Saturday, July 19, 2025

Montessori-Inspired Orca Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now

We have a new unit that's perfect for summer and a focus on oceans! Our unit has Montessori-inspired activities using free orca printables along with a new Montessori-inspired orca pack for subscribers to our free newsletter at Living Montessori Now! 


You'll find many activities for preschoolers through early elementary throughout the year in my previous PreK + K Sharing posts. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a page with lots and lots of free printables.

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Orca-Themed Activities


Montessori Shelves with Orca-Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired orca-themed numbers, letters, and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 
 
Go to my Free Orca Printables and Montessori-Inspired Orca Activities at Living Montessori Now for the free printables and activity ideas you see on the shelf and collage above!

Free Montessori-Inspired Orca Pack




Montessori-Inspired Orca Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Ocean Resources and Activities


Ocean Science

More (Non-Human) Mammal Resources and Activities


Helpful Animal Classification Posts

 If you’d like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout July and August, see my July Themed Activities for Kids. and my August Themed Activities for Kids.

Be sure to go to my Free Orca Printables and Montessori-Inspired Orca Activities for lots of free printables and activity ideas.
 
Have fun the rest of the summer!
  Deb - Signature
Deb ChitwoodDeb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 50 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live).
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Sunday, July 13, 2025

Children, Bugs and Nature


When a young child captures a specimen of nature in the backyard, one parent might tell them they can keep it in a jar, while the other tells them to take it out of the house and let it go. Instead, make this a learning opportunity for the child and a chance to demonstrate respect for nature. It's also a good time to reinforce time away from the screen and experiencing the world around them.

Allow them to keep the creature for a brief time and study it. Take some digital pictures of it and allow the children to decide which ones are their favorites to keep. Use an online application with your child to research information on the critter, what it eats, and the most favorable conditions for its habitat.  


When it's time to let it go, allow the children to decide where they’ll release it. You could use it as an excuse to visit your local state park to let it go there and look for other forms of nature.

You might be fortunate to have butterfly garden close enough for you and the children to visit. There are numerous butterfly conservatories and indoor butterfly gardens located across the United States. These facilities provide a year-round tropical environment where visitors can observe a wide variety of butterflies flying freely. 

A conservatory near us became a favorite place for me to bring my autistic granddaughter when I was running out of options to keep her busy. For the safety of the wildlife we were about to see, and to help secure her cooperation once we were inside, we would go over the rules they had posted by the entrance. The most important one was that everyone must remain on the walkway throughout our visit.

Once you and your child are back at home and the creature they once had in a jar, or saw while on an outing, is gone, use any digital photos you took and ask them questions that encourages them to talk about the experience. What did they like most, what was their favorite and what made them smile. Have them draw pictures or use art clay to recreate what they remember. 

Temporarily capturing a little piece of live nature to touch and see can be so enriching for our kids with a little bit of coaching.  It’s also a great opportunity to guide them away from screen time for a while and help them to open their eyes to the true beauty around them. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Bill Corbett is the author of 8 books, including the book, LOVE, LIMITS AND LESSONS: A PARENT'S GUIDE TO RAISING COOPERATIVE KIDS. You can see more of his work at http://BillCorbettsBooks.com.


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Thursday, June 19, 2025

Montessori-Inspired Summer Scavenger Hunt Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now

June 20 is the first day of summer, and I have a fun new unit at Living Montessori Now! It's a summer scavenger hunt unit (the last in our series of seasonal scavenger hunt units)! Our new unit has Montessori-inspired activities using free summer scavenger hunt printables along with a new Montessori-inspired summer scavenger hunt pack for subscribers to our free newsletter at Living Montessori Now! 

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through early elementary throughout the year in my previous PreK + K Sharing posts. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a page with lots and lots of free printables.

Montessori Shelves with Summer Scavenger Hunt Themed Activities

Montessori Shelves with Summer Scavenger Hunt Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired summer scavenger hunt themed numbers, letters, and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 
 
Go to my Free Summer Scavenger Hunt Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities at Living Montessori Now for the free printables and activity ideas you see on the shelf and collage above!

Free Montessori-Inspired Summer Scavenger Hunt Pack



Montessori-Inspired Summer Scavenger Hunt Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Summer Resources

Amazon Affiliate: Summer Science      If you'd like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout June and July, see my June Themed Activities for Kids and my July Themed Activities for Kids. 

Be sure to go to my Free Summer Scavenger Hunt Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities for lots of free printables and activity ideas.
 
