Photo by the artists at Dollar Photo Club
The Montessori materials are engaging and very versatile. Children can go back to their favorite activities year after year while refining their skills. As well, the materials have so many extensions that even older children continue to discover new ideas & inventive ways to fit the materials into their growing abilities & interests.
These geometric design insets are some of my favorite Montessori materials. Children begin working with these in toddlerhood! Find out more about the Montessori Metal Insets at this link: Montessori Services: Take another look at the metal insets!
I found this short video on youtube showing just a sampling of some of the ways children might like to work with the Metal Insets in the Montessori environment.
The insets were designed by Dr.Montessori with their main purpose being to prepare the hand for writing.
In her book, Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook: Sensory Education Part 2, she writes:
"This exercise could be called an indirect but very real preparation for drawing. It is certainly the preparation of the hand to trace an enclosed form. The little hand which touches, feels, and knows how to follow a determined outline is preparing itself, without knowing it, for writing."
However, it is obvious that the insets also develop the artistic sense in the child and Dr. Montessori recognized this as well. She observed the children connecting the insets to shapes found in the environment and then creating artistic designs themselves.
"The exercises are various; the children themselves invent them." (Maria Montessori from Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook)
4 yr. old constructing a robot using
the Montessori Metal Insets
A few years ago, I had a 4 yr old in my classroom who really became interested in space ships, astronauts and jetpacks during our curriculum unit on the Solar System. His interest led him to create a series of robots with jetpacks on their backs. He even made his own paper jetpack that he attached to the back of his jacket for his amazing drama play outdoors!
Quickly, this boy discovered that the Metal Insets worked really well for creating his rendition of a robot with a jetpack.
Just take a look at all the skills he used in this creative activity! First, he thought of the design for his robot and then he began putting geometric forms together.
TRACING, CUTTING & DESIGNING
ENGINEERING THE SHAPES TO FIT TOGETHER
USING TOOLS: SCISSORS, STAPLER, PENCIL, & DESIGN INSETS
FREE-HAND DRAWING & CUTTING OF DETAILS FOR HIS ROBOT COLLAGE
FABRICATION: FINISHED PIECE "ROBOT WITH JETPACK"
Above photos by Carolyn at Magical Movement Company
This post is part of the link up at Montessori Monday from the Living Montessori Now site where you'll find lots more articles that might interest you. Lots of Montessori bloggers post from all over the world! Here's that link: Montessori Monday Link Up.
It's been such a delight to have you visiting my blog today. Thanks, and I hope you have some fun with metal insets, robots and creating your favorite shapes with your group!
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