The Toddler Environment at Villa Di Maria Montessori is a loving, safe, and nurturing environment; it is authentically prepared in accordance with the research and pedagogy of Maria Montessori and is led by a trained and certified Montessori guide. Children in the Toddler Community are encouraged to explore the environment specially prepared for them and learn through their curiosity.
Since guiding and fostering your child’s budding independence is a primary goal in this classroom, we invite each child to participate in the care of themselves and their environment. With the aid of child-sized materials, the toddlers have numerous opportunities to master “practical life” skills such as: meal preparation and clean-up, self-soothing to sleep, toilet-learning, sweeping, wiping, washing, cutting, gluing, and so much more. The community interaction of the classroom aids the toddlers in mastering aspects of “grace and courtesy” which include but are not limited to: teamwork, “please”, “thank you”, “excuse me”, helpfulness, patience, dignity, respect for their bodies and the bodies of their classmates.
The work of the Toddler Community is never limited by a strict curriculum which requires every child to learn the same thing without regard for their individuality or specific gifts. Instead, each child is guided in discovery of the world around them and each distinct personality is nurtured rather than changed to fit “the average child”.
The result of the extensive preparation and consistent practice of high standards in our Toddler Community is the gift of an exceptional Preparation for Life.
