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The '''Children's House''' (''Casa dei Bambini'' in Italian, often also referred to as ''Kinderhaus'' in German) is a term used in Montessori education to refer to a prepared environment for children aged three to six years.<ref>Montessori, M. (1912). The Montessori Method. Frederick A. Stokes Company.</ref> This space is meticulously designed to meet all of a child's developmental needs in a safe and secure environment. The term ''Kinderhaus'' emerged during Montessori's collaborative work with Clara Grunewald in Germany before the rise of Adolf Hitler. The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) was actually first registered in Berlin, which might explain the use of the German spelling.<ref>Kramer, R. (1976). Maria Montessori: A Biography. Diversion Books.</ref>

== Montessori Quotes ==

*"The first idea that the child must acquire, in order to be actively disciplined, is that of the difference between good and evil; and the task of the educator lies in seeing that the child does not confound good with immobility, and evil with activity, as often happens in the case of the old-time discipline... And all this should be achieved in the way we have already indicated, by operating on the environment, not on the child."<ref>Montessori, M. (1912). The Montessori Method. Frederick A. Stokes Company.</ref>

*"The child, in fact, once he feels sure of himself, will no longer seek the approval of authority after every step."<ref>Montessori, M. (1912). The Montessori Method. Frederick A. Stokes Company.</ref>

== Research and Critiques ==

*'''Pros''': The Children's House in the Montessori method allows children to explore, learn at their own pace, and develop social skills in a carefully prepared environment. Research supports the benefits of this approach, with students showing high levels of independence and self-regulation.<ref>Lillard, A. (2017). Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. Oxford University Press.</ref>

*'''Cons''': Critics argue that the Montessori approach may not cater to all children, particularly those who thrive in more structured or group-based learning environments.<ref>Egan, K. (2002). Getting it wrong from the beginning: Our progressivist inheritance from Herbert Spencer, John Dewey, and Jean Piaget. Yale University Press.</ref>

== Comparisons to Other Methods ==

Unlike traditional preschools, which often focus on teacher-led activities and group play, the Children's House focuses on individual exploration and hands-on learning.<ref>Mooney, C. (2013). Theories of Childhood, Second Edition: An Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget & Vygotsky. Redleaf Press.</ref>

== See Also ==

*[[Montessori Method]]
*[[Prepared Environment (Montessori)]]
*[[Practical Life (Montessori)]]

{{Glossary of Montessori Terms}}

== References ==

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