One of the most underestimated Montessori activities has to be walking the line.
It's so simple, but it's so effective and it's perfect for toddlers, preschoolers and young children alike.
Once a child has mastered walking, they look for other ways to move their body - whether that be climbing, jumping, rolling, running or balancing - and one of the easiest ways to provide opportunities for balance is to draw a chalk line on the pavement and let the child walk along it.
It's actually much more complex than you might think because not only does this activity provide opportunities for balance, but it promotes concentration, coordination and patience.
For a child aged 3-6, walking on the line enables them to practise, perfect and consolidate the body's movements.
There are three ways you can do this activity:
Draw a straight line and play music. Ask the child to walk along the line when they hear the music and stop when the music stops. You can do this walking as usual or heel to toe.
Draw a curved line and repeat the activity above. The curvature of the line provides extra challenge as the child must consider which direction they'll be going.
Challenge your child even further by giving them a prop to hold as they do this. Try walking with a bell (don't ring it!) or a glass of water (don't spill it!) or holding both objects in each hand.
If you and your littles have had fun with this, why not tag me on social media! You can find me at www.instagram.com/montysplayhub or www.facebook.com/montysplayhub
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