Four Montessori School Tips for Settling Into Fall

Montessori School Las Vegas | Innovation Academy Elementary

Welcome a New Season with Innovation Academy Montessori School in Las Vegas

Summer vacation days lazily lingering until autumn are a thing of the past. In Las Vegas, elementary school students have been back in the classroom for more than a month by the time fall arrives! As a result, some kids may still feel the pull of the pool, even as they are weeks into their studies.

This is not a bad thing, however. It can be good to enjoy the days that are still a bit longer than shorter. Also, squeezing in a few more leisurely activities can help to ease the transition back to a more structured schedule.

Here are four tips from Innovation Academy, each designed to help say an official goodbye to summer:

Take a Cue from Nature

Las Vegas may not be on the East Coast, but you can spot seasonal shifts if you look for them. For example, there are always trees somewhere that drop their leaves after they change color. The thermometer begins to display temperatures in the 90s and 80s (and even 70s?). Above all, life begins to prepare for the chill and wet of winter.

You can use this annual natural turn to introduce a similar turn at home. Observe how plants and animals are preparing for the months ahead. The sun may still be bright, but meanwhile, creatures are transitioning into a new mode. A home garden represents an ideal window into plants’ adjustment period.

Encourage children to adopt a new mode of their own. For instance: Slow down. Get cozy. Take time to think ahead and ponder what needs to be done now. Make a conscious choice to prepare a new rhythm for a new time of year.

Altering your approach to the day can help to alter your mindset. Furthermore, changing your physical environment can make a powerful difference. Put away summer-related décor and toys, and instead decorate for autumn.

Get Organized

Even structured summers have a certain messiness to them. Bedtimes are more flexible, thus children (and parents) tend to let morning alarms slide. Vacations, trips, and even days at the beach cause breaks in established routines.

Because of this, toys have a way of staying on the floor. Breakfast dishes may sit on the counter till evening (or the next day). Sandy shoes might sit on the porch for days. As a result, clutter multiplies.

Use autumn as an opportunity (or excuse) to put stuff in order—schedules included. Establish mealtimes and routines. Days and weeks can quickly fill with activities, so write individual and group activities on a communal calendar for easy reference. Get back into reasonable bedtimes and wake-up times.

Also, ensure that everything has a place. If an item does not have a home in your home, consider getting rid of it. The early days of a new school year, for example, are ideal times for going through closets and trying on shirts, pants, and shoes. Donate items that no longer fit to a clothing drive. (Meanwhile, you can move clothes not appropriate for the season to storage.)

In the midst of this, create a dedicated space for necessary school-related work.

Allow for Down Time

It’s easy to jump into the hectic rush of a new school year. For example, groups need volunteers and leaders, children seek after-school activities, and more. Consequently, a day, week, and even month can get very busy very quickly.

Build room to breathe into each day. Summer is marked by copious amounts of free time. After that, school dominates most kids’ days, replacing leisurely pursuits and long stretches of rest with work. The scholarly pursuits may be self-directed and enriching, but they are work all the same!

We’ve been noting how fall is a time for getting life in order and preparing for the hush of winter. Shorter days make it easy to say yes to a mug of something warming and a good book.

Just as there is a place and time for study and experiments, there is also a place and time for a meandering mind. Resist the urge to over-program with multiple sports teams, art lessons, and other (good) activities. Choose one or two, and be sure to keep some afternoons and evenings free.

Extend Grace

Here at Innovation Academy Montessori School, we love mistakes! Entering a new grade is a challenge. Firstly, there are new routines to adapt to. Secondly, there are new people to meet. Further, new relationships mean new social dynamics to navigate.

Amid so much change, mistakes are inevitable. Children will forget homework. Someone will hurt someone else’s feelings. Frustration will boil over at a challenging task or undesirable outcome. This is how children learn!

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When it comes to mistakes at home, expect them and celebrate them. Instead of reacting with correction or chastisement, step back and grant your child the freedom to try again.

Fall is about winding down, yes, but the slowing pace has a purpose. Winter’s approach is not the end, but a time of dormancy before a renewal. Celebrate autumn—and mistakes—for what they are: an opportunity to get ready for a burst of new growth!

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