"It is almost possible to say that there is a mathematical relationship between the beauty of his surroundings  and the activity of the child; he will make discoveries rather more voluntarily in a gracious setting than in an ugly one." - Maria Montessori. The Child in the Family. 

I love flower arranging activities. They are perfect for the home environment as we often have flowers in our garden and who doesn't love a few flower filled vases dotted around the home. We try to use flowers that are in excess in our own garden but we also love our local florist and market farmers.

I love this selection of activities as they range from the more formal trays which we might see in a school that include funnels and sponges to home set ups which may be less formal. My only tip is to select flowers with thin stems, sunflowers for example have stems which are just too thick in most cases for the child to trim. Also as much as possible allow the child, if they are able, to complete the work themselves including clean up. 

Flower arranging from toddlerhood to preschoolers proves to be a great introduction to parts of a flower and further botany work. Is there anything better than growing your own flowers and giving them (beautifully arranged) as a gift or to someone in need? Flower arranging also provides the small child the opportunity to contribute to their environment in a beautiful way, to beautify their environment. Here are some lovely examples of flower arranging work. 

1. How we Montessori

2. CrumbBums 

3. Montessori 101 

4. Montessori Bloggers Network 

5. Study at Home Mama 

6. How we Montessori 

7. Olga Inoue 

8. Rhythms of Play 

9. Itty Bitty Love