Prepared Environment (Montessori)

In Montessori education, the Prepared Environment refers to a setting designed to facilitate independent learning and exploration by the child.^[1] The environment, prepared by the adult, contains only the essential materials and tools for optimal development, removing any superfluous items. Key attributes of a prepared environment include order, reality, beauty, and simplicity.

The environment features child-sized furniture and materials to promote the children’s independent functioning. A vital part of this prepared environment is the presence of a trained adult and a mixed-age group of children, which further enhances the child’s development and social interaction.

Contents

• 1Montessori Quotes
• 2Research and Critiques
• 3Comparisons to Other Methods
• 4See Also
• 5Glossary of Montessori Terms
• 6Please help to translate this page into your local language
• 7References

Montessori Quotes

• “The first aim of the prepared environment is, as far as it is possible, to render the growing child independent of the adult.”^[2]
• “The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.”^[3]