Toddler Program
(18 months - 2 1/2 years)
Our toddler class size is small and
inviting to make it feel like home for the youngest child. It is a period of
self-development, learning self-help skills, and preparation to the Primary
Program. It is designed to assist the child toward independence, social
awareness, respect and the development of motor skills and language. Potty
Training is offered as well. 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. These
exercises as well as creative art activities are offered for each child to
choose. 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. A child who started in the Toddler class
may move up to the Primary class by age 2 1/2. Signs of readiness are developed
vocabulary, ability to sit and finish a task, need for more challenging work,
and has developed trust in caregivers. Montessori never hindered a child just
because he or she is young. Practical
Life - Coordination of movement and Exercises for Large Muscle Groups:
jumping, climbing, dance, running, walking, carrying exercises etc.
- Hand-eye coordination and Exercises for Small Muscle Groups: bead
stringing, pegs, puzzles, gluing, folding, pouring, transferring,
spooning, grasping.
- Care of Self: dressing frames, hand washing, combing hair, wiping
face. Care of Environment and Grace and Courtesy: sweeping, wiping table,
setting table.
- Grace and Courtesy: table manners, saying "thank
you", "please", and other kind words.
Sensorial- Color of the Month: emphasis on a color. Art activities,
sorting, matching exercises are based on a chosen color for the month.
- Weight, textures, sounds, dimensions, and taste
Language- Building Vocabulary- Classified vocabulary
- Calendar- Days of the Week and Months of the Year
- Story Books: There is a book selection of the month. Most of
the books we review are Caldecott Award winning books.
Selected
books for the school year 2009-2010
|
Color of
the Month
|
|
September:
|
School
Bus by Donald
Crews
|
Yellow
|
|
October:
|
Where
the Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak
|
Black and Orange
|
|
November:
|
Brown
Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See? by Eric Carle
|
Brown
|
|
December:
|
Freight
Trains by Donald
Crews
|
Red
|
|
January:
|
Snow by Uri Shulevitz
|
White
|
|
February:
|
Little
Pink Pig by Pat
Hutchins
|
Pink
|
|
March:
|
Little
Blue and Little Yellow
by Lois Elhert
|
Green
|
|
April:
|
Raindrop
Splash by Alvin
Tresselt
|
Blue
|
|
May:
|
Waiting
for Wings by Lois
Elhert
|
Purple
|
|
June:
|
A Color
of His Own by Leo
Lionni
|
All Colors
|
Math- Number of the Month: associating quantity to symbol
Cultural- Artist of the Month - Brief introduction to the
Masters. Children are exposed to the different masterpieces.
- Composer of the Month- Children listen to the music by selected
composer.
- Geography - Brief introduction to the continents through song,
pictures, games and art work.
Enrichment- Spanish and Sign Language
|
|
|
