The Montessori approach to education is built upon a profound understanding of human development.
Dr. Maria Montessori dedicated her life’s work to observing how children grow and change over time, identifying key developmental stages that shape their path to maturity.
In this article, we take a close look at Dr Montessori’s first stage of development: from birth to age six, unpacking how Montessori education adapts to support children’s evolving needs in these critical years of early development.
The first plane of development
The first plane of development is an extraordinary period of psychological and physical growth. Newborns enter the world entirely dependent, unable to move or communicate. Yet, within just six years, they are walking, talking, and asserting their independence with intellect and will.
Characteristics of the First Six Years
During this transformative stage, children require ample sleep to support their rapid development. However, when they are awake, their curiosity knows no bounds. They explore their surroundings with boundless energy, using their senses to touch, smell, taste, hear, and examine everything in their environment.
Early Independence
One of the primary goals during this stage is achieving functional independence. Children are eager to take care of their own needs and are naturally inclined to observe and imitate the actions of adults. The mantra of children at this stage is: “Help me do it myself!”
Essential skills of early development:
Children in the first plane experience windows of opportunity when they are uniquely receptive to acquiring essential skills. These skills, developed in early childhood, have profound impact on future development and include:
- Movement: Young children need movement to develop brain-body integration.
- Order: They crave order to make sense of their surroundings, learning what happens and how objects are used.
- Language Acquisition: This is a critical period for language development, during which children absorb words and speech patterns effortlessly.
These sensitivities drive children’s development and shape their understanding of the world.
Observable Milestones
One of the most profound achievements in this phase is the acquisition of spoken language. Talking to newborns, for example, stimulates vocal cord development, and astonishingly, their vocal cords vibrate when adults speak to them. From being essentially mute at birth, toddlers can have a vocabulary of around 200 words by age two and an impressive 10,000 words by the end of this phase. This makes it essential to provide a language-rich environment during these formative years.
Physically, this period is one of monumental growth.
Children progress from being immobile to sitting, crawling, walking, speaking, and independently eating. As adults, we must be mindful about supporting rather than hindering this development. We want to offer rather than limit growth opportunities for our children!
The Sub-Planes: Ages 0 to 3 and Ages 3 to 6
The first plane of development can be divided into two distinct sub-phases:
- Ages 0 to 3: Children’s development is largely unconscious, driven by innate forces. During this phase, children absorb the world around them and do so without filters. It’s important during this time that adults respect children’s natural developmental path without imposing external motivations.
- Ages 3 to 6: During these years, children become more consciously aware of their actions and motivations. This is when we see the emergence of children’s willpower and the drive to classify and understand their environment. Children become more conscious learners.
As they grow, children naturally identify patterns, similarities, and differences based on their experiences. They construct their understanding of the world from scratch, and active experiences in their environment play a crucial role in shaping their cognitive development.
Social Development in the First Plane
During their first three years, children form strong bonds with their primary caregivers and family, finding comfort in a small social circle. They prefer solitary exploration and engage in parallel play.
By age three, children seek a broader social experience beyond the family. They require opportunities to interact with peers and engage in community life, which fosters independence and social development.
Creating a Supportive Environment
Providing the right environment is crucial to supporting children during their early years. Key elements of an optimal environment include:
- A Secure Home: A safe and loving home helps children build trust and confidence in the world around them.
- Freedom to Explore: Children need space and opportunities to move and explore safely, both indoors and outdoors.
- Language Exposure: A rich linguistic environment helps children build vocabulary and develop confidence in self-expression.
- Participation in Daily Life: Involvement in practical life activities helps children develop independence and a sense of belonging.
- Cultural Experiences: Exposure to family traditions, rituals, and cultural practices helps children adapt to their culture and understand their place within it.
As children develop over the course of this stage of life, they also benefit from being part of a social community and, in the process, learn valuable lessons about cooperation, sharing, and responsibility.
By understanding the characteristics and needs of the first plane of development, we can create environments that nurture children’s natural growth, independence, and exploration.
We invite you to visit our school to see for yourself how a prepared environment can meet the needs of our youngest children! Book a time to visit here.
