Toddler Program
The Toddler Program
The first few years of a child’s life are crucial to their personality and intellectual development. Toddlers need love and emotional nurturance in a healthy, caring environment.
The Toddler Cottage at West End Montessori School is to encourage and assist the unique development of each child. The prepared environment helps each child foster his basic needs for independence, exploration and the building of trust. The class size is small and inviting to make it feel like home for the youngest child. The toddler classroom is filled with materials and activities that aid in the development of language, movement and sensorial exploration.
Toddler curriculum
Language Development
Young children develop language at a tremendous rate. They are absorbing all the sounds, words and expression around them. Our toddler language curriculum includes enriched exposure to:
- Vocabulary
- Songs and Rhymes
- Books
- Social Communication
- Gracious and Courteous Communication
Toddlers absorb language from the time they are born and during the second year they begin to speak and demand to know the vocabulary for everything in their environment. It is important during this period to give proper vocabulary to everything the child may come in to contact with. In the toddler classroom we are constantly providing vocabulary for each item or concept the children experience. Stories and songs also increase this skill in the toddlers. Grace and Courtesy is also an important part of the toddler curriculum. The children learn table manners, saying “thank you”, “please” and other kind words.
MOTOR DEVELOPMENT
- Gross Motor Development
- Fine Motor Development
- Physical Coordination
- Eye Hand Coordination
Through song, dance and freedom of choice, the toddlers have access to a variety of large muscle activities that offer them opportunities to jump, climb, balance, crawl, and skip. Fine motor skills are increased through work with small manipulatives in the classroom. This freedom in a safe place is crucial to the toddler program. However, it is tempered by two important limits that will be beneficial for a lifetime-respect for others and respect for the environment.
SENSORY DEVELOPMENT
Children under the age of three take in all information through their senses. They are particularly aware of the objects they see, sounds that they hear, and how things feel, smell and taste. Therefore, the toddler classroom environment is rich with sensorial experiences.
INDEPENDENCE AND CARE OF SELF
Toddlers thrive on independence. We want to foster a sense of self-confidence and independence by “helping them help themselves”.
- Self Dressing
- Toilet Training
- Personal Hygiene
They will also gain the skills needed to care for themselves such as dressing and undressing, wiping noses, washing hands etc. Developing independence within a Montessori toddler classroom is a main focus. Children are allowed and encouraged to do most daily tasks for themselves, especially “care of self”, such as dressing/undressing, putting on and taking off shoes and coats, cleaning up their own work, eating and toileting. It is amazing to see what they can do for themselves when given the opportunity!
CARE FOR ENVIRONMENT
The children will care for their environment by learning many practical life skills such as sweeping, rolling a mat, watering a plant and wiping a table.
- Caring for the Classroom
- Caring for the Living Things in the Classroom (plants and animals)
- Caring for the Outdoors
Toddler daily schedule
We understand that young children gain a sense of security and confidence from routine.
Therefore, our daily schedule is set to optimize the child’s need for predictability. Within our schedule, there is enough time and space to “follow the child” as their personal schedule dictates. Our Toddler staff is trained to meet the needs of the individual while understanding the importance of routine.
7:30 – 8:45
Early Arrival
8:45 – 9:15
The children arrive, say goodbye to their parents at the door, and greet their teachers and friends.
9:15 – 11:15
Child-directed work cycle designed to help the child become familiar with surroundings and a
deeper awareness of self. Children are free to choose activities from the prepared
Environment in both the indoor and outdoor classrooms.
During this period the child is introduced to everyday activities that promote self-esteem,
independence while helping to establish community. Lessons are presented to individuals or
small groups. The work period includes social skills, toileting, language development,
snack prep, care of self, care for the environment and clean up.
The children can choose to have a snack at any time during the work cycle.
11:15 – 11:20
TRANSITION TIME
Children are invited to clean-up work, sit down around the group rug, and prepare
for outside time with a quick song or two before getting on coats, rain boots, etc. and
meeting at the door to go outside.Group time activities include a variety of movement,
music/song, story time and lessons.
11:20 – 11:40
During outside time, children have the opportunity to stretch, flex, and exercise with various
types of age-appropriate play equipment that we have to offer as well as take nature walks
and care for the outside environment.
11:40 – 11:45
TRANSITION TIME
Children come inside, remove coats and in preparation for lunch time or dismissal.
11:45
Dismissal and the beginning of Extended Day
TODDLER EXTENDED DAY SCHEDULE
11:40
Wash hands for lunch
11:45
Lunch
12:15
Children get settled on their mats for rest/nap time
2:20
Wake up time
2:45
Group time. Half Extended Day dismissal.
3:00
Snack time
3:30
Outdoor time
4:30
Group and work time
5:20
Children clean up, gather their belongings and prepare for dismissal