Autonomous in my space

To avoid being constantly out of breath and stressed, you shouldn't be afraid to delegate a little and empower your children. We offer you a host of small ideas that will allow your little ones to gain more autonomy and independence.

A home for children!

It is important that the house is adapted for every family member who lives there. We are not talking about putting a gate at the top of the stairs or "child locks" on certain cabinet doors! Rather, things need to be put in place so that children are autonomous in their space and can appropriate it themselves. In this sense, at Les Belles Combines, we really like the ideas of Montessori pedagogy which proposes to trust the child and let them learn to do things by themselves. This way, they develop their autonomy and it allows parents to more easily entrust them with certain tasks.

The playroom, their kingdom

The playroom is where children generally spend a lot of time. It is therefore important to understand that this is their place, their kingdom! Thus, it can be annoying for them to have to ask for help every time they want a toy because it is not within their reach or it is stored in a place that is not accessible to them. This situation makes them dependent on the adult, which is obviously the opposite of the intended goal. It is therefore preferable, especially in the playroom, to keep toys at children's height. And, to further encourage their autonomy, opt for different small storage bins rather than one large bin containing all their toys. This way, they will be better organized and it will be easier for children to find what they are looking for. Also take the time to clearly label each bin (discover our storage labels designed for this purpose!), which will allow everyone to easily identify the contents of the bin and put things away without difficulty!

Furthermore, if you have many diversified toys, do not hesitate to rotate the different bins. Thus, when children play less with a certain type of toy, put them away for a while and bring them out later. It will be as if they are rediscovering the toy and interest should return very quickly! If not, it may be a sign that it is time to part with that particular type of toy. Finally, it is of course important to remember that, depending on the age of the children, some games can be dangerous (with small pieces, for example) and it is therefore sometimes preferable to keep certain toys out of reach of young children.

The kitchen, a space worth sharing

To allow children to be more present in the kitchen, we suggest you acquire a step stool or a learning tower, a versatile piece of equipment that ensures the safety of the young child who climbs on it. The step stool, for example, allows the child to be at the right height to fill their glass of water themselves at the sink, to accompany their parents in preparing meals, to get things themselves from the cupboards or pantry, which makes them truly more autonomous. Don't hesitate to also store cutlery in drawers or lower cabinets, so that children have easy access to them and can set the table themselves or serve themselves breakfast autonomously.

So, are you ready to take action to further develop your little ones' autonomy?

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