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Montessori and screens

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0 – 6 years

In our schools. Dr Montessori talked about the child under 6 years old being a sensorial learner. They take in most easily what they can experience with their senses – what they can touch, smell, taste, hear and see. We talk often in Montessori about giving these young children real hands-on experiences and time for them to be able to explore and make discoveries in the world around them. (For some ideas, there are lots of Montessori activities on my blog HERE) Which is why as Montessori educators we prefer hands-on experiences over screens with young children under 6 years old.

In our homes. We can limit their exposure to video calls with family, for example, where a loved one might read a book with them. If you want to use the internet to look up their favourite vehicle, can you go to the library to find a book instead or go to watch a building site at work? If you ask Alexa a question, can you instead find a concrete way to look this up, from having a set of encyclopaedias in your home to writing the question on a post-it note to make a “wonder wall” to investigate further with them? Instead of getting out a screen at a cafe or restaurant, can we take a notebook to play games, a book to read, have a family conversation, look at the kitchen to watch the food being prepared, play eye spy?

Note: If you choose to use television/media, be very selective about what they are taking in, allow very limited amounts of time, be sure to watch alongside the child to help them process what they see, look for realistic wholesome programs, and be wary of YouTube where autoplay show them anything on the internet and advertisements targeted at them too.

6-12 years

In our schools. For the 6-12 child, in our Montessori classrooms there may be a couple of computers for the class to use. These are used as tools where a child might make a presentation, do some 3D modelling, or to use a program like to design architecture. Some children may be interested in learning to code. They can learn patterns first with hands on materials and later to code on the computer.

Research is encouraged by using the school library and going out, for example, to the local library or community to find answers to their questions. If they do go online to do research, we have bookmarked pages for more reliable sources on the toolbar for easy access and we teach them how to critically analyse their sources. They learn how to summarise information, not copy and paste text, and to acknowledge where the information is found.

Technology may be used to connect with schools around the world to learn how others live, what they like to do, or to connect over a common interest like how they might be working on the climate crisis.

In our homes. There is no rush to introduce screens in our home. Phones and iPads are so easy and intuitive to use a 2-year old can open one to use an app. If you do choose to introduce screens, look to have a limited, balanced approach, for example:

  1. Come up with family agreements about use – they know what, when and for how long. An agreement is developed with the child/ren, not top-down. When it is agreed with the children, we can simply ask, “What was our agreement about XXX?” If they have a problem with the agreement, it can be added for discussion at an upcoming family meeting to be reviewed.
  2. Look for engaging ways to use technology. For example, stop-animation; making family films; allow them to try some digital photography and edit their photographs; well-produced educational videos, e.g, about volcanoes or listening to Martin Luther King; and if they are interested in computer games look for ones where they are engaged like designing their own amusement park or rocket ship.
  3. Introduce grace and courtesy around technology – for example, help them to communicate respectfully online, how to interpret emojis, how to read someone’s tone, understanding the etiquette around communicating on different channels like email, text, and social media, and who to tell if they witness or experience cyberbullying or suspicious behaviour online.
  4. As the child becomes interested in social media, we could set up a family account, for example, to post about a family pet. Then they are learning how to be safe online by practising alongside us in these years.
  5. Keep screens in the common areas so we are able to supervise their use. Ideally choose to have a fixed computer screen in a visible area of the home over iPads and portable devices.
  6. Safety – we can talk to them about our digital footprint and what information we are sharing; who we are talking to online; to get permission before making online purchases; managing passwords; how to look out for spam and scams etc.
  7. Be selective about what television/media they have access to.

In Alison Awes’ article On Building Character, she also mentions:

  • Questioning stereotypes found in online media with our children, especially idealized images.
  • Letting them explore the history of technology. How it developed? Who? How we listened to music before computers? etc.
  • Talking about boundaries around not being always available.
  • If they see pornography, “Parents will want to discuss how that is different from real sex in a loving relationship, explaining why they feel the content is demeaning or promotes a narrow view of sexuality.” Or if they come across some disturbing news while watching a weather video, “The adult can apologize that the child found something that was not meant for children.”

