A Day in the Toddler Community

The toddlers start the day by coming in and changing from their outdoor shoes to indoor shoes. This gives them a way to settle in for the morning and also a great chance to practice self-care skills!

Once they have gotten settled, the children are able to work with the different materials on the shelves. 

It is amazing how much concentration even our youngest children can display!

This boy is using small cookie cutters to make a delicious snack!

M.A. is making dots and then cleaning the table.

Here, the children are enjoying some language work together.

Reading together is a nice way to spend a quiet moment.

With pre-measured ingredients, the toddlers enjoy baking and eating real corn bread as part of snack.

The following pictures show the children working in the practical life area. This is the cornerstone of all Montessori work. It helps develop concentration, fine motor skills, independence, self confidence, and logical thinking that will aid the child in later academic work. Below, you can see the children working on cutting, washing dishes, washing cloths, making beautiful flower arrangements, and pouring. All these activities allow the child to be an active part of their community.

The children eat snack together, family style. Before snack, the table is set with placemats, plates, and cups. The families take turns bringing in healthy snacks to share. When children are finished eating, they wash and clear their place. 

 After snack time, we have a short group gathering which includes music, movement, French, and story time. On this day we enjoyed listening to music and discovering different ways to create rhythms with the rhythm sticks. Music is an important part of our community. Together, we explore different songs, sounds, rhythms, movements, and more!

If it is a rainy day, we explore our indoor environment with a walk to the 'big church.' 

Our morning concludes with some time in our beautiful outdoor environment. Our garden is a certified Schoolyard Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation and the children enjoy spending time in nature and learning about the amazing world around us!