| One of the greatest gifts my husband and I gave | | | | hairbrush within arm's reach. |
| ourselves was enrolling our children in a Montessori | | | | 6. A taller stool or Learning Tower for the kitchen |
| school while they were toddlers. We quickly | | | | For the littlest ones, a Learning Tower is a safe |
| learned that even as young as 14 months, | | | | choice because the child is surrounded on all sides. |
| children are capable of learning how to care for | | | | As they get older, however, a taller, foldable step |
| themselves and be an active participant in family | | | | stool is fine. Toddlers love to play with water at |
| life. In fact, they may even express in words and | | | | the kitchen sink and help with meal preparation. |
| actions, "Help me do it by myself!" | | | | 7. Child-size tools for home and garden |
| By adapting our household environment to meet | | | | Children find great satisfaction when they |
| our oldest son's needs, we noticed that he was | | | | participate in caring for the home and garden. |
| more content and acted out less. We also | | | | Give them a child-size broom, mop and a small |
| benefitted because our son progressively became | | | | dustpan and brush. Home improvement stores |
| more self-sufficient in the home. | | | | often have small brooms and inexpensive metal |
| Here is a list of 10 simple changes you can make | | | | pails. The pole of a Swiffer is adjustable and can |
| in your home to support your toddler's | | | | be made to just the right size for your child. On a |
| independence. | | | | small shelf, provide a handled basket with a |
| 1. Liqht switch extenders | | | | spray-bottle of water, a squeegee and a small |
| Install a few of these in your home to enable | | | | washcloth for window washing. Cut sponges in |
| your child to turn on the light in the rooms he has | | | | half to easily fit in a child's hand, and keep a |
| access to. We ones we purchased were made | | | | basket of small washcloths in the kitchen to |
| from clear plastic, so it was not an eyesore in the | | | | encourage your child to wipe up spills. |
| home. At first your child may be so excited that | | | | Garden tools and gloves for children are often |
| he will want to practice turning the lights on and | | | | available at Target in the Spring. Keep a selection |
| off. A LOT. This will pass. | | | | of small vases on hand for children to pick and |
| 2. A low cabinet in the kitchen filled with a few | | | | arrange flowers. See the resources section below |
| cups, plates and silverware | | | | for links to websites that sell child-sized products |
| Provide your child with some easy-to-open | | | | that you're unable to find locally. |
| containers with ready-made snacks that can be | | | | 8. Double Hang Closet Rod |
| stored on a lower shelf in the pantry or the | | | | Allow your child to select his own clothes by |
| refrigerator, and a small pitcher filled with juice or | | | | providing him with a closet rod he can reach. Give |
| water. Your child will be able to serve himself. Be | | | | him clothing that is easy to pull on and off, with |
| sure to show him how to clean up after himself. | | | | easy-to-use snaps, buttons or velcro. Place a small |
| In our household we started using cloth napkins. | | | | clothes hamper in his closet for dirty clothes. |
| Children at this age love to fold, so teach him how | | | | Encourage him to help with the laundry by asking |
| to fold and put away napkins. | | | | him to carry his soiled clothes to the washer and |
| 3. Low shelves and book baskets in the bedroom | | | | carry clean clothes on hangers to put away in his |
| and living areas | | | | closet. |
| Place just a few toys and puzzles on each shelf. | | | | 9. Hooks installed at your child's height |
| Corral toys with several pieces in attractive | | | | Install hooks by the front and back doors so your |
| containers or baskets. Encourage your child to | | | | child can hang his own coat. Hooks in the |
| play with one toy at a time and to return that | | | | bathroom allow the child to hang up his bath |
| toy before selecting another. Keep other toys | | | | towel. |
| stored away, and rotate them every few weeks. | | | | 10. Small hamper and extra clothes in ALL |
| Instill a love of books by storing books in baskets | | | | bathrooms during potty training |
| throughout your home. Children of this age enjoy | | | | In some Montessori toddler classrooms, "toileting" |
| flipping through books about what they see in the | | | | starts from day 1, where children wear cotton |
| world. Give them a rich variety of books with | | | | training pants instead of diapers. To support this |
| photographs and real-to-life illustrations of animals, | | | | transition at home, we kept changes of clothes |
| insects, plants and people. | | | | and a basket for soiled clothes in every bathroom. |
| 4. Child-size tables and chairs in the kitchen, | | | | Whenever our children had an "accident", they |
| common areas and bedroom | | | | knew they could go to any bathroom in the |
| Once your child has prepared his snack or chosen | | | | house and change their own clothes. This method |
| a puzzle, he'll have a place to eat or play. We | | | | of potty training was very effective for our kids, |
| purchased unfinished wooden table tops and legs | | | | who were both out of diapers before they were |
| from a home improvement store and painted | | | | two years old. |
| them to match our décor. The legs come | | | | Adapting your home environment to support your |
| in various sizes, so it was easy to replace just the | | | | child's development and independence is easy to |
| table legs as our children grew. Unfinished children's | | | | do and will also support YOU. Children are more |
| chairs can be found at craft stores. If they are | | | | capable than most adults give them credit for, |
| too tall for the child, cut the legs to accommodate | | | | and changing the environment to fit their size and |
| the child's size. | | | | needs will empower them in their growth. As you |
| 5. Stools in the bathrooms to climb up to the | | | | begin to see what your child is capable of doing |
| toilet and reach the sink. | | | | and notice the pride and joy in your child as he |
| Opt for either a flip top toilet seat or a child seat | | | | accomplishes tasks in his daily life, you will find |
| that fits on a standard toilet and provide a stool | | | | enjoyment in having him help you around your |
| for your child to reach the toilet. This stool can | | | | home and discover more ways to adapt your |
| also help your child reach the sink and countertop. | | | | surroundings to support his drive to know and |
| Store your child's toothpaste and toothbrush, and | | | | learn how to "do it himself". |