The Montessori cycle of activity and learning in mathematics: Part 2 Study rugs.

This article focuses on the use of specially designed "study rugs" and "study boxes" as tools to foster independent, playful mathematical exploration among young children in a nursery setting. Inspired by the Montessori cycle of activity, these rugs serve as open or suggestive canvases that encourage children to engage with mathematical concepts such as number, shape, and spatial relationships through hands-on play and drawing. The author observes that this approach promotes peer learning, creativity, and deeper understanding, as children build on each other's discoveries and express mathematical ideas in their own ways. The study rugs and boxes create conditions for active learning by balancing teacher guidance with child-led inquiry, highlighting the importance of providing space for children to author their own mathematical experiences.