TODDLER CLASSES

Ready to have a little helper at home? The Practical Life area is essential for a strong Montessori foundation. In this area a child is learning fine and gross motor skill development. They gain control of movement, concentration span, self-confidence, and a love of learning. The activities in Practical Life are made up of familiar objects that a child would naturally see in everyday life.

The activities are designed and chosen so that the children feel comfortable and will be able to master the activity. Manners are a must! Friends are introduced to the idea of grace and courtesy as they learn to take turns and treat others with respect. They are given the space to moderate their own behavior when possible. This is another area where a mixed-age setting shines, as older students can encourage their younger peers to display grace and courtesy.

The Language area of the Montessori classroom encourages development of early-literacy skills through the use of phonetic sounds. In the Language area children are exposed to various types of phonetic awareness activities to build a strong literary foundation. Activities are designed to improve a child’s vocabulary, listening skills for common sounds, and differentiating between objects and pictures. Language activities include learning the shapes and sounds of letters, Pre-writing and pre-reading activities for the younger children, tracing and coloring, all leading up to children who can confidently read and write.

The Math area of the Montessori classroom utilizes concrete materials for recognizing numbers and one-to-one corresponding counting. Through these activities, children learn exactly how much a symbolic number stands for (i.e. the number 5 means counting the correct number of objects to make the number 5). Children as young as 2 are able to grasp simple addition and subtraction in this fun, interactive environment. As they progress, math activities are divided into six categories that include: counting and the decimal system, memory work, concrete abstraction, arithmetic tables and geometry. Children are introduced to more complex mathematical procedures and concepts as they are individually ready. 

Colors, textures, shapes, and sizes. The sensorial area of the classroom helps children become more aware of detail and patterns. Sensorial are designed to develop fine motor skills and build the child’s concentration. Each sensorial activity focuses on one important quality such as color, weight, shape, size, texture, sound or smell. Trial and error "experiments" give learners the chance to make sense of their work independently. The sensorial area encourages a wider awakening of their senses as they discover the world around them.

We encourage our students to  be global citizens and good stewards of the earth. Through in-depth lessons about each continent to celebrations from around the world, we value our incredibly diverse student population. Just amongst our families and staff, there are over 20 languages spoken at Children's House! We celebrate our individual customs and cultures with interactive lessons, yummy treats, and parent participation in the classroom.