The material outfit prepared and sold by the American exploiters of the Montessori method is admirably adapted to the development of the budding faculties of the child, and the mother who is trying to do all in her power to prepare her little one to benefit to the greatest possible extent from the professional instruction that must come later, will make no mistake in supplying herself with the set of materials, and making herself intelligent on their use by the child.

VI

DEVELOPING THE LUNGS

The tendency of the deaf child is to grow up with less development of lungs and of the imagination than hearing children.  In order to overcome this tendency the child must be encouraged and taught to play games and use toys that will exercise the lungs and develop the power of imaginative thought.

In order to expand and strengthen the lungs through the child’s play, supply him with the brightly colored paper wind-mills that he can set whirling by blowing lustily; also the rubber balloon toys, even though the torturing squeak of the toys is only heard by those in the vicinity and not by himself.  An especially good exercise for the gentle and long-continued control of breath results from the toy blow pipes with conical wire bowls by means of which light, celluloid balls of bright colors are kept suspended in the air, dancing on the column of breath blown softly through the tube.  The more steadily the child blows, the more mysteriously the ball remains at a fixed point, whirling rapidly but without any apparent support.

Blowing soap bubbles, especially trying to blow big ones, is very useful as well as interesting.

For physical development in which the lungs come in for their share and the sense of mechanical rhythm is fostered, an excellent exercise is marching in step to the stroke of the drum, proud in Boy Scout uniform.  Dancing is a very desirable accomplishment for the deaf child.

Tops and tenpins cultivate dexterity, as do playing ball and rolling hoop.

VII

THE CULTIVATION OF CREATIVE IMAGINATION

This can be greatly helped by early use on the part of the child of colored modeling wax to reproduce objects and animals, and to construct models of imaginary houses, yards, trees, etc.  A sand pile, or a large, shallow sand box, perhaps five feet square, with sides six inches high, and completely lined with enamel cloth to make it watertight, is a wonderful implement for constructive play on the part of the child.  Whole villages of farms, fields, and forests, ponds and brooks, roads and railroads, can be made here in miniature.

Building blocks of wood or stone; the metal construction toy called “Mechano”; dolls, doll houses, furniture, and equipment, are valuable, but they should be simple, inexpensive and not fragile.