Children’s House Program

“Our daughter has been going to Sunstone for three years and just graduated kindergarten. She is so supported emotionally, socially, and academically. The teachers are wonderful. We couldn’t ask for a more nurturing environment.“
Sunstone Parent

NUTS AND BOLTS
Ages 3-6 Years
September – June
Drop-off: 8:00-8:20am
School Day: 8:30am – 3:00pm
Extended care is available 7:30-8:00am and 3:00-5:30pm.
Winter, Spring, and Summer Break care are also available.

ENROLLMENT AVAILABILITY
Enrollment is full for the 2023-24 school year.
Admissions tours for the 2024-25 school year will open in October of 2023 and we encourage you to check back then to schedule your tour. If you have further enrollment questions, please email admissions@sunstonemontessori.org. We look forward to sharing Sunstone with you!

SELF-CONFIDENCE, JOY, AND A LIFELONG LOVE-FOR-LEARNING
The Children’s House is truly a gift to your child. Designed for children between the ages of 3 to 6 years, it is an opportunity to nurture their individual development within the context of a group setting. The result? Self-confidence, joy, and a lifelong love-for-learning.

IT’S A MIXED AGE CLASSROOM
Because the curriculum is individualized, your child can work at their own pace while participating in a mixed-age classroom community. Younger children learn by observing the behavior and activities of older children while older children gain self-confidence, leadership skills, and responsibility from setting an example and mentoring their younger friends.

THE GIFT OF CHOICE
Your child will be introduced to a broad range of concepts and activities in individual and small group lessons. The real learning, however, occurs through independent activity by choosing to explore it, repeat it, and perfect it.

A DEEP CONNECTION BETWEEN TEACHER AND CHILD
Our AMI certified teachers choose this career because of their love for children and dedication to Montessori. Their depth of training and knowledge is amplified by the joyful and deep relationship they develop with your child throughout their three-year journey together.

BEAUTIFUL HANDS-ON MATERIALS HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN
The Montessori materials are scientifically designed to meet your child’s developmental needs and provide the perfect challenge for sustained growth. Through continued hands-on use and exploration, your child develops a concrete understanding of abstract ideas providing a solid foundation for learning into the future.

CHILD CENTERED (NOT TEACHER CENTERED)
Unlike conventional classrooms, where all children are expected to pay close attention to the teacher, our program does the opposite – the teacher is trained to closely observe your child’s interests, tendencies, and needs. You won’t see the teacher standing at the front of the classroom at a chalkboard, but rather down at your child’s level, engaged with them individually or in a small group.

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
Instead of a top-down curriculum based upon age, each child’s unique potential is respected. The teacher is trained to connect each child with the lesson best suited to them at that precise moment of development. Your child will be guided along their own personalized learning path and challenged according to their ability, not to a generic standard.

BEAUTIFUL ENVIRONMENTS
Our teachers put tremendous care and attention to detail into the classrooms. Low shelves prepared with a wealth of materials specifically designed for your child’s development, child-sized furniture, beautiful artwork, books, and cultural items all pique your child’s interest and stimulate their senses. This environment is specifically prepared for children ages 3-6 years and they respond positively by developing a sense of classroom ownership and a drive to care for it, further deepening the bonds of the community and their quest to learn.

GROUP ACTIVITIES AND PLAY
While most of the day is spent in self-directed work, there are times for group activity and play. The teacher may gather a group for songs or stories about cultural, scientific, or historical themes of interest. Ample time is also given to run, dig, explore, and play with friends outdoors in the fresh air.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFE
The Children’s House is designed to help your child maximize their potential and become their best self. Your child learns how to solve conflicts, how to be respectful in social situations, and how to be kind and helpful to friends. They learn how to wait their turn, defer immediate gratification, problem solve, and think creatively. They learn independence, how to do for themselves, how to care for themselves, and how to think for themselves. Beyond the strong academics, your child develops the social-emotional skills and higher cognitive functions critical for lifelong success.

KINDERGARTEN INCLUDED
Your child will stay in the Children’s House classroom for 3 years, including the traditional “kindergarten year.” This is the culminating year when the seeds of learning from the past two years come to fruition. Reading and writing explode to life, numbers are manipulated in mathematical equations, the decimal system is explored, and fractions are introduced. This is the year of mentorship, responsibility, and confidence. Your child leaves the Children’s House with a strong set of academic, social, and emotional skills; but, far more importantly, with the attitude that learning is fun, exciting, and boundless. At this point, your child is ready to move up to the Elementary Program.
INSIDE THE MONTESSORI CHILDREN’S HOUSE
Schedule a Tour
Admissions tours for the 2023-24 school year are now closed. Admissions tours for the 2024-25 school year will open in October of 2023 and we encourage you to check back then to schedule your tour. If you have further enrollment questions, please email admissions@sunstonemontessori.org. We look forward to sharing Sunstone with you!