Groups of Exercises of practical life

Explain the different groups of exercises of practical life. How do you think this group is helpful?

Exercises of practical life have divided in four main groups.

Ø  Elementary exercises

Ø  Exercises of personal care

Ø  Grace and courtesy exercises

Ø  Care of environment exercises.

ELEMENTARY EXERCISES:

This group is further divided into three groups:

1.      Basic elementary exercises

2.      Elementary exercises

3.      Higher elementary exercises

Basic elementary exercises:

 In this group, very basic movement activities are involved. It involves hold and place objects.  For example, carry and place jug, how to hold glass, tray etc.

Benefits of this group:

These kinds of exercises are very helpful for a child.  They help him to coordinate, balance, and make him to be perfect in his movements.  They learn the proper way of holding and carrying different things.  It also helps in exactness and precisions.

Elementary exercises:

 In this group, the movements which are involved are a bit more complex and advanced than basic elementary exercises, but altogether they are also done within short period of time. i.e. rolling and unrolling of mats , folding and unfolding mats, opening and closing bottle tops, pouring rice from one jug to another jug etc.

Benefits of this group:

Elementary exercises indirectly help Montessori students to learn for geometry. They help student to be independent.  They also help students for writing and exercise of hands and coordination of movements. These exercises help the child to concentrate keenly.

Higher elementary exercises:

In this group, those practical exercises are involved which are more logical and slightly more complex and advanced then previous exercises. For example, cutting along a line, spooning beans into a number of containers, use of dropper, etc.

Benefits of this group:

As others groups help the child in concentration and coordination of movements. This group also helps him to work on those two categories but in more advanced way.  This group prepares children for division indirectly and uses of scissors.

PERSONAL CARE:

This group related to personal care of a child. In this group, he learns to take care of himself under the guidance of the teacher. He gains confidence and groom himself in a very good and well-mannered way.  For example: combing hair, brushing teeth, dressing frames and many more.

Benefits of this group:

The exercises of this group help children to take care of themselves. These exercises introduce all stuff related to personal care for example, soap, comb, tissue paper, mirror, dustbin, tooth paste and brush etc. The teacher does those activities which help student about daily routine’s personal care.

GRACE AND COURTESY:

In this group, the activities which are involved help a child to learn to be polite, use basic manner and how to go around society. Example: table manners, how to carry a chair, knocking at the door, how to be silent, use of thank you and sorry, please, etc.

Benefits of this group:

This group helps students to how to sit and stand properly, greet people, titles of respect etc. these kind of exercises help child to move in society in a well-mannered way.

CARE OF ENVIRONMENT:  

Environment is the main component of this group. It makes a child to learn to take care of his environment, how to keep it clean and how to restore and maintain proper living conditions.  This group involves both indoor and outdoor exercises.  Indoor exercises include, polishing brass, washing dishes, dusting, and floral arrangement. Outdoor exercises include, picking up dried leaves, watering plants, etc.

Benefits of this group:

This group builds self confidence in child and care of environment.  When the child learns these activities in a very young age, these become his habits to do them in a proper way. For example, picking up dried leaves, water plants, taking great care of garden, cleaning floor make him a well-mannered person who has love for cleanness and awareness of his surroundings.

To sum up, practical life exercises are very important for children and they help child to be a good person. They help children to build self confidence in them. As Montessori said;

                       “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.”