Home-Based Infant Toddler
Montessori Program
Introduction to Our Montessori Program
Little Cottage Montessori specializes in a child’s first 3 years of life (0-3). During this period, the child develops his personality, social skills and values. Our home-based environment is specifically designed for little ones with the freedom to move and practice.
The child at this age is going through the first plane of development. They have an extraordinary ability to absorb knowledge from their surroundings. Dr Maria Montessori called this “the absorbent mind,” and it is at its peak during these first years.
For children to be calm and happy, they need to explore and discover. Their senses are in full effect and they are curious about everything. They learn by touching and manipulating objects, they want to touch every object. They are keenly attuned to everything that stimulates their senses – shapes, sounds, smells, texture and taste. They are fascinated by the order of things and need to know where things belong and how all the pieces fit together. They want to master the movement of their own bodies by learning to balance, run, skip and jump. In addition, the customs and traditions of people in their lives fascinate them.
Our Montessori program and space are designed to make them explore and for them to master, at their own pace, all these wonderful sensorial adventures.
Montessori Classroom and Curriculum
The Montessori classroom allows children to move, touch, manipulate and explore. It gives them the freedom to choose their work without unnecessary interference from an adult. In this environment, children learn to work independently, based on their own initiative, which builds concentration and self-discipline.
How our Curriculum Meets the Above Needs
A prepared environment that allows and encourages freedom of movement and facilitates independent learning and exploration.
An abundance of Montessori educational material in all subject areas.
Individual lessons.
Multi-aged group environment, where children learn from each other.
Grace and courtesy, responsibility and respect are integral parts of each day.
Practical life lessons – care of self, care of environment, development of social relations and movement.
Sensorial exploration lessons allowing each child to clarify, classify, and comprehend their work.
Mathematics and Language lessons – developing the capacity to reason, calculate, estimate, classify enrich vocabulary and see the relationships between letters and words.
Integrated Art, Music and Drama – Viewed as forms of self-expression, explored sensorially and culturally.
Enriched outdoor environment, including gardening.
