The Absorbent Mind

The Absorbent mind is the sponge-like capacity of a child’s mind, absorbing from their environment, as well as the language in which they are surrounded. The absorbent mind period is where learning is effortless, and the child starts forming their personality around this. This period is from birth to six years old, the time in which your child is in preschool. In preschool the prepared environment is set out for the child for him to absorb all the richness around him and learn from it.
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​The unconscious absorbent mind is from birth to three years of age where the child is absorbing everything and anything around him unconsciously. Some of the activities in which they are learning in this period is to sit, crawl, use their hands, speak etc. the children mimic what they see, hence the adult being the biggest role model during this phase. Role modelling every act, for the child to see what the appropriate behaviour is.

The conscious absorbent mind is from three to six years of age, here the children are still sponge-like, however they are seeking experiences. Children in this phase have a desire to make choices on their own as well as completing tasks independently. Giving the child a task to complete successfully, in order to do so, making sure the child will be successful within this task. Packing their school bag in the morning, however making sure they have enough time in order to do so.

These phases of the absorbent mind are in all children in the preschool phase, the prepared environment as well as the spiritual preparation of the teachers plays a big role in each child becoming the best they can be.

“The child has a mind able to absorb knowledge. He has the power to teach himself” - Maria Montessori

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