Toddlerhood is a time of astonishing growth!
In the short span of a year or so, your child experiences an explosion of language, along with dramatic advancement in fine and gross motor control, problem-solving ability, independence, and social interaction.
The Montessori Toddler Community offers opportunities to practice all these skills!
Toddler community2 to 3 years old
Coordinated movement and problem-solving
In the Montessori Toddler Community, your childwill have access to increasingly sophisticated Montessori activities, each matched to the appropriate moment in your child’s development and designed to strengthen the integration between his mind and his hand.
These activities support your toddler in learning to understand cause and effect, solve problems, make choices, and pursue goals.
Some activities feed your child’s developing mind through hand-eye coordination; others address his need to move and grow!
Your child will engage in gross motor activity, both indoors and out, from singing and dancing with his friends, to climbing and riding tricycles on our beautiful playground, to simply experiencing the joy of freedom of movement in his Montessori classroom.
Toilet independence
One of the most important ways your toddler learns to be independent is in learning to use the toilet on his own!
Our Montessori guides know how to Watch for the signs that your child is ready, and how to motivate him to learn without pressure.
We give him access to bathrooms which are just his size, and we establish comfortable rhythms and routines that make using the toilet familiar and appealing.
We take great care to keep the experience positive and relaxed.
Socializing with“grace and courtesy”
One of the most exciting things about working with oddlers is watching them begin to interact, play, and socialize with their peers.
To learn, children imitate the adults around them, establishing patterns of social behavior that will stay with them throughout their lifetimes.
Our Montessori guides help children learn positive social interaction through specific lessons in “grace and courtesy”.
Rather than constantly correcting your child’s behavior from a negative perspective, children are instead shown what to do.
Courteous interactions are modeled, capitalizing on the toddler’s delight in imitation.
Lessons in grace and courtesy help your toddler to navigate his world with confidence and consideration for others.
Language development
Between the ages of one and three your toddler will go from speaking two-word phrases, all the way to full sentences, using correct grammar!
Toddlers can experience extreme frustration when their language skills cannot keep up with their desire to express their preferences and choices.
To avoid this frustration and sometimes associated temper tantrums, hitting, biting, or other negative behaviors, we facilitate early language development, deliberately and methodically exposing your toddler to the specific language that he/she will need on a daily basis.
Systematic vocabulary building includes the use of sets of attractive miniature objects and beautiful pictures to attract your child’s interest in learning the names of things.
Your child will also be exposed to real, rich, precise, and varied spoken language.
We get down to your child’s level, look in the eyes, and speak to children clearly, so that they can watch the movements made by our mouths as we speak.
Your child will enjoy carefully-chosen songs, and read-aloud books with poetry, real stories and beautiful illustrations.
They will experience reduced frustration as they learn to express their ideas and feelings in words.
Meanwhile, this thoughtful approach to language will prepare your little ones for writing and reading in the Children’s House.
Independence and “practical life”
Toddlers love to do real-world, adult tasks on their own, so the Montessori Toddler Community offers your toddler real tools and opportunities.
Tables, chairs, toilets, and sinks are just the right size and easily accessible to your child.
Materials and utensils are sized to your child’s hand and ability, and art and mirrors are hung at child height.
In this right-sized environment, Montessori “practical life” exercises teach your child to perform real-world, purposeful tasks.
He/she will become an important contributor to the community, and practice tasks over and over to achieve mastery, building confidence and self-esteem.
Children are ready for the toddler community when they are alert and active throughout the morning, and can walk steadily while holding learning material in both hands.