Planting and growing potatoes is easy and fun. A bucket or pail is all you need, with a couple of drainage holes in the bottom. Take some potatoes that have been kept in the dark for a while and have started to sprout ‘eyes’. Fill the bucket with earth and plant the potatoes. See below for further details.
Montessori Pro Tip: Involve your child in all aspects of this job. If possible, let them work on their own container.
Plant some sunflowers seeds or other flower seeds. Ask your child to count out 10 seeds and plant in ten plastic cups. If you have a flowerpot, plant the seeds around the edge, counting as you go. Place in a sunny spot.
Montessori Pro Tip: If your child is able, have them count in groups of 5, or 10. Alternatively, using a marker you can put 5 or 10 dots on a piece of paper and your child can place the seeds on the dots.
Teach your children some new songs and rhymes this week. Ring O’ Roses can be done inside or out. Lavender’s Blue Dilly, Dilly, and Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, are all great favorites, and easy to learn.
Montessori Pro Tip: When teaching your children new rhymes and songs, take it slow. Say a line at a time and have them repeat it along with you.
Take your seeds, and dried beans from last week and mix them all together in a container. Tell your child that they could really help you out by sorting them into the right groups.
Montessori Pro Tip: Children love working with small objects. This sorting activity will help to refine their fine motor skills and visual discrimination.
Make a vase full of daffodils to welcome the spring. You will need some yellow paint, popsicle sticks, a cardboard egg carton and some yellow or white paper.
https://www.dltk-kids.com/type/egg_carton.htm
The website listed above offers some really good suggestions for other fun things you can make, including a grass seed caterpillar.
Planting potatoes continued. Keep the containers in a light spot but avoid direct sunlight. When the potato plant begins to bloom, the first harvest is ready!
https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/gardening-with-children/
https://livingmontessorinow.com/activity-of-the-week-diy-montessori-smelling-bottles/