Once toddlers start walking, nothing can stop them. Their need to move around seems never to be satisfied. Sometimes we might find ourselves wanting them to stop and sit still for a moment. There is a profound reason your toddler is driven to move around most of the day, and a purpose when he tries to move heavy objects he finds in the environment: he is going through a sensitive period of “maximum effort.” This month we will discuss what maximum effort means and how we can ensure our toddlers both enjoy and stay safe during this stage of their development.

Dr. Maria Montessori scientifically observed children for many years and identified common qualities among children under the age of six years. One of those discoveries was the fact that toddlers have a strong desire they cannot control for movement. Once they are standing, they move on to walking and climbing. Once they are climbing, they move to running and moving heavy objects (the heavier, the better). This is what she called maximum effort, because they use all of their strength their body has to move or carry an object, and they do not want any help from the adult. They challenge their body to the highest level, wishing to see how far they can go. Repetition plays a big role in this stage as well; toddlers are not satisfied by doing it just once; they will do it over and over again until they feel they have mastered the skill.

So, you might wonder, what does maximum effort look like? Well, have you ever seen your toddler trying to push a coffee table or a chair all around the kitchen? Or maybe have you witnessed your toddler pour the contents of one container into another one multiple times in a row? What about your toddler going up and down two steps at the park again and again and again until he is satisfied? All of these situations are him making his maximum effort with his body. 

Very commonly, we observe toddlers repeat actions like going up and down the ramp of a sidewalk, running back and forth in the same space, or opening and closing the same container over and over again. Since we might not understand why they do it, it is easy to interrupt and break the concentration and effort the child is making. So, take a moment to observe what your toddler is doing. Once we understand what maximum effort is, it is crystal clear when we witness it. 

Our role as parents is to allow our children to make their maximum effort for as long as they need to without any external interruption. Of course, to give this freedom, we need to prepare ourselves and the environment first. Maximum effort should be a safe experience. Remove any glass or sharp decorations from coffee tables or furniture at the child’s height, and adapt your furniture for your child to push without damaging the floors. For instance, put felt pads on chairs so they don’t scratch wooden floors. Check for any splinters on stools, chairs, tables, or shelves that your toddler might want to push. Anchor any tall furniture such as drawers, bookshelves, or flat TVs that your toddler might want to climb, pull or push; it is also very important that you let him know which items are okay to move around the house and which ones stay where they are.

So, now you will see with different eyes and a different mindset when your toddler puts his socks and shoes on and off for the fifth time in 10 minutes, or when he eagerly wants to help you carry the grocery bags with those heavy juice or milk jugs. Everything he does satisfies a purpose in his development.

Item of the Month

Ottoman

We often think of toys as being the first thing we should provide to our children, but many other items will help them develop their gross motor skills. This is the case of an ottoman or footstool. This piece of furniture is an excellent aid in the movement of your child. From a young age, he can start pulling up from it, and as he gets older, he can push it around the house. Try to get one that can be filled with items like blankets or books; that way, it serves as storage for you, but it also makes it a little bit heavier for your toddler to push, which is perfect if he is in the maximum effort stage.

Suggested ottoman at Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/SONGMICS-Storage-Ottoman-Space-Saving-ULSF14IN/dp/B07PP1XBRS/ref=sr_1_33?keywords=ottoman+storage&qid=1582651166&sr=8-33

Have a little extra time?

Maximun Effort by Baan Dek

Grab your headphones and enjoy this 12-minute podcast from Baan Dek Montessori in Sioux Falls, SD. Maximum effort is discussed in this audio with many examples that we can all identify with iif we live or spend part of our day with a toddler. Enjoy!

You can hear the podcast with Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud or directly on their website.

Link to their website: https://baandek.org/posts/maximum-effort/ (scroll all the way to the bottom and you will find the audio)

Quote of the Month

“Watching a child makes it obvious that the development of his mind comes through his movements.”
-Maria Montessori