Have fun this summer!
  Deb - Signature
Deb ChitwoodDeb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 50 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live).
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Monday, May 19, 2025

Montessori-Inspired Axolotl Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now

Axolotls are such cute amphibians (and loved by so many kids and adults) that I just had to have an axolotl unit! Our new unit has Montessori-inspired activities using free axolotl printables along with a new Montessori-inspired axolotl pack for subscribers to our free newsletter at Living Montessori Now! 


You'll find many activities for preschoolers through early elementary throughout the year in my previous PreK + K Sharing posts. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a page with lots and lots of free printables.

Montessori Shelves with Axolotl-Themed Activities

Montessori Shelves with Axolotl-Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired axolotl-themed themed numbers, letters, and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 
 
Go to my Free Axolotl Printables and Montessori-Inspired Axolotl Activities at Living Montessori Now for the free printables and activity ideas you see on the shelf and collage above!

Free Montessori-Inspired Axolotl Pack



Montessori-Inspired Axolotl Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Amphibian Printables and Activities

Amazon Affiliate:
Axolotl Products for Kids on Amazon 

Montessori-Inspired Amphibian Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber). 

Montessori-Inspired Frog Pack  for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, and DIY Movable Alphabet  (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password - or check your inbox if you're already a subscriber) 

Helpful Animal Classification Posts

 If you'd like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout May and June, see my May Themed Activities for Kids. and my June Themed Activities for Kids.

Be sure to go to my Free Axolotl Printables and Montessori-Inspired Axolotl Activities for lots of free printables and activity ideas.
 
Have fun with axolotl activities!
  Deb - Signature
Deb ChitwoodDeb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 50 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live).
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Friday, April 18, 2025

Montessori-Inspired Teacher Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now

With both Teacher Appreciation Week and Teacher Appreciation Day in May, this is a perfect time for a teacher theme! Our new unit has Montessori-inspired activities using free teacher printables along with a new Montessori-inspired teacher pack for subscribers to our free newsletter at Living Montessori Now! This unit is designed to celebrate teachers as community helpers.

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through early elementary throughout the year in my previous PreK + K Sharing posts. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a page with lots and lots of free printables.

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Teacher-Themed Activities

Montessori Shelves with Teacher-Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired teacher-themed themed numbers, letters, and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 
 
Go to my Free Teacher Printables and Montessori-Inspired Teacher Activities at Living Montessori Now for the free printables and activity ideas you see on the shelf and collage above!

Free Montessori-Inspired Teacher Pack



Montessori-Inspired Teacher Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

Teacher Appreciation Resources

Teacher Appreciation Books  
Community Helpers Toys  If you'd like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout April and May, see my April Themed Activities for Kids and my May Themed Activities for Kids.

Be sure to go to my Free Teacher Printables and Montessori-Inspired Teacher Activities for lots of free printables and activity ideas.
 
Have fun celebrating teachers!
  Deb - Signature
Deb ChitwoodDeb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 49 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live).
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Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Montessori-Inspired Library Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now

I'm a real lover of books and truly believe libraries are treasures. Our new unit has Montessori-inspired activities using free library printables along with a new Montessori-inspired library pack for subscribers to our free newsletter at Living Montessori Now! 


This unit is designed to celebrate both school libraries and public libraries ... even home libraries! The timing of our unit goes along with School Library Month, International Children's Book Day, and National Library Week in April!

You'll find many activities for preschoolers through early elementary throughout the year in my previous PreK + K Sharing posts. You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. 

At Living Montessori Now, I have a page with lots and lots of free printables.

Montessori Shelves with Library-Themed Activities


Montessori Shelves with Library-Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired library-themed themed numbers, letters, and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 
 
Go to my Free Library Printables and Montessori-Inspired Library Activities at Living Montessori Now for the free printables and activity ideas you see on the shelf and collage above!

Free Montessori-Inspired Library Pack

Montessori-Inspired Library Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Book Resources

Amazon Affiliate: Bookshelves for Kids 
     You'll find all my children's book posts at Living Montessori Now here. You'll find all my children's book posts at Bits of Positivity here. I have lots and lots of book-themed posts!

If you'd like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout March and April, see my March Themed Activities for Kids. and my April Themed Activities for Kids.

Be sure to go to my Free Library Printables and Montessori-Inspired Library Activities for lots of free printables and activity ideas.
 
I hope you have fun at the library!
  Deb - Signature
Deb ChitwoodDeb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 49 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and grandkids live).
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