Homeschooling: Preschool Continent Boxes

Have you heard of the Montessori method of education? I hadn't, until I started researching for how I was going to teach my preschooler. I saw it, and immediately knew this was what would work for us. It's hands on, learning through play, and very organized. I know it isn't for everyone, but it is definitely for us!

The first thing that caught my eye while researching Montessori, were these really fun looking continent boxes (Found them HERE). They were perfect. Each box was labeled with its continent, beautifully decorated, and filled with educational toys and tidbits about those continents. I just had to do this for my preschooler!

But here's the thing - We really didn't have the funds to replicate those beautiful boxes. So, it looked like I was going to have to get creative, or just find a different way to teach my wild preschooler, because after watching my daughter completely zone out while trying to show her the continents on a map, I decided I would definitely need to get creative and MAKE these boxes happen.

First purchase: 8 Small Clip Boxes from Target for $25.

Second purchase: Terra Miniatures that represented animals from each continent from Target and Amazon that came out to around $40 all together.

Third Purchase: 1 pack of Self-Seal Laminating Pouches from Target for $10.

That was the easy part. Next, came days and hours of work on my part.

First, I printed out labels. One for each continent, plus one for the ocean. Then I taped them to the boxes so I could stay organized while putting them together. I put the animals in their corresponding continent box, and then sat down and started to draw. Yes, draw.

I decided, since the boxes (and bank account) were too small for culture dolls, that I would make my daughter her own dolls. In paper form. You remember those awesome paper dolls as kids, right? That would be perfect! (And cheap). So, I made two doll bases (Male and Female), and then made a few traditional outfits from each continent for them.

Writing that makes it sound so simple, but I literally put hours into researching the clothes, and hours more into drawing them. Then of course came the hours of cutting them out, laminating them (so that they actually survive through my daughter), and then cutting them out of the laminate.

Voila! She now has laminated, cultural paper dolls in her boxes to help her see how they dress on different continents. I'm sure someone out there is screaming "Cultural Appropriation" at me right now, but I really don't care. My daughter is going to learn about the way different cultures dress on different continents with a paper doll that looks like her. Deal with it. And maybe reevaluate yourself.

After that, I spent another ridiculous amount of time sorting the flags from every country in the world that I had printed out into their respective continents, laminating them, cutting them out, and then FINALLY adding them to their boxes.

This is what my boxes look like right now:

My daughter LOVES them. She plays with the animals and paper dolls, not even realizing that she's learning, and she's fascinated by the flags.

I LOVE them too. I think it's because it's so organized. Or maybe it's because there is no limit to them. You can just keep adding things!

If you are interested in the PAPER DOLLS, you can get them HERE.