The goal of our Montessori Pre-Primary Toddler Program is to provide children, one to 2 years of age,
with experiences which will enhance their confidence, independence, and skill level, so that they are
essentially comfortable, when entering the larger and more complex primary program.
The Montessori curriculum for toddlers consists of a variety of Preliminary exercises, Practical Life lessons,
and Sensorial and Language activities. Other areas of the Montessori curriculum such as Mathematics and Cultural
Extensions are introduced, however in-depth study occurs among the older age groups, starting at the Primary level:
Preliminary Exercises
Preliminary Exercises are the first step toward developing self-reliance. These are “how to: exercises… how to carefully sit down at a table or chair and get up, how to open and close a door, how to roll a rug, how to turn a faucet on and off and so on. These skills, once mastered, become parts of activities found in Practical Life lessons and in other areas of the Montessori curriculum.
Practical Life
Practical Life for Toddlers is designed to instill independence, self-confidence, self-esteem and most importantly self-control. All of these are characteristics that play a critical role in subsequent intellectual growth. These concepts are developed through a number of activities such as pouring, sweeping, cleaning the table, setting the table and spooning, to name a few.
Sensorial
Sensorial activities develop sensory skills. They are designed to isolate and categorize qualities of the environment perceived through the senses. A multi-sensory approach is used in the Montessori curriculum to optimize the use of the senses for learning.
Language
Language is presented to Toddlers through a myriad of activities and revolves around building vocabulary skills, auditory skills, identification of items and sorting and matching of objects in the environment. Language lessons are a continuous part of a Toddler’s daily schedule.
