Montessori Explained: Handwashing as a Learning Activity

January 13, 2025

Why do Montessori classrooms have a hand washing basin and pitcher when children can just access the sink? Isn’t this an antiquated experience?

To answer these questions, it helps to step back and explore why young children are drawn to an elaborate hand-washing process, the benefits of breaking down a series of steps, and what children are really accomplishing through the experience.

Practical life exercises provide the foundation for Montessori early childhood programs. These practical life experiences are foundational and significant for young children’s development. Yet they often don’t receive the appreciation they deserve, especially with the many academic benefits of the Montessori sensorial, math, and language materials.

To understand the value of practical life activities, we must understand the nature of young children, which Dr. Montessori did over 100 years ago.

Why Practical Life?

The exercises of practical life began to serve a practical need. Dr. Montessori had responsibility for children who were being destructive in a building in the slums of Rome. The proprietors needed to take care of the building, yet the children were unkept and out of control.

As a doctor, Dr. Montessori knew the importance of hygiene in preventing illness. So, one of the first things she did was provide water basins and cakes of soap. Then, Dr. Montessori showed the children how to wash their hands and faces.

What happened was unexpected. Once the children washed their hands and faces, they didn’t stop. They kept washing long after their hands were clean.

Dr. Montessori said the children repeated the activity as if driven by an imperceptible force. Instead of stopping them, like adults are apt to do, Dr. Montessori watched. She wanted to see what would happen. With her curiosity, patience, and powers of scientific observation, Dr. Montessori observed a need that went way beyond washing hands. From these practical beginnings came a very significant discovery for Dr. Montessori.

A Deeper Purpose

Dr. Montessori discovered the fundamental difference between work as the adult experiences it and work as the child experiences it. While work for the adult brings on fatigue, work for the young child is energizing. This is because children under age six are in a period of self-construction. They are developing their intelligence, memory, language, will, and movement.

Young children are motivated to interact with their environment to develop these essential aspects of themselves. Their goal is self-construction! Adults often don’t recognize this vital urge young children have to work. So typically, adults stop children from doing something because the action seems too tiring, too complicated, too messy, or because it will be more efficient and faster for adults to do it themselves.

But something deep within is propelling young children to this kind of activity. So, in our prepared environments, we offer motives of activity that will match children’s developmental needs. One of these essential experiences is hand washing.

The Benefits of Hand Washing as an Activity

In addition to the typical handwashing at a sink, Montessori toddler and primary classrooms also include a hand washing station with an apron, a basin and pitcher, soap, hand and drying towels, a bucket, and sometimes even a nail brush or hand lotion when appropriate.

We break down each step of washing hands: wetting our hands, washing with soap, rinsing, drying our hands, cleaning the wash area, drying the area, and restocking any necessary supplies.

In the process of filling a pitcher with the appropriate amount of water, pouring the water into a basin, and emptying the basin into a bucket to take back to the sink, children practice crucial gross motor skills that help them with equilibrium and crossing their midline.

As they learn how to get the fronts and back of each hand wet and lather each finger, their palms, the backs of their hands, and their wrists, they refine their visual motor coordination and fine motor skills.

The hand-washing exercise also helps children develop a sense of order through a logical sequence of activities. Practicing this sequencing lays the foundation for children’s future ability to handle sequences that aren’t as logical, especially as they move into work with mathematical and language materials.

A Love for the Process

Young children love this care of self activity, which involves being able to access and use water in a purposeful way. They can often be found repeating the process over and over. Children can also become very focused on the drying process and show remarkable attention to detail as they take care to wipe up any drips or spills.

As children master these steps, we introduce additional challenges, like using a nailbrush to clean nails or applying lotion when their hands are clean and dry.

The process is lovely to observe, and we invite you to schedule a visit to see how hand washing helps children with the vital process of self-construction!

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July 30, 2025

Sometimes it’s easiest to begin by explaining what a Montessori teacher isn’t. A Montessori teacher is less like the traditional idea of an instructor, and more like a gentle guide. They don’t consider it their job to give a child information. They rather lead children in the general direction and give them the tools they need to find the information themselves. Maria Montessori once said, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher...is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’” Montessori Teachers Cultivate Independence In a Montessori classroom, rather than seeing a teacher at the front of the classroom giving the same lesson to every child, the teacher will be working quietly with individual children or small groups. While that is happening the rest of the children are free to spend their time doing the work that calls to them. A Montessori teacher works hard to create structures that allow children to be independent and to trust themselves as learners. One large part of what a Montessori teacher does is to intentionally prepare a classroom environment that is developmentally appropriate, is inviting to children, and supports them on their journey to work independently. This environment is constantly changing in tiny ways as the teacher notices new and evolving needs of the students. Montessori Teachers are Trained to Think Like Scientists Parents should know that Montessori teachers are highly trained. Most have recognized Montessori credentials in addition to their college degrees. Montessori certification programs are intensive and demanding; one might compare them as being the equivalent of another college degree. These training programs don’t just teach Montessori educators how to use the specialized materials; there is extensive coursework about Montessori philosophy, child development, and integrating the arts. When it comes to assessments, Montessori teachers don’t rely on standardized tests; they rely on the power of observation. They have notebooks brimming with evidence of what their students have mastered, need more support with, and are curious about. They are constantly recording what they notice children working on, how that work is being executed, and ideas they might have in anticipation of a child’s next steps. Montessori teachers literally sit beside a child and determine exactly what they know about a wide range of content areas. Montessori Teachers Think Long-Term Because of Montessori’s three-year cycles, teachers have the unique ability to consider their big picture when working with students. There is a natural tendency to allow the children to genuinely learn at their own pace. Getting to know a child and their family well over the course of a few years really supports this approach. Montessori Teachers are Often Called ‘Guides’ ...and for good reason. While children in Montessori classrooms have an abundance of choice in their educational pursuits, Montessori is based on the idea of ‘freedom within limits’. It’s the Montessori teacher’s job to carefully craft those limits. Children rely on having a certain amount of structure in place. This gives them comfort and a safe place in which they can take risks and try new things. Montessori teachers set some boundaries and then carefully help students navigate within them. What if your second grader loves to read but tends to avoid math? Their Montessori teacher will find ways to ensure the math still gets done. Sometimes this involves a gentle discussion with a child about time management skills, priorities, or setting goals. Sometimes the teacher will find a way to integrate the child’s interests into the less desirable work. Sometimes all it takes is a minor change in the environment. Montessori teachers gives children freedom, but they assist children in finding their way to success in this environment. Montessori teachers value independence, self-reliance, and intrinsic motivation. They also value cooperation, kindness, and strength in community. Still curious? Call us to set up an appointment today to observe in a classroom. See what Montessori is really all about.