Monday, September 22, 2025

Teaching Preschoolers About Money Builds Both Life Skills and Early Math Skills 💰

Money may seem like a “grown-up” topic, but children as young as preschool age can begin learning the basics in playful, meaningful ways. In Montessori-inspired education, money is not only currency — it’s a tool for practical life skills, math concepts, and character development, like patience, responsibility, and gratitude.

With simple activities, you can introduce money concepts to your preschooler in ways that build confidence and independence. Here are 15 fun money lessons for preschoolers in 2025 that teach both life skills and early math.

1. Recognizing Coins & Notes

Child’s hands sorting Nigerian naira coins and notes in a woven basket on a beige surface.

Lesson: Learn the names, sizes, colors, and values of coins and notes.
Activity: Create a “money basket” with safe play coins (or real coins under supervision). Play sorting games by size, shape, and value.

2. Understanding That Money is for Exchange

Child and parent role-playing in a pretend shop with play fruits, baskets, and naira play money.

Lesson: Money is used to buy goods or services.
Activity: Set up a pretend shop with play food, baskets, and play money. Take turns being the shopkeeper and customer.

3. Earning Money

Smiling child watering plants and receiving a coin from a parent as a reward.

Lesson: Money comes from working or providing a service.
Activity: Offer simple “jobs” like watering plants or sorting laundry, and reward with tokens or coins.

4. Counting Money

A young child counting coins on a table, learning about the value of money through hands-on practice.

Lesson: Money connects directly to math — adding and grouping.
Activity: Count coins together to “buy” small toys at your pretend shop. Start with 1-to-1 counting, then simple addition (2 coins = 2).

5. Saving Money

Child placing coins into a piggy bank on a small wooden table.

Lesson: Not all money should be spent immediately.
Activity: Give your child a clear jar piggy bank. Watch coins “grow” over time and talk about saving for something special.

6. Spending Wisely

Child choosing between two toys in a store, holding a small purse with coins.

Lesson: Money should be used carefully, not wasted.
Activity: At the shop, let your child choose between two small items. Talk about making choices and trade-offs.

7. Sharing & Giving

Child putting coins into a donation box labeled “helping hands.”

Lesson: Money can also help others.
Activity: Create a “sharing jar.” When your child saves, encourage them to put one coin aside to give to charity or someone in need.

8. Patience & Waiting

Child pointing at a sticker chart on the wall, with stars leading to a toy picture reward.

Lesson: Sometimes we must wait before buying what we want.
Activity: Choose a toy to save up for. Use a sticker chart to track progress and celebrate when your child reaches the goal.

9. Value of Hard Work

Child folding small towels and receiving tokens or smiley stickers in a Montessori-style room.

Lesson: Effort leads to reward.
Activity: Link chores to tokens that can be exchanged for playtime privileges or small treats.

10. Money & Numbers in Everyday Life

Parent and child looking at price tags together in a grocery store aisle.

Lesson: Numbers on money connect to math.
Activity: At the grocery store, point out prices. Show your child that higher numbers mean more money.

11. Digital Money Basics (2025 Skill!)

Child watching a parent make a safe mobile money transfer on a smartphone.

Lesson: Money isn’t always physical.
Activity: Show your child how you “tap to pay” or use an app. Let them play with a pretend “digital wallet” app designed for kids.

12. Wants vs. Needs

A child looking at toys and food items, learning the difference between wants and needs.

Lesson: Some things we need (food, clothes), others we just want (toys, sweets).
Activity: Sort picture cards into “needs” and “wants.”

13. Making Change

Child handing coins back to a parent while practicing making change.

Lesson: Giving and receiving the right amount.
Activity: Play shop and practice giving coins back as change.

14. Budgeting Simply

Preschool child placing stickers on a simple chart with categories for saving, spending, and sharing.

Lesson: You can’t buy everything at once.
Activity: Give your child 5 play coins and a basket of toys with “price tags.” They must choose what to buy within their “budget.”

15. Gratitude for Money

Child smiling and saying “thank you” while receiving coins from a parent in a family setting.

Lesson: Money should be appreciated, not taken for granted.
Activity: Practice saying “thank you” when receiving coins, gifts, or items.

🌟 Final Thoughts

Teaching preschoolers about money is not about adding financial pressure — it’s about building confidence, math readiness, and life skills that last a lifetime. With playful, hands-on activities, money lessons become exciting opportunities to nurture independence and responsibility.

👉 For more Montessori-inspired activities and guidance, explore my book Teach from the Heart: A Parent’s Guide to Home Learning — available on Selar and Selfany.

📌 Pin this post for later and share with other parents who want to raise financially smart kids!

