Montessori with Pam

Priscilla and Pascale were the first to arrive at Montessori, a few minutes after 9am. Greeted by Pam, then Pascale went to see the gold fish (yu yu). She tried to touch the water from the filter. Priscilla showed her the spray bottle over a mirror next to the fish, and Pascale used the squeegee a couple of times before spying the clothes washing station, with 2 tubs of water one of which was foamy. She played with the tiny sponge and the soap, didn't really copy Priscilla's washboard demonstration (knew about washing machines), then tried to use a few pegs to hang up a washed cloth. Held on to the soap during the whole time.

Went to look at a basket of balls (made of different materials) then saw the flower arranging and nodded her head at flower arranging. Tried to pick a vase, got distracted by the scissors (forbidden item for her in our house). Sat down and put a lavender into the vase, cut a gerbera stem using the scissors, then lost interest when she saw a boy putting a ball into one of 4 coloured holes.

Saw a basket of fruit and grabbed what she could: lemon and mango. Priscilla sat her at a mat to investigate other fruits, Pascale tried to eat the green apple. "Do you want to eat apple?" Pascale nodded. Took her to the sink to wash her fruit, got distracted by water. Priscilla finally showed her a red apple from another basket and took Pascale by the hand to the apple corer. Pascale wasn't impressed by the peel coming off, but when the apple started to be cut she tried to grab the pieces and eat at once. Priscilla took a plate to put the apple pieces on, got Pascale to throw the peel into the bin, then helped her to take the plate over to the eating table. Pascale hungrily ate one piece of apple while looking around at her surroundings and other kids at their work. Started to walk from the table holding onto a piece of apple. Priscilla tried to get her to stay and eat but she got agitated. Priscilla put the uneaten apple into the storage dish then told Pascale to wash the plate at the sink.

Joy! Pascale put the plate in the sink and then forgot it, instead played with the brushes, soapy water, rinse water... Then remembered the urn from last time and went to open the valve. Priscilla asked Pascale to get a jug and glass from the shelves, then Pascale took a steel jug and put it under the stream of water until it was overflowing. Pam noted: let her be! Just move the mat under her so she doesn't slip over the wet floor. Again, Pascale left the tap on while taking a drink from the jug. Priscilla unsuccessfully tried to get Pascale to pour water into a glass then drink. Even Pam decided to let Pascale drink from the jug. After a long time at the sink, Pascale let herself be led to the table while holding the very full jug of water. Priscilla tried to get her to fill the glass but Pascale still sipped from the jug. She played with the jug and glass for a while, ending up with a very wet table that had to be wiped.

At this point Priscilla noted that it was just 10am. Sigh.

Pascale saw the cheese grater, Priscilla got a piece of cheese from the fridge for her, but she just started to nibble the cheese. Took Pascale to the eating table and sat her down while chewing cheese. After shoving the final bit in, Pascale chewed for a bit then let it all fall back out (too much!). Priscilla was left to clean up.

Pascale then saw the potato washing station opposite the hand washing jug and bowl. She played with the soap from the hand-washing, tipped some water into the bowl, then went over to the potatoes. Didn't want to follow her mother's scrubbing action for potatoes, just wanted to fill the jug with water and pour into the scrubbing dish. Finally Pam took Pascale's hand and tried to show her. While Pascale clung to Priscilla's leg she watched with one eye. Then tried to copy what Pam was doing ie scrubbing. After one potato had been cleaned Pascale got bored and walked away - out into the garden. Priscilla asked Pascale to return to clean up, but had to pick her up to get her back inside. No no said Pam. She showed Pascale how to tip the dirty water into a bucket then gave her the bucket to take outside to water the garden. As soon as Pascale picked it up she spilled it onto the floor, and slipped over. Pam asked Pascale to get a mop, then Priscilla took her by the hand to get it. She didn't want to mop, so her mother did it. By this time Pascale was very agitated, and Pam wisely said that she would clean up and suggested Pascale look at some quite toys eg the hanging bags?

Instead Pascale looked at the face cream and mirror tray (applied a dab onto her cheek), then got interested in the shoe shine tray. Priscilla took the tray over to her sandals and showed Pascale how to apply polish and to shine/brush the sandal. Pascale just wanted to play with the shoe shine applicator sponge, and after a while said "yu yu". Priscilla spent a few minutes dissuading her from going to show this to the fish. Pascale then saw some coloured pegs on a board and played briefly with them, then took the wooden tops and let her mother spin them on the floor. Then she wanted to follow some children outside. Put on sandals and off we went.

Very sunny, didn't bring hat/sunscreen. Pascale had a turn on the rocking horse, then went up and down the slide twice before walking the timber sleepers balance beam. Saw kids playing with hose, took the watering can but didn't water cos she got distracted by the water tray with toys and lots of water. Then she saw a timber push cart like her one at home and pushed that around for a bit. Got off and swept some leaves with a kid size broom, got back on the cart for a ride from mum (not supposed to but who cares?) Chatted with Stephanie (mother of Savannah and Elliot).

Started to walk back inside the room, then Pascale saw the mini gardening kit (with lots of tiny flower pots both plastic and terracotta, plus mini shovel and kid's glove) Filled pots with sand from the raised flower beds for a while. Then she took 2 pots of sand and started to walk towards the room, saying "yu yu". Was she going to show them to the fish? Priscilla tried to talk her out of it again, suggesting the pots be left at the door while we go inside to see the fish. Finally Pascale saw some hanging baskets at her eye height, and emptied/refilled the pots of sand into those. Priscilla then suggested playing in the sand pit, and Pascale nodded and walked up the steps. She happily sat in the pit with an older girl while Priscilla retrieved her bags from inside the classroom. Then it was time for singing and goodbye. Pascale tried the stepping buckets a few times on the way from the sand pit.

Pascale walked across the carpet circle and sat in a space next to Pam. As the singing progressed Pascale started to lean against her mother who sat behind her. Finally she moved onto Priscilla's lap and leaned on her arm, watching everyone but not moving much. A bit of liveliness when the rocketship song came, then we shook Pam's hand and left the PTP playground. Pascale walked holding her mother's hand until the school gate on Smith St. Then she was picked up and taken to the car, very tired but hungry, devouring a scrap of apple that Priscilla had saved in a box. Tried to stay in the car upon reaching home and go to sleep, but her mother convinced her to go inside for lunch.

Don't know who was more tired, child or parent! A very busy 2 hours indeed.