Your toddler has a natural drive to be independent which we encourage by creating an environment where everything is just the right size for them to do for themselves. Child-sized tools that fit their tiny hands allow them to prepare a snack and serve it to friends. A miniature broom empowers them to clean up on their own. They are taught the skills of self-care and toilet training. Your child learns a set of concrete life skills and self-confidence – but, more importantly, develops the belief that they can choose to make a genuine impact on her world.
Not a classroom, a community!
Our students grow together into a close-knit, caring community. When children work, learn and grow together, they learn much more than any of them could learn alone.
A Beautiful Environment
Our bright and sunny toddler classrooms are specially designed for children between the ages of 16 and 36 months. It is a world scaled down to your child’s size. Here, your child paints, cooks, waters the garden, sings songs with friends and plays with materials that develop fine and gross motor coordination.
Practice Makes Permanent
Often, children who don’t do things for themselves simply don’t know how or haven’t been given the chance. We take a different approach – by observing your child closely, providing just the right lesson when they are ready, and then allowing them to practice again and again (and again!) until they master it. Mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities in an atmosphere of patience, trust, and respect.
Absorbing Language
We surround your child with rich and stimulating conversation to support their once-in-a-lifetime period of rapid language development. Your child’s mind effortlessly absorbs the new vocabulary, which plants the seeds for reading, writing, and self-expression in the future.
First Friends
Making first friends and learning how to function within a community is a life-shaping experience for your child. Your child emerges with strong friendships that will continue as she moves through the rest of the programs in Montessori.
An Environment Conducive to Learning
Where so many early childhood programs are chaotic and overwhelming, parents are often surprised to see the peaceful tone of our toddler classroom. The calm atmosphere and lack of distraction help toddlers to develop impulse control and concentration, planting the seeds for learning in this classroom and beyond.
A Joyful Experience
Maria Montessori once said, “One test of the correctness of the educational procedure is the happiness of the child.” Take a peek into our Toddler classroom and you will see children who are happy, engaged, and deeply connected to their friends and teachers. As a result, your child develops a deep affinity for school and a true love-for-learning.
Exploration
To be a toddler is to be curious. There are so many things to see, touch, hear, feel and do in the classroom! Beautiful materials that stimulate their senses are rotated frequently on low shelves to pique their curiosity. They are encouraged to move freely around the classroom, to choose activities, and to explore their own interests.
Ready to Move Up
Sometime between the ages of 2 1/2 to 3 years of age, your child’s language skills and self-expression will develop rapidly; they will express growing confidence and independence and display a keen interest in broader concepts; they will want to know what lies ahead, outside of the Toddler Classroom. At this point, they are ready to move up to the Children’s House classroom, for children ages 3 to 6 years.