4 Examples of Using Coloring to Promote Early Childhood Development

Far from a way to keep Montessori daycare children busy, coloring activities promote a range of developmental traits that will benefit children as they grow. This is where kids learn the foundations of holding a writing implement and making controlled lines, a skill that will morph into writing in a few more years. To illustrate the importance of coloring in a Montessori classroom, consider these 4 areas of development derived from coloring activities.

1. Fine Motor Skills

Learning to grip a cylindrical object and manipulate the tip of it to make lines or just coloring within lines is a major developmental achievement in daycare. Coloring is one of many ways your Montessori daycare will help develop fine motor skills, often in conjunction with other learning activities. 

2. Critical Thinking

Coloring helps kids learn to stay within the lines of an image, but it also promotes critical thinking skills and creativity when children are given the freedom to color what and how they please. Coloring is also useful in learning to count, sort, and other activities, or even embedded into science activities.

3. Self-Expression

Learning to think creatively bolsters self-expression, encourages a healthy sense of personal value, and opens the door for a whole new way that children can communicate with others. This helps children think more independently, and act on their conclusions in a positive manner. The psychology behind coloring is even more in-depth than you might think, making it an excellent tool for child development.

4. Preparation for Writing

Even before they learn to draw letters, children are ready to learn how to make lines and curves using a marker or crayon. Picking up these skills as early as possible provides the child with the necessary developmental tools she needs to transition from one educational phase to the next.

Coloring is a great way for young children to develop important skills like gripping, moving objects, creative thinking, and much more. Whether they are enjoying a favorite coloring book at home or working in the classroom, children are unknowingly teaching themselves as they play.

4 Exciting Ways that Montessori Preschool Kids Will Learn With Butterfly Habitats

Butterfly habitats are a useful way to introduce preschool children to insect biology, help them develop language skills, teach math, and encourage learning. Through Montessori's hands-on approach to academic activity, butterfly habitats can be used for multiple types of instruction, including the ones we've listed here.

Build a Stronger Vocabulary

The Montessori preschool biology of butterflies has a terminology of its own, with magical words like larvae, and chrysalis to be uttered and listened to. But there are also different species of butterfly, like the monarchs and swallowtails, and an entire vocabulary revolving around the habitats themselves. Language and vocabulary are a big part of Montessori education, and this hands-on activity is ideal for promoting a more robust internal dictionary.

Become Engaged in Science

Butterflies are beautiful and amazing, and that keeps children engaged and interested as butterflies live through entire life cycles before their eyes. Children are curious about the world they live in, and giving them the tools to explore it-- including developing their critical thinking skills-- fosters an interest in science and how it works.

Hands-On Biology

Children may require a little adult assistance to build a butterfly habitat, but giving them the freedom to design and build for themselves will help them master a few practical life skills like measuring, and instills a strong sense of personal ability and self-esteem. These traits are the driving force behind intrinsic motivation, and that is at the heart of showing children that they can be the masters of their own education.

The Relationship Between Math and Science

Math may not be the first thing you think of when you consider a butterfly habitat, but children benefit a great deal from discovering that math is a major factor in almost everything they do in science-- and in the greater world at large. From counting wings, eyes, and legs to marking away the days until a butterfly emerges from its cocoon, this surprising trove of information offers a wealth of math instruction.

As an easy and multi-faceted learning tool, a butterfly habitat is wonderful for children in preschool and kindergarten. They promote the development of unexpected skills, including fine motor skills and critical thinking skills, and set the groundwork for exploring a variety of math, language, and science exploration.