Making Their Bed
The first thing done well in the day, and it's entirely theirs.
Making Their Bed is a Montessori activity for a child aged 6 to 8 years. Area: Practical Life. Time: 10-15 min.
What the activity builds
Take charge of their own space, with a result that's visible right away.
The materials
- A bed accessible from at least two sides
- A comforter rather than sheets and blankets, much easier to straighten
- A single pillow, to start
How to do it, step by step
- Show the whole motion once, in silence: pull the comforter, straighten it, set the pillow.
- Unmake the bed and step aside for them.
- Stay nearby without touching, even if the comforter is crooked.
- Look at the result together, without correcting it.
- Repeat the routine every morning, at the same time.
The parent's role
Show once, then step back. A bed made by a kid looks wrinkled, and that's exactly how it should be. Redoing it behind them, even just once, teaches them that their work doesn't count. Lower your standards, not theirs.
Safety
No particular risk. Just check that the bed doesn't shift when they pull on it, and that they don't need to climb on anything unstable to reach the far side.
You remain the sole judge of what is right for your child. These activities are offered for educational and recreational purposes: they do not replace medical advice or the guidance of an early childhood professional.
Ways to adapt the activity
- Easier: they place just the pillow, you pull the comforter.
- Harder: they change their own pillowcase.
- Extension: they change their sheets entirely, once a week.
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