What I've discovered over the last 2 years is that you can still Montessori and it can still work.
When the Little One started walking, he began to follow me around the kitchen in the morning. Rather than putting him in a high chair like I did with the Older One, I pulled a big chair over and had him stand and watch me prepare breakfast.
Eventually this turned into a routine of having him get the cups and straws for the smoothie I make. After a few times, he knows to do so. When he was close to 2, he expressed an interest in beating the eggs. Now, at 2.5, he asks to do so every morning, even on days when I don't want to. He will go to the fridge to get the egg carton, ask me to bring a chair over, I crack the eggs, and he beats it.
To me this is all very exciting because there is self-motivation. My aha moment is realizing that your activity doesn't have to be a fully prepared activity. There is no prepared material on a tray on the shelf for him to get every morning. He is just living life. What is important is that we do have a routine down. I do provide is ease of reaching materials he needs whenever possible, or not stopping him when he wants to do something. For example, rather than stopping a child from opening the fridge, just organize it so the things he can take out are the things you want him to take out. And show him how to do something like holding an egg carton properly as it empowers what he can do.
My teacher told me, the infant-toddler can spend all morning doing Practical Life. That was yet another aha moment. I stopped trying to create tray activities that you see in the books and blogs. I think as long as you keep the direct aim of practical life in mind (order, concentration, coordination, independence), you can just go about your day and involve the child if they so desire.
There is a Montessori Practical Life activity for washing dishes. You show the child the whole sequence, you prepare all the tools they need, there is a process. This actually comes very late in the Montessori PL sequence.
The toddler child doesn't need and isn't ready for this. But they can help wash the dishes. I think the important thing is following the child's interest and not be afraid of a mess. It sounds so obvious. But my nanny does not allow my Little One to climb up and wash the dishes with her. On the days I am at home, we wash the dishes together after breakfast. Originally I tried to show him the process (get sponge, put soap on sponge, wash this way), but after awhile, I just let him be. He has a lot of fun practicing hand-eye coordination by washing the straws. He has his routine. After 6 months of periodically doing this, he now also wants to wash the cups and the bowls. I do have to be careful in constantly moping up the water on the counter and we usually end up changing clothes. But what a great activity for a toddler. The 0-3 child absorbs unconsciously, so if you're consistent in what you do, then you don't need to do a presentation.
To me, this is the genius of Montessori. Involve the child in your day to day activity rather than relegating them to a play area. You don't need a pretend kitchen for the young one. He can have the real thing. I'm not saying imaginary play isn't important. The Young One pretends his Legos are a train already. But, developmentally appropriate "toys" are already there in the house!
