Some Simple (and Important) Ways A Two-Year-Old Can Contribute in a Montessori Household

If you have heard about the importance of allowing your child to participate in practical life but have no idea where to start, I wanted to share some ways we have included our two-year-old with simple setups in our home.

There are four major areas to think about inviting your child to contribute to the home:

1. In the kitchen

2. With tidying up

3. At meal times

4. With self care

This will not require you to go out and buy a bunch of things, but it will require you to slow down.
It will mean more "messes" in the name of progress.
And it will ultimately mean a happier, more independent, child.

In the Kitchen

Practical life is a cornerstone of Montessori for toddlers, and what better way for children to start learning valuable practical skills than in the kitchen.

- cutting with toddler-friendly knives

- using a cheese grater

- washing produce

- dumping ingredients

- running a blender or magic bullet with supervision

- scooping dry ingredients

- cutting herbs with scissors

- picking herbs, grapes, or cherries off the stem

Just a reminder that Montessori can be incorporated in any space, even if it is not ideal.

Tidying Up

Helping your child learn to care for his environment and contribute to keeping order is not only a valuable habit to instill from a young age, but is also developmentally appropriate (as toddlers are in the sensitive period for order!)

- cleaning up toys

- wiping up spills

- pushing chairs in 

- emptying the dishwasher (especially utensils)
- run the vacuum

- dust with a dry cloth or mitt

- put things in the garbage bin

- hold and carry the dustpan while I sweep

Meal Times

Meal times are an essential part of the social structure of any family, and a very important area for children to gain independence and practice valuable skills.

- getting his own dish and setting it on the table

- pouring own drink from small pitcher

- having a cloth napkin for wiping hands, face, and table

- clearing spot after meal

Self care

Allowing your child to assist in self care from a young age is one of the best ways you can teach them to respect and care for their own bodies, to value bodily autonomy, and to practice making healthy, age-appropriate choices.

- brushing teeth at least once a day

- rinsing the toothbrush

- brushing own hair, and mine

- using child-friendly soap in the bath or shower

- potty independence

- accessible clothes storage

- allowing space for putting on socks and shoes

- teaching the coat flip so the child can put on coat from a young age



At its core, Montessori is about respecting children and allowing them to be contributing members of their community. Even from two years old (and younger), toddlers can begin to feel they are able to contribute to the home, as well as take pride in independent tasks.

To read more about some simple ways to Montessorify your home read: My First Steps in Preparing Our Montessori Environment | The Simplest Way to Start Montessori | and Doing Montessori Justice Without All the Stuff

Thank you for reading! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. I would also love to hear any suggestions for posts you would like me to write about. And if you are interested in following along in our daily adventures, follow us on Instagram where I post daily.

God bless,
Olivia Fischer