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| Knobbed puzzles allow a child to develop the pincer grasp which is necessary for correctly holding a pencil |
At birth, humans are born with a limited number of reflexes which disappear in the first few months of life. Movement is not inherited, but a learned behavior that involves the senses, the brain and the muscles. It is through repeated effort and practice that movements become automatic.
In the above pictures, the girls are working on 'dressing frames.' The toddler environment has 3 - button, zipper and velcro. These allow the children to practice making the movements necessary to dress themselves. We often underestimate what our children are capable of. By simply showing them how and giving them time they are often able to do much more than we think.
Each of our movements is a learned skill perfected through practice. We must give our children the time it takes to learn to move. Once they have mastered a movement, such as walking, we should not interfere with what they have learned by carrying them.
To overlook movement is to overlook its close connection with the developing mind
- Maria Montessori
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