Let’s stay connected:
📸 Instagram: @thehomelearningnest
📘 Facebook: The Home Learning Nest
🎵 TikTok: @thehomelearningnest
▶️ YouTube: The Home Learning Nest

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Monday, September 15, 2025

Child-Led Painting: Encouraging Creativity the Montessori Way


Montessori child painting freely at home, surrounded by warm neutral tones.

Painting is more than just a fun activity for children — it’s a window into their imagination, emotions, and development. In Montessori-inspired learning, child-led painting gives children the freedom to express themselves, build fine motor skills, and develop confidence without the pressure of “doing it right.”

And yes, painting can be messy — but the benefits far outweigh the spills and splatters. With the right setup, that “mess” is really just evidence of learning in progress.

🌱 What Is Child-Led Painting?

Young child painting colorful strokes at a Montessori-inspired table with natural light.

Child-led painting means allowing children to guide the creative process. Instead of giving them a model to copy, you provide tools, space, and freedom to explore colors, strokes, and shapes in their own unique way.

This makes it more meaningful than pre-cut crafts or adult-led projects, where the outcome is already decided. In child-led painting, the child becomes the creator, not just the follower.

🎨 Benefits of Child-Led Painting

Flat lay of a child’s abstract painting with brushes, sponges, and paint jars in a joyful, messy setup.

  • Encourages self-expression – Children learn to communicate ideas, feelings, and stories visually.

  • Supports brain development – Painting engages both fine motor skills and creativity.

  • Builds confidence – With no “wrong way” to paint, children feel proud of their creations.

  • Enhances focus – Painting requires concentration, patience, and attention to detail.

  • Develops independence – Choosing colors, tools, and designs fosters decision-making skills.

🎉 Why Child-Led Painting Wins Every Time

When compared to other common activities, painting always comes out on top:

  1. Over Pre-Cut Crafts ✂️
    Pre-cut crafts may look neat, but they leave little room for individuality. Every child ends up making the same thing. Painting, on the other hand, ensures each child creates something unique — a true reflection of their imagination.

  2. Over Adult-Led Projects 🧑‍🏫
    Adult-led projects often focus on following steps or replicating a model. Children may feel pressure to “get it right.” Painting removes that pressure. There’s no wrong way to mix colors, splash, or stroke. It’s about exploration and freedom, which builds confidence and joy.

👉 That’s why painting always wins — it values the process over the product and places the child at the heart of the experience.

🖌️ How to Set Up Child-Led Painting at Home

1. Prepare the Environment

Montessori art corner with child-sized easel, low shelf of paints, and a washable mat.

  • Use a child-sized easel, table, or even the floor with a washable mat.

  • Cover surfaces with old sheets or oilcloth to embrace the “mess” without stress.

  • Place paints, brushes, and paper on low shelves so children can access them freely.

2. Offer Simple, Quality Materials

A close-up of Montessori art supplies: non-toxic paints, thick brushes, sponges, cotton buds, and leaves on a wooden tray.

  • Non-toxic paints (watercolor, tempera, or finger paints).

  • Brushes, sponges, cotton buds, or even natural tools like leaves or pinecones.

  • Thick paper, cardboard, or recycled boxes that can handle paint.

3. Step Back and Observe

A smiling parent gently watching a child painting at a small table without interfering, in a warm Montessori home setting.

Instead of directing (“Paint a house”), try open-ended prompts like:

  • “I wonder what colors you’ll choose today.”

  • “What happens if you mix these two paints together?”

4. Embrace the Mess & the Process

A happy child with paint-covered hands smiling at the table while surrounded by colorful splatters and brushes.

Painting may leave hands, tables, and clothes splattered, but this is part of the joy and learning. Unlike adult-led projects, where neatness is the goal, messy painting builds creativity, freedom, and resilience.

5. Encourage Clean-Up as Part of Learning

A child wiping the table with a sponge after painting, while the parent models care for the environment in a calm Montessori setting.

Provide a small sponge, cloth, or water bucket so your child learns that caring for the environment is part of the painting process.

🌿 Montessori Tip: Rotate Materials

A Montessori-style wooden shelf with a few neatly arranged art materials, showing how supplies can be rotated to keep activities fresh.

Just like on Montessori shelves, rotate painting tools — some weeks offer brushes, another week try sponges or natural items. This keeps the activity fresh and engaging.

💛 Final Thoughts

A happy child proudly holding up their colorful painting, symbolizing joy, confidence, and self-expression through Montessori-inspired art.

Child-led painting is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to nurture creativity at home. Yes, it’s messy — but in that mess lies discovery, confidence, and joy. Unlike pre-cut crafts or adult-led projects, which limit a child’s imagination, painting offers endless opportunities for self-expression.

👉 For more Montessori-inspired activities and guidance, explore my book Teach from the Heart: A Parent’s Guide to Home Learning — available on Selar and Selfany.

