Why a Montessori Mat is the Coolest Homeschool Material Around

The work mat is one of the first materials introduced in a Montessori education. Baskets of beautiful rugs are often found throughout a Montessori school, and homeschool works are carefully placed on top of them. Of all the materials used at home or in the classroom, none would be complete without the Work Mat. Going beyond simply a piece of fabric, the work mat is a unique and defining aspect of Montessori learning.

What Is the Work Mat?

A work mat is typically a simple rug or piece of fabric. For table works, trays, plates, or dishes may be used in place of fabric. There are enough mats for each student in the class or homeschool room. Each student may have their own special rug, or there may be community mats used by everyone. You will find elegant hand-woven mats, simple felt mats, and everything in between. Mats should be stored in an area that is easy to access, generally rolled and placed in a basket or stacked neatly on a low shelf.

Why Children Love Having a Work Mat

The mat exists to provide the student with a defined workspace. Students also develop gross motor skills by carefully rolling and unrolling their rug and returning it to its proper storage space. In organizing their work on the mat, a student begins to learn about an ordered environment. This is especially important when doing Montessori at home without a fixed space for lessons. By using a work mat, the student has a defined top, middle, and bottom as well as left and right in their workspace. This supports works involving sorting and organizing, and reinforces the top-to-bottom, left-to-right orientation that underpins reading and writing.

Students often love the use of the mat and want to have the same kind of defined space in other areas of their lives. Think of it like placemats at the dinner table. Children love having their own space they can arrange and care for. Consider providing your children with a rug for school and a separate rug for their own use at other times. Many ShillerLearning families use the mat included in their kits well beyond regular lessons.

When and How to Use the Work Mat

A student selects a work mat or tray for every work. The student unrolls the mat in their desired workspace and places one work at a time on it. After completing a work, it is returned to the proper spot on the shelf before a new work is selected. When a student is given a lesson on a new work, they are also taught how to position the work within the mat. For many sensorial and art works, a simple cloth that can easily be wiped clean is preferable so the student can independently clean up any messes.

How Is the Work Mat Introduced?

Introduction of the work mat is one of the first lessons presented to a Montessori student. The teacher or parent places the rug out and gives a Three-Period Lesson on the mat. Students are taught that the mat is to be used by one student for one work at a time. Plenty of time is given to let the child practice rolling up the mat and returning it to its proper space when complete. Sometimes several lessons are given over a few days covering the proper use and care of the mat.

Kits That Include a Work Mat

Math Kit I
Pre-K to 3rd Grade

View Kit

Language Arts Kit A
Pre-K to 1st Grade

View Kit

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