You are wanting to do Montessori at home and are deciding what will suit your home when it comes to meal time.
What is Montessori aligned for dining?
Here are some of the table options we use s to help you find what might work for your home.
There is not only one way to do it, a Montessori home does not need to look like a Montessori classroom <3 From one mum to another.
Weaning Table
The traditional Montessori dining option would be a weaning table or child’s table that is suited to your child’s size.
These can be used from 6 months of age, the table above we built and used with my eldest from 6 months and later siblings were the same.
We couldn’t find one nearby when our eldest was young, so we built our own.
Now there are a lot more options to buy if you are not a DIY type person.
Weaning tables allow for a child to set their own table independently, sit easily, wipe their own table after a meal, and use it for cooking activities at their level.
I find doing baking at their table easier than using learning tower at the kitchen bench level.
We just used a Kmart black place-mat and traced our child’s actual cutlery.
Climbable High Chair
This is often a favorite options among family’s who value everyone being up at the main table for dinner.
The great thing about this type of Montessori dining table option is that is grows with your child, with small modifications as your child grows it should last them for years.
We originally had a Tripp Trapp chair which was a fantastic and sturdy independently climbable high chair option.
Then we changed our dining room table and it no longer was tall enough (we went for non-standard dining room table).
Thankfully the Aldi brand high chair was tall enough to suit and this is what we still use for our boys from age 1.5/2yrs to now school age.
This type of Montessori table situation wouldn’t work in a classroom, but absolutely suits a home environment.
It is Montessori aligned because they can get on/off independently.
When they are smaller either you can take their plate from their hands and put it up, then work towards them placing plate on table before getting into the chair.
Picnic Table
In good weather we eat outside ALL the time!
It makes for easier clean-up and is just lovely to do when the weather is nice.
Maybe you can’t fit a child-sized table in the house, but you could fit a child sized table outside.
Go for it!
We eat at our children’s outdoor table, paint at it, crafts, projects, make food, and more!
I use an IKEA stool on either end for my husband and I to sit and join them.
So if you love being outside or maybe just don’t have space for an indoor child-sized table , this could be a very viable option for your family.
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Main Principles for Montessori Mealtimes
Independence
The main point of a Montessori table during mealtime is to allow for independence.
The child is able to get up/down by themself, and eventually place their utensils and wipe their table space independently.
Depending on what option suits your family, some of the tasks like wiping their mess, might become more possible with a bit more age.
The above options should all allow for your child to independently get up/down from the dining table, a normal high chair does not allow this.
Child Sized Materials
To go along with a child sized table is child sized materials that make it easier for a child to eat and drink independently.
Child’s sized cutlery, plate, and glass makes learning to eat and drink on their own a more achievable task.
For young children, such as 6 month olds, a shot glass sized cup is an appropriate size for their hands.
Often dessert plates are a good size “child sized” plate.
Children’s cutlery is usually the easiest thing to find, avoid plastic and get silverware. Plastic forks are terrible for trying to poke into veggies I have found.
Where Do YOU Live?
If you live in an apartment than a separate table just for the kids make just not be an option, nor would an outdoor table workout.
That’s when a climbable high chair works just fine as a Montessori aligned option.
If you happen to live in a home that has more space, then aiming for a kids sized table can really allow for many Montessori activities to occur at their little table and at their height. This is often more comfortable for the child and less stress for you as the parent.
See what suits YOUR family, and don’t worry about what other people on social media are doing.
Focus on the principles and work from there.
If you are new to Montessori and looking to wrap your head around it I would love to point you in the direction of the book the Montessori Toddler.
It’s filled with ideas on how to bring Montessori into your home and activities you can do at these child sized tables.
Above are my top 3 books I suggest for new Montessori at home parents, if you want more details on them you can read my book review of them.
