The toddler environment is set up to encourage children ages 15 months to 3 years old to develop the skills they need to succeed in everyday life. The different areas include: care of self, care of environment, language, gross and fine motor skills, and art exploration. We set children up for success, so we put a great deal of thought into how we set up the environment and what materials we use. Our Montessori-trained guides carefully design the environment to be beautiful, uncluttered, and organized so children are attracted to and excited to work with the materials offered to them again and again.

Cub

The Cub classroom, prepared by Ms. Teresa, Ms. Divya, Ms. Carla Daihan, and Ms. Yakeline. The toddler program offers before- and after-school care in the classroom.

Toddler Curriculum

Care of Self

This area includes learning to meet basic needs and taking care of needs most adults handle, but toddlers can accomplish. Toilet learning is a main focus in the toddler environment; most children begin wearing underwear shortly after beginning the program. We diaper children standing to prepare for toilet learning, and all children have the opportunity to sit on the toilet regularly and participate in the dressing process.

Of course, eating is another area we focus on in the toddler community. We have a snack that the children sometimes prepare in the morning and in the afternoon. We eat as a group at lunchtime using real utensils, plates, and glasses. The adults eat along with the children to model behavior, and the children follow along, cleaning up after themselves when they are finished. We also have lessons in wiping one’s nose, hair care, and washing hands.

Care of the Environment

One of the first things you will notice when entering the environment is that it is totally and completely arranged for the size of small children. Because of this, children feel more comfortable and responsible for caring for the things in their environment. We have materials for dishwashing, table washing, plant care, sweeping, and wood polishing.

Children at this age love to imitate what the adults around them are doing and we give them the opportunity to do this using materials sized for them and without interrupting or “redoing” what they have accomplished. The children are given lessons on the materials so they can see what each lesson entails, then given the opportunity to work with the materials as long as they want, repeating the steps as many times as they need to feel accomplished.

Language

In an environment where all the children are learning to use language, it makes sense that everything in the environment is language material. We are careful with the words we use, avoid using too many, speak clearly, and get down to the children’s level to speak with them. We also have an area in our room dedicated to language learning. We have many books on a beautiful bookshelf, objects to name and match, and language cards to explore.

We follow the children’s interests, so we cover a variety of subjects each day. Children may explore these materials on their own, with the guide, or sometimes in small groups. Materials in this area change regularly, but we leave them out long enough for the children to enjoy them to the fullest. We also have a daily group time where books are read aloud and songs are sung. We have a diverse community, and languages other than English are heard daily. Each Thursday morning, a Spanish specialist comes to the classroom for a 30-minute class.

Gross Motor and Fine Motor Skills

Again, since toddlers are learning to refine these types of movement, these skills show up everywhere in the environment. Eating, dressing, folding laundry, and many other self-care and environmental care duties also fit in this category. Some specific materials we use to refine these skills are: puzzles, stringing beads, turning and twisting knobs, using instruments, and using the Montessori dressing frames. Many of these skills are also used outside, for example: climbing, sliding, gardening, kicking and throwing balls, and using scooters and bikes.

Art Exploration

Art in the Montessori classroom focuses on the experience of the process, not the product. This means different types of art exploration are available in the classroom at all times, and children may choose to use them when they look inviting. Easel painting, watercolor, gluing, coloring, and using scissors are a few of the options they have in this area. Sometimes we have a special project for a holiday or gift we are making, or we may just have a fun day sitting as a group and doing a giant finger painting. Some materials in this area require a lesson from the trained guide, and some can be explored on their own. When a lesson is given, it simply shows how a material is used, not what the “art” should look like when finished.

Other Materials

Other subjects are covered in our curriculum but do not have a specific area. Subjects such as math, geography, culture, science, grace and courtesy, music and movement can be found in many of the other areas in the room. Science might be covered when we see a frog in our planters on the playground, and math might be investigated when we take a walk around the campus and count how many steps it takes to get to the fence. Grace and courtesy is using “please” and “thank you” and learning to wait for a turn. We often have a “dance party” when we use scarves and ribbons to move around the room to music from around the world. With toddlers, the possibilities are endless, and we use that to our advantage every day.