Our Programs

Infants and Toddlers

We are currently evaluating the following two programs:

Parent and Infant Community — projected start date: September, 2012

The Parent and Infant Community offers families the opportunity to socialize with other parents in the community by interacting with their young children in an environment prepared for the infant. The class is a place to share accomplishments and challenges in parenting — support that parents often need, but don’t get in other forums. Each session has two components:

• Presentation of developmentally appropriate toys and materials.
• Parent education, articles and discussion on a series of topics.

The group meets once a week for a two hour session for nine weeks. There will be a sliding scale for tuition. No family will be turned away because of finances.

Montessori Toddler Community — projected start date: September, 2013

The purpose of the Toddler Community is to encourage, assist, and protect the normal development of each child. A safe, beautiful and ordered environment is prepared to respect, support and respond to the young child's basic needs. In this program, we seek to help the child follow his or her natural path of development, to gain independence, to be motivated from within by a natural curiosity, to interact with the environment as an active explorer, and to cultivate the child's own natural desire to learn.

All furniture and materials are carefully selected to meet the developmental needs of the young child. The children are encouraged and assisted to develop skills in caring for themselves, such as dressing and undressing. Through their own observations, children often develop an interest in using the toilet independently. Simple, easily manipulated clothing assist the child in developing his/her independence.

The Toddler Community environment is divided into many different areas that provide interesting, purposeful activities. The young child absorbs the world around him/her through the five senses, and a rich environment caters to the child's senses. The beautiful materials attract the child's interest and fulfill the child's natural urge to explore the world. Gradually, the child lengthens his/her span of concentration. The materials also assist the child to refine eye-hand coordination. Children are encouraged to experiment with paint, clay, glue and crayons.

Language activities are also very important as the young child is in the most sensitive period for acquiring language. The child's language is enriched through conversation, songs, poems and stories as well as beautiful materials that help promote language development.

Each day some of the children assist in the preparation of a nutritious snack while others help in the setting of a beautiful table. The children and adults gather together each day for a "family style" meal. The children also assist in cleaning up and taking care of the environment.

Hours and tuition rates for this program yet to be decided.