The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.
—Maria Montessori
The Absorbent Mind, p. 92.
The Absorbent Mind, p. 92.
When we think of the Montessori environment, we think of a well-prepared environment that maximizes both exploration and independent learning. The world of the child is full of movement, and we prepare the environment with beautiful materials that facilitate growth and foster peace while keeping up with the busy and active bodies and brains of young children.
Many Montessorians have two prepared environments; one that is indoors and one that is outdoors. There are scheduled times to be in each environment, with the 3-hour morning work cycle occurring primarily indoors. However, what if there was no delineation between the two? What if children had the complete freedom to choose and move between the indoor and outdoor environment as part of their work cycle? What if, instead of two prepared environments, there became just one larger environment?
