Young Children

Sunnyside Campus (18 months – 2-1/2 years)

Our Montessori education begins at a very early level. The small, nurturing setting is perfect to establish the foundation for unlocking children’s minds to the world around them. These little ones normally move about, calmly and purposefully caring for their environment.

The entire internationally acclaimed program is designed to address their gregarious nature and meet their needs for exploration, order, exactness, communication, movement, concentration, repetition, productive work, perfection / control of error, imitation, independence, and self-control.

The Morning Work Cycle

The children each morning are greeted by one of their teachers. The classroom is divided into the Montessorian areas — Practical Life (with art), Sensorial, Language, Math and Culture. Some children move about and choose lessons they have been shown previously; other eager students are introduced to new lessons.

Teachers create an individual learning plan for each student to prepare him or her for the larger, more challenging classroom of those aged 2-1/2 – 6 years of age. Morning snack time is woven into the work cycle.

Circle Time

The music box plays to call the children to circle time, the time when children sing, participate in movement activities, and hear short lessons on such topics as the rainforest, baby animals, the seasons, weather, the human body, and nutrition.

The Outdoor Environment

After circle time, the children don their coats for a favorite experience in their “outdoor environment.” The children exercise on their swings, their climbing structures, and their wheeled vehicles; they interact with their sand and water tables and help maintain their gardens. Lunch time, nap time and dismissal follow.

Note that children in this class do not have to be potty-trained. Teachers work with parents to train their child during the year. As the child reaches 2-1/2 and is fully potty-trained, the transition to the Children’s House begins.