About Our Program
Environment
Encouraging independent exploration and movement.
Development
Learning by observing and absorbing the environment.
Motive
Satisfying inner impulse for learning.
Material
Child-size furniture and Montessori material.
Toddler’s vocabularies are rapidly expanding; they can learn new words quickly and easily, acquiring as much as 50 words a month. The language area of the classroom fosters this language explosion by providing them with pictures and materials to label and start conversations. Early literacy skills are fostered as children are exposed to a print rich environment, observing the purpose of print and the pleasure it offers.
Sensorial
Toddlers learn about their world by exploring with their senses. Maria Montessori observed that children use the information from their environment to provide a frame work for organizing and categorizing information. The sensorial materials allow the children to explore and refine with their senses, while classifying and grading materials allows them to internalize a sense of order.
Auditory Sense
- Musical instruments
- Shakers
- Sound cylinders
Olfactory Sense
- Scent Jars
- Matching by Scent
Care of Self
- Hand washing
- Food preparation
- Toileting
- Independence in dressing
- Dressing Frames
Visual Sense
- Matching by texture
- Rough and smooth board
- Contrasting hard and soft surfaces found in the classroom
Tactile Sense
- Matching
- Sorting
- Grading
- Posting
- Puzzles
Practical Life
The practical life materials in the Montessori Toddler environment allow the children numerous opportunities to develop self help skills that in turn foster self efficacy and the refinement of motor skills.
Care of Self
- Hand washing
- Food preparation
- Toileting
- Independence in dressing
- Dressing Frames
Care of the Environment
- Sweeping
- Mopping
- Window washing
- Table washing
- Watering plants
- Feeding pets
- Flower arranging
Grace and Courtesy
- Table manners
- Saying please, thank you and excuse me
- Waiting for turn
Fine Motor Development
- Hammering activity
- Beading
- Sewing
- Nut and bolt activity
- Transfer
- Opening and closing containers
- Burlap unraveling
- Clothes pin activity
Gross Motor Development
- Climbing structure
- Maximum effort jars
- Full body transfers
- Walking on the line
- Carrying materials
- Mat activities
- Chair activities
Art
The art area of the Montessori toddler environment allows for further exploration with the senses as children experiment with different art media, refine their gross and fine motor skills and express themselves creatively.
A Day in the Life
