Over the decades, we have worked with a lot of schools and daycare centers to implement the best possible Montessori setup for different budgets.
I post about this from time to time, so you’ll see links to previous posts, but I have included new things here,
Check out my slideshow on equipment, so you can avoid unnecessary items.
Print my Monet gift for your walls.
Reinvent your walls by removing conventional children’s decor and posters. Replace it with prints of high quality art. Prints should be centered at the child’s eye level. Parents will notice the difference, too.
Create different spaces for infants and toddlers (children who have begun to toddle). You can use something as low as a child’s bookshelf to delineate spaces with a large room. This lets each group pursue the activities necessary for their ages.
Use our Montessori toileting guide (included with the infant work) in your classroom. It is easier and kinder than putting children in diapers. Plus, you will become a hero to your parents.
Maintain lots of floor space by minimizing the number of items you buy.
Remove problem items that have been purchased earlier. No items for sitting, propping up, or walking should be present. See my post here on avoiding physical therapy (it also contains some useful discussion for your PTA meetings when needed).
Install non-breakable mirrors at child height for different ages. Maintain a clear space in front of the mirrors.
Add large plants and hanging plants. Children adore sitting under a ficus tree! It will also improve the air quality in the room.
Make sure tables and chairs are at appropriate heights for children. Chairs must be at the right height for the tables, too.
Chair tip: The seats of the chairs must be flat and level. No curved seats. Curved seats — invented to force children to sit a certain way — create problems because they are uncomfortable.
Use original Montessori infant cards for infant spaces. Books tend to get dragged, torn, and dropped. This is a sign that they are not suitable for the age group.
Include heavy items for toddlers and other children to carry. Chairs, tables, kettlebells, bricks, and rugs (for rolling) all work well.
Child-sized real toilets are available in home models and commercial flush models. They are really a lifesaver. Time children spend learning toileting should be regarded as learning, not time wasted.
If you have enough money,
Montessori classes are supposed to have free access to garden space. Children are supposed to be able to wander outdoors, nap under a tree, or put work mats on the lawn. Of course, this is the first thing most schools ignore due to cost and practical concerns, but adding this garden space will put your school into a super school category. Security and other concerns must be addressed, but it makes a huge difference in the quality of the school.
Replace drywall with real plaster and zero-VOC paint, install incandescent bulbs (for healthy lighting), use large windows with high sunlight penetration (no UV blocking films), replace synthetic carpet with wood floors and woolen area rugs, and replace HVAC with no-vent solutions (make sure the ducting is removed properly from the building because it harbors pathogens). See the download at the bottom of the page regarding mold and building materials.
Create an observation room for the classroom with a one-way mirror, so parents can watch the class without interrupting the children. They must be silent, btw, or there will be a buzz of noise in the class, unless it’s soundproof. We always tell children that parents are observing from the booth, but it’s nice not to have the visual interruption.
Have a well-trained, armed security team with K9s. Properly-trained dogs are an incredible asset and behave well around children. German shepherds have the best disposition among the usual guard dogs. If you are at home, I recommend an attack-trained shepherd. (25 years ago, parents thought I was overly stressed about security when they saw the attack-trained shepherd. No longer.)
Work with a firm such as Kroll on security planning. You must also know which children may be kidnap risks, for example. And how secure (or not) a potential school site may be.
If you have enough students, reduce your visible signage at the street and building exterior. This helps deter some random criminals. Others drive up the driveway and see the dog. I recommend this for homes, too, as you keep the front of your home clear of children’s items like pink bikes and dolls.
Business suggestions,
How valuable will your business make the space? Try out scenarios before you rent or buy. If you rent a space and make a valuable business, the owner has an incentive to raise your rent or replace you with their own version of your business.
Parents will be glad to support your school store. Create a small boutique with special items such as branded clothing and scarves (you can have samples and sign-up sheets for orders to keep inventory low), branded jewelry such as silver charms with the school logo, cloth diapers, silk pillowcases, children’s clothing, the smallest pink tower cube, coffee and a snack for parents, and herbal infusions for everyone. High-quality items such as merino wool, cashmere, silk, wood, stone, and clay will add to the appeal of your little shop.
Include classroom shoes in your school store. Ask parents to supply a pair for children to wear indoors. (If parents at your school will find this a hardship, you can do DIY mocs as a classroom project for everyone). This helps the children, but it also saves your floors and keeps everything cleaner.
Offer Montessori equipment, possibly by special order, at your school store. Children frequently want certain items over the summer and whatnot. I suggest making it available at a competitive rate. Since there is no shipping, it is relatively easy.
Keep extras of the smallest pink tower cube. Children always pocket them. It’s not stealing per se as they don’t really understand. We ask everyone to please search around, perhaps something fell into a pocket and went home with you, before replacing it. Usually, we wait two weeks before replacing the cube, allowing for a suitable period of reflection for everyone.
When you buy your Montessori equipment, see if parents or other schools wish to buy at the same time because you can get better prices on a large shipment. Boat transit is cheapest.
Almost all Montessori equipment is made in Asia, mostly in China, so there is no need to pay a reseller. I avoid resellers for everything I buy because I don’t want items that have been sitting around in a grubby warehouse awaiting sale. It’s cleaner to buy them directly. Having factories ship directly works well. Alibaba provides various levels of vetting that I have found reliable over the years.
All the AMI people know that Nienhuis was sold to a big company a long, long time ago, right? Since that time, new “Montessori” products proliferate on their site, too. I spoke with Bert Nienhuis about all this before his passing many years ago.
Useful prior posts,
See my prior posts on Montessori DIY for lots of authentic and budget-conscious tips.
Enjoy your Montessori voyage!!