Flower arranging!
Sometimes my boys come home from school and immediately want to recreate a lesson they have had in school that day. Recently, Oliver came home itching to show me flower arranging. It was one of the last warm days before we had freezing nighttime temperatures, so we went out to the potted flowers leftover from the summer and cut all of them to bring inside (since they would be frozen and dead over the course of the next few nights anyway). He clipped the flowers himself, choosing different colors, lengths, and textures.
After he brought them indoors, he instructed me through the whole process. I was unable to get photos of that day because it was dark so early. But then he told me he wanted to do it again, so I picked up some flowers at the grocery and we went through the process again while it was still light out.
I wondered what it was about flower arranging that made it lesson-worthy in Montessori, so I looked it up. And come to find out, there are so many things it teaches! First off, there’s cutting and measuring, estimating and pouring. Aside from all that, there’s the appreciation for beauty in one’s environment. I don’t think it’s ever too early to teach something like that — that caring for our spaces and paying attention to details makes us as humans feel relaxed and joyful. A little vase of flowers on the kids’ play table brings such cheer on a cold and gloomy day!
There will be spills! There are always spills. “Well, that’s what the towel is for!” he told me, and cleaned it all up himself.
Oliver showed me the process: measuring the stems against the vase to see where to cut, then cutting above the bowl, then placing each stem into the vase. Afterwards, cleaning up, and finally the best part: choosing a location for the flower arrangement!
Measuring the stem
So focused!
I loved this lesson, and I know Oliver did too based on how many times he has repeated it at home. I am really loving the Montessori method in general so far. There is a precision that I can really appreciate, but it is forgiving and understanding of every stage of development. I am learning so much along with my children. Such an inspiring process!
I love flower arranging. We had a big office event last Friday night and I was in charge of the flowers (on a tight budget). We needed 15 table arrangements and one large one. I’m really loving the seeded eucalyptus right now, particularly when they have the blush and rose undertones to the green. I get regular eucalyptus as well, and everything smells so good. I did all sixteen arrangements for under $60. Trader Joe’s has a great selection right now, and the boys might enjoy picking out some more flowers there.
I was thumbing through an issue of Real Simple – the one with the dark cover with the gorgeous flowers on the front – and they had some really stunning arrangement ideas. I really loved the one where they had 5-6 containers, and they took several grocery store flower bunches and resorted them by color, one color per container. What a lovely Thanksgiving table that might make – think about all the colors of the food on the table as well. Might be a fun activity for the boys to celebrate the holiday table.
Mason Jar vases are my favorite!
This is completely adorable. W loves fresh flowers, but has never gotten into arranging. I guess it’s time!