Let’s stay connected for more ideas:
📸 Instagram: @thehomelearningnest
📘 Facebook: The Home Learning Nest
🎵 TikTok: @thehomelearningnest
▶️ YouTube: The Home Learning Nest

Together, we can make learning at home creative, joyful, and child-centered. 🌟

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Monday, September 1, 2025

How to Set Up a Montessori Homeschool: A Gentle Beginner’s Guide

Montessori-inspired homeschool cover design with warm cream and sage tones, featuring soft educational elements.

Homeschooling the Montessori way doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few thoughtful steps, you can create a calm and nurturing learning environment right at home. Here’s how to get started:

1. Create a Prepared Environment

Montessori child exploring a low wooden shelf with neatly arranged trays in a calm, minimalist home setting.

Montessori learning thrives in a space designed for independence.

How to do it:

  • Use low shelves to store materials and keep everything at your child’s height.

  • Choose child-sized furniture like a small table and chair.

  • Organize toys and activities in trays or baskets, one per activity, to avoid overwhelm.

  • Keep the space calm and clutter-free with neutral tones and natural light.

Resources to explore:

2. Start with Practical Life Skills

Young child pouring water into a glass at a small wooden table, practicing Montessori practical life skills.

Everyday activities help children build confidence, independence, and coordination.

How to do it:

  • Invite your child to pour water into a glass, sweep with a small broom, or fold napkins.

  • Involve them in cooking by letting them wash vegetables, stir, or measure flour.

  • Rotate simple activities daily to keep them fresh.

Resources to explore:

  • Small cleaning tools (dustpan, broom, mop)

  • Child-friendly kitchen tools

  • Free activity ideas on my Instagram: @thehomelearningnest

3. Introduce Sensorial Materials

Montessori child stacking pink tower blocks in a bright and calm home learning space.

Montessori emphasizes hands-on exploration to refine the senses.

How to do it:

  • Invest in classic Montessori materials like the Pink Tower or Knobbed Cylinders if possible.

  • Try DIY alternatives:

    • Fabric swatches for touch

    • Spices or flowers for smell jars

    • Colored beads for sorting and counting

  • Encourage exploration with open-ended questions: “What do you notice?”

Resources to explore:

  • Montessori material shops online

  • Pinterest for DIY sensorial material ideas

  • Activities outlined in Teach from the Heart

4. Follow the Child

Montessori child independently choosing a tray from a low shelf while parent observes with a gentle smile.

Montessori is about respecting your child’s natural curiosity and rhythm.

How to do it:

  • Observe what draws your child’s attention and provide matching activities.

  • Offer choices, but let your child decide which activity to do.

  • Avoid rushing—children learn best when they’re genuinely interested.

Resources to explore:

  • Montessori parenting books and blogs

  • Practical examples on my Instagram

5. Keep a Rhythm, Not a Rigid Schedule

Child sitting at a small table near a window, doing a calm morning activity with a clock in the background.

Children thrive on predictability, not strict timetables.

How to do it:

  • Set a daily flow such as:

    • Morning: Practical life or sensorial work

    • Midday: Outdoor play and lunch

    • Afternoon: Storytime or creative play

  • Keep it flexible so learning feels natural, not forced.

  • Use visual cues like a wall calendar or simple routine chart.

Resources to explore:

  • Free printable rhythm charts (search Montessori homeschool printables)

  • My Instagram for visual guidance

6. Incorporate Nature

Montessori child examining pinecones and shells on a wooden table with plants nearby.

Nature is one of the best teachers in Montessori education.

How to do it:

  • Bring nature indoors with plants, shells, pinecones, or rocks.

  • Take daily nature walks, collect treasures, and talk about them.

  • Create a nature table where children can display what they find.

Resources to explore:

  • Gardening tools for kids

  • Free online nature journaling templates

7. Use Gentle Guidance

Parent slowly demonstrating a Montessori tray activity while child observes attentively.

Instead of giving strict instructions, model and demonstrate.

How to do it:

  • Show the activity slowly once, then step back.

  • Avoid correcting immediately; let your child learn through practice.

  • Offer encouragement, not pressure: “You’re working so carefully!”

Resources to explore:

  • Gentle parenting and Montessori discipline guides

  • Videos on my Instagram

💛 Setting up a Montessori homeschool is less about fancy materials and more about creating a space that respects your child’s natural drive to learn. Start small, observe, and grow with your child.

📘 Want more Montessori-inspired guidance and free learning resources?
Grab my book:

🌿 Let’s connect and grow together:



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Teaching Preschoolers About Money Builds Both Life Skills and Early Math Skills 💰

Money may seem like a “grown-up” topic, but children as young as preschool age can begin learning the basics in playful, meaningful ways. In...