A Day in the Life of the Toddler Community
Welcome to the toddler community! In Montessori, we call classrooms “communities” to reflect the goal of nurturing a social world where children learn to live and grow together. Our toddler community is a delightful world designed especially for little hands and curious, growing minds. When you first step into the classroom, you’ll notice child-height shelves, inviting materials displayed in a well-organized way, beautiful artwork hung at children’s eye level, and plants around the room to bring the outdoors in. Everything in the room is intentionally designed and arranged to invite our youngest children to feel right at home and ready to learn.
The toddler classroom serves children from roughly ages 18 to 36 months, depending on their ages within the school-year cycle. In this age range, children are beginning to explore their world more deeply and develop a sense of independence. Each day brings something new, whether a novel feeling or a skill the child discovers for the first time. Our toddler community welcomes children to participate in their own growth at a gentle pace and lays the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.
Here’s a peek into the flow of our days in the toddler community at Cross of Life Montessori.
Gentle and Joyful Welcome
When the toddler children walk into the classroom after being dropped off during carpool, they are welcomed with a peaceful and predictable start to their day. Children greet their teachers, place their belongings in their cubby, and enter the classroom environment at their own pace. Since children can arrive any time between 8:45-9:00 am, the community often sits together to sing songs and wait together to greet their classmates. Once everyone has arrived, the children are invited to begin their work. Some children know exactly what they want to do and dive right in, while others may need some guidance in determining which work to choose first. The beauty of Montessori is that each child engages in their own work, so every approach to starting the day is welcomed.
Morning Work Cycle: Exploring Skills and Making Choices
Shortly after arrival, the children enter into what we call the “work cycle.” This is a time when children choose their own activity, or “work”, to complete during the morning.
The work options in the toddler class include a variety of materials and activities centered around teaching children to care for themselves and their environment. Many of these are known as “practical life activities” and include care tasks such as pouring, scooping, sweeping, washing, and preparing food. Children have a natural drive to be independent, and we encourage them in this by offering tools that are child-sized so they can learn to master tasks with confidence. Other options for work in the toddler class include sensory-based activities that help the children organize their thinking and increase their concentration. Each child chooses their own work from the available options and receives a lesson on how to complete the task. While the children work, the teachers observe and support their efforts. Rather than directing all of their children’s activity, the teachers are available to step in gently when needed or requested. This is the Montessori philosophy of “follow the child”.
During the morning work cycle, you may see children:
Using a small broom to sweep up a spill
Washing a table or window with a spray bottle and a rag
Pouring water between two small pitchers
Practicing zipping and unzipping a coat
Folding towels or napkins
Arranging flowers in vases to display around the classroom
Preparing a simple snack by peeling bananas or juicing an orange
Transferring objects from one container to another using tongs
Completing puzzles of different sizes
Matching objects with picture cards
Exploring books in our library area
Painting at an easel
These seemingly simple tasks are carefully designed to teach children concentration, coordination, and independence. Each activity is complete and accessible so that the child learns to begin, work through, and complete a task. Children are also taught how to clean up after their work and to set the activity up for the next child, when possible. Our teachers observe closely and step in only when needed. It is truly incredible to see such small children joyfully working on their individual tasks!
Snack and Graceful Community Habits
After the morning work cycle, children share a communal snack. The toddlers prepare their snack, serve themselves, and sit with a small group of friends and teachers to practice mealtime conversations. Beyond feeding the children, this mealtime tradition also helps lay the foundation for kindness, patience, and mealtime manners. During snack, the teachers work with the children to model behaviors of grace and courtesy, such as waiting for your turn, saying “please” and “thank you”, using a quiet voice indoors, helping observe and care for each other's needs, and learning how to ask for help. The children use real dishes and cups to enjoy their snack, and work together to clean up after the meal.
Outdoor Adventure and Movement
We go outside every day, weather allowing. Our 13-acre wooded campus is certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a schoolyard habitat. This gives children direct access to nature, which has many benefits for their development. When outside, the children engage in many different games and activities, but most frequently, we see the toddlers running, climbing, digging, collecting natural materials, and observing the garden. Our toddler teachers help the children tend to the garden and wildlife as well, and frequently work with the children to water plants and refill bird seed. While enjoying fresh air and physical play, the children are also engaging in an outdoor environment that invites a sense of wonder and stewardship.
Songs, Stories, and Shared Attention
At some point in the morning, we gather for a short group moment known as “circle time”. This can look different day to day, but often includes a simple song or reading a picture book. The children are encouraged to sit and participate, but are never forced. Circle time offers a few moments of joyful connection for the group.
Goodbye to School and Reconnecting with Caregivers
As the day draws to a close, children gather their belongings and prepare to go home. The toddlers leave for the day at 12 pm, 1 pm after lunch, or 3 pm after a nap, depending on parent schedules, so the end of their day is staggered. But all of the children leave tired in the best way, filled with the joy of working hard and connecting with their peers. Throughout a routine day in the toddler community, your child learns to take pride in their accomplishments, care for themself and others, and take initiative in their own growth.
