"I love that MCS is situated on 10 acres of forested land in the country. My son comes home almost daily with mud on him or sticks in his hair, what better learning than that of nature and play, the old fashioned way. They have gym outside and make forts at recess. The academics are a given but this type of education, especially today, is priceless!"
- Cathy Russell, RHN, CAHN.PRO
Montessori Toddler Program
The Montessori Jr. Toddler Program - Ages 12 to 24 months
Children between 12 and 24 months are introduced to our school through the Jr. Toddler program. A 1:4 ratio is maintained, with the Head Teacher having Montessori Toddler qualifications. Our teachers and assistants are patient, kind and caring individuals who will help your child develop a routine, guide social interaction, provide stimulating activities and care for all your child’s needs. Gross motor and fine motor activities are part of the daily routine. Age appropriate materials are provided to enhance the toddler’s language, cognitive and motor skill development. Curriculum areas of Practical Life, Sensorial, Language Development and Gross Motor Development are described below.
The Montessori Sr. Toddler Program - Ages 24 months to 3 years
At around 24 months, your child is ready to be introduced to the Montessori Toddler program. This program has 4 main curriculum areas and includes toilet training. The class ratio is 1:5 and the Head Teachers have Montessori Toddler qualifications. The goals of the Toddler program are as follows:
- Care of self (increased independence, including toilet training)
- Care of the environment (putting materials where they belong, so everyone can always find them)
- Development of hand-eye coordination
- Development of vocabulary, language skills
- Development of gross motor skills
- Development of grace and courtesy
- Development of independent work habits, including making independent work choices
- Gradual separation from the primary caregiver
Practical Life exercises will help develop independence, increase concentration and help develop fine motor skills. The materials are attractive to the child and respond to their desire to master everyday skills such as opening and closing containers, manipulating locks & keys or nuts & bolts, buttoning and zippering, pouring, scooping, etc.
Sensorial materials isolate specific sensory concepts, such as size, colour, shape, sound, texture, etc. Children learn the language associated with these concepts and learn how to make sense of their environment.
Language exercises at this level are mostly designed to enhance vocabulary. As a child is seen to be ready, they would also begin work to prepare the hand for writing (early metal insets) and learn the phonetic sounds of the alphabet letters.
Gross Motor development is a daily component of the Toddler program. They will visit the Gross Motor room every day to play on specially designed equipment that helps develop coordination and muscle strength.
In addition to the Toddler curriculum, Toddler children will receive French instruction once a week, as well as weekly visits to the gym. Outdoor Education and School Visits also enrich their experience.
Kindermusik Program for Toddlers
We offer an optional Kindermusik program to our Toddler children called ABC Music and Me. Parents may sign their child up for this program which is delivered during school hours (morning). There is a $30 monthly fee for this program which covers the cost of the Home Kit, so parents can continue the program at home. Commitment to the program is by school term. Detailed information is available in the Summer Package we send to parents in August, as well as in the office at any time.
