One of the key features of the Montessori approach is child independence. Autonomy is fostered from an early age, allowing the child to perform various tasks completely on their own or with minimal adult assistance. This enables the combination of the child’s curiosity and thirst for discovery with the process of developing practical skills. Over time, this leads to the child feeling confident in various situations, capable of taking care of themselves and their environment. This is not only beneficial for development and learning but also for future life situations.
How Is This Approach Implemented in Furniture Design?
The design of children's furniture created according to Dr. Montessori's principles differs from traditional furniture. Upon entering a room designed with these principles in mind, you may notice that it looks somewhat “empty” vertically. This is intentional: Montessori furniture for children is low to the ground, literally matching the height of a preschooler, fostering independence by allowing the child to use it on their own.
For example, the Toddler Table and Chair are designed so that the toddler can easily sit at them to draw, flip through books, play with blocks, or solve puzzles.
A Montessori-style Children’s bed is low to the ground, with a frame that either sits directly on the floor or has low legs to ensure ventilation under the mattress. However, it still allows the child to climb into or out of the bed without waiting for help from a parent or caregiver.
The child’s wardrobe, hanger, and other storage units in the room are similarly designed to the child’s height. This way, the toddler can reach every hanger and shelf, allowing them to store or retrieve their clothes independently. This helps the child learn to keep their room tidy, become familiar with where their things are, and reduce constant “Mom, where are my pants? Mom, give me my sweater!” moments. Most importantly, toddler independence eventually grows into the independence of a teenager and an adult. This is a skill being developed now that will last a lifetime. However, if you try to teach a child order in their teenage years while doing everything for them beforehand, they will likely resist. It’s like the saying, “strike while the iron is hot” – you need to teach these skills when there’s a natural desire to learn them, and toddlers have that desire starting with their first declarations of “I can do it myself!”
Comfortable low shelves for toys, such as the Playroom Shelf, allow children to independently take toys and return them to their places. This is an important feature because, with traditional high shelves, keeping the room tidy often falls on parents. In contrast, a low shelf allows the child to reach any level, choose what they want to play with, and return items to their proper places, thus teaching your child to be independent.
Furniture Designed for Child Independence
Some pieces of furniture are unique to the Montessori approach to parenting. Take the Foldable Kitchen Tower, for example. This tower serves as steps that the child can use to reach the kitchen sink, bathroom basin, or any other high surface. By providing this tool, the child gains the ability to participate in kitchen activities and practice personal hygiene independently (at least while under parental supervision).
Items that Helps Children Feel Grown-Up
Pretend play allows children to take on various adult roles, fostering independence subtly but effectively. For instance, the Montessori Play Kitchen in a child's room lets them try out actions that they would typically be forbidden to do in a real kitchen: turning the knobs on the stove, exploring what's hidden in the oven, and arranging things like toys, utensils, and play food the way the toddler prefers.
Similarly, children can tuck their toys into a doll bed or push them around in a doll stroller, learning to take care of them and, in turn, learning how to behave responsibly. With the right furniture, parents can also zone the space and make it multifunctional, adapting it to various needs. This concept is detailed further in the article “How Montessori Room Furniture from WoodandHearts Supports Your Child’s Growth.”
Tables, chairs, and storage solutions that are specifically designed to be accessible and convenient for children form the foundation of the Montessori approach. On one hand, these pieces use structured spaces; on the other, they allow children to perform tasks on their own. By doing so, parents encourage their children to develop independence, responsibility, and the ability to handle everyday tasks. The main idea is that the environment remains safe, accessible, comfortable, and understandable for the child. This enables children to make choices and take responsibility for themselves.
Confidence in One's Abilities – A Key Prerequisite for Independence
Independence is a skill that develops through repetition (just like any other skill). The more often a child tries to do something on their own, the easier it becomes for them to handle it again and again. However, simply repeating actions isn't enough to foster toddler independence. Autonomy also has two essential components: confidence in one's decisions and confidence in one’s abilities.
For example, when a child decides to tidy up their toys, they need to know:
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That it’s a good idea (and they won’t be criticized or scolded for doing something wrong).
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That they are physically capable of reaching the shelves where the toys are stored.
Montessori furniture ensures accessibility, meaning it gives the child the physical ability to handle different tasks. It’s the parents’ role to support the child’s initiative to do things independently, praise their successes and efforts, and patiently accept failures, as they are an integral part of the learning process.
When your little one feels capable of performing different tasks, their confidence in their abilities grows. This also helps form stable self-esteem. The child is less likely to face situations where they feel incapable of doing something because they either don’t know how or can’t reach it, thus creating a foundation for self-awareness as someone who can handle challenges. And even if they don’t succeed immediately, positive reinforcement helps them realize that one failed attempt is not a failure, and they can keep trying until they learn.
Have you noticed how many celebrities, scientists, and world game-changers were raised in the Montessori approach? This is the best evidence that it truly works in this way. And no, your child doesn’t need to become independent to conquer the world in the same way. It’s about the fact that, combined with a prepared environment furnished with Montessori furniture, this educational system shapes a personality. One that confidently looks ahead, is ready to take on responsibility, is committed to lifelong learning, is unafraid of challenges, and knows that they can succeed.
Of course, Montessori furniture is just a tool, not a guaranteed path to success. But the more tools a child has to help them, the better.