12-18

We have laid the foundation in the first 12 years for using screens mindfully, safely and intentionally. The child from 12 years old will now want to use a phone as a way to connect with their peers. They will take more responsibility for their screen use, just as they will in other areas of their lives. They are learning to navigate technology the same way adults do – turning off notifications so they can get their homework done, practising communicating clearly with friends so that they can make plans to meet up, and finding the balance between online and offline life.

We are there to help them navigate it and we can step in to guide them if they need some limits. If they are comparing themselves to others, getting lost in negative conversation threads, and their mental health is being affected, make a time to discuss it with them and make a plan. Be sure to review the plan regularly to see if it is helping.

To balance their technology use, we can ensure to provide plenty of time for real face to face social interactions, make sure they are joining for (screen-free) family meals, provide opportunities for concrete learning experiences, make sure they get exercise (cycling to school is great where possible), and they can supplement with technology when they are able to manage the associated responsibility appropriately.

Here are some tips on screens with adolescents:

  • establish agreements about when there are no screens – e.g. during meal times, when we have visitors, during important discussions
  • digital safety – ensure they know not to meet strangers via the internet; get our permission before joining a new social network; discuss what information to keep private online; and remind them of the responsibility and possible consequences of having a permanent digital profile for any text or email sent or social media post
  • the power of words – discuss online bullying and unkind comments; they agree to alert us if they are a victim of online bullying or if something online makes them feel uncomfortable or is inappropriate
  • make a space in the common area for screens to sleep at night, ideally stopping screen use an hour or two before bed
  • discuss what programs they use and how they can use them safely
  • if they are falling behind with school work, not contributing to the home or other responsibilities, have a meeting to help them come up with a plan to manage their screen time
  • rather than using the internet as a first resource, invite them to look up information in the library, arrange a face to face expert, attend a seminar on a topic they are interested in
  • help them be critical thinkers about the information they find on the internet, even reliable sources – we can ask them questions like “Who created this information?” “For what purpose?”
  • learn the social media they are using so we can assess risks, show them how to use it safely, and understand the input they are taking in

Two last things 

Look at our own use of technology. We are our children’s models from 0-18 years old (and beyond). They observe how we interact with technology. We can use our phones and devices purposefully, for example, telling them what are doing when we pick up our phone or are on our computer. “I’m going to send a message to let them know we are here.” And when we use it as a break: “I’m going to go online for 10 minute to check my social media.” We can also get their permission before posting any photos or information about them.

Children’s needs. Children need lots of movement and time outside (currently 3 hours a day for under 5 year olds according to the World Health Organisation). We want to ensure any screens in our lives are not affecting face-to-face communication with our child (including our own use). Our children need lots of unstructured time to explore the real world, play face to face with friends, and come up with their own ideas (rather than passively watching television or following a computer game). And to ensure any screens are not affecting their sleep (no screens in the bedroom or within an hour or two of bedtime).

I hope this helps you navigate screens in your homes. To understand that we have time to build skills around screens with our children. And you may choose to go screen-free too. It wouldn’t hurt for all of us to adopt more screen-free days.

Further reading:

  • On Building Character, The Elementary Child’s Moral Development in the Digital Age, by Alison Awes
  • Technology & the Elementary Student, Creo Montessori School, Arizona
  • Technology and Montessori, by Mark Powell
  • Screenwise, Devorah Heitner
  • The Montessori White Papers on Digital Technologies and Development, Laura Flores Shaw
  • Reset your child’s brain, Dr. Victoria L Dunckley
  • Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids – and How to Break the Trance, Nicholas Kardaras
  • Toxic Childhood: How The Modern World Is Damaging Our Children And What We Can Do About It, Sue Palmer

A conversation about Montessori and screens with Simone Davies and Jeanne-Marie Paynel

Links shared on the call