose. You are very welcome to join our Multicultural Montessori community. I often offer my printables for translation there and group members are keen to help with that. All translations are avaliable for everyone in the group. Join us here
Love this! Every time you share your daily experiences, I find them so inspiring! Thank you!
Thank you, Renae, it is very comforting to hear it!