Programs

Toddler

14 months to 36 months

About

Our Toddler space serves children who are comfortably walking in a small and intimate setting that is thoughtfully prepared to appeal to the toddler-aged child.

The Toddler day includes the Montessori work cycle, snack, outdoor time, community lunch, afternoon nap, and enrichment activities in the afternoon. At Highland Hills, we believe young children learn best by doing. Our toddlers are encouraged to work within the environment alongside other children with the guidance of a loving and attentive guide (teacher), building their independence and self-confidence. Children are offered a continuum of activities that meet their needs for variety and challenge them as they grow and learn. During their time as a toddler, children will develop their language, speech, social-emotional, cognitive, and fine- and gross-motor skills.

Since we are home-based Montessori school, your child will be able to smoothly transition to Children's House or preschool area exactly when he/she is ready. All our children also enjoy afternoon Forest School, arts, and music opportunities.

“The child, making use of all that he finds around him, shapes himself for the future.” — Dr. Maria Montessori

The Environment

The room incorporates many familiar aspects of home at the child's level offering opportunities for social engagement, independent work, and exploration. Children develop greater independence and confidence through practical life work such as food preparation, caring for an outdoor garden, and setting the table for lunch.

Materials in the classroom are designed to strengthen coordination, refine the senses, expand language skills and help the child develop positive work habits in a smaller supportive community.

Art

We believe art plays an essential role in developing fine motor skills, hand strength, and coordination. Toddler children engage in individual and collaborative process art, learn about the foundations of art techniques, draw (chalk, crayons, pastels,..), paint (many types of mediums and process art tools), integrate nature and seasons into art, explore with light and sound, and engage in simple handwork. We believe art is essential for the young child.

Music and Movement

In our group Music lessons, children enjoy exploring music through the Orff method integrating speech, rhythm, singing, movement, play, and exploring with instruments. In the classroom the children have access to an array of instruments to use for musical exploration. We also sing daily with the children and as they hear songs repeated over multiple days, they exercise their memory. Songs that involve movement offer the children opportunities to coordinate their movements and thoughts, often following external directions given by the lyrics of the songs.

Nature

Through engaging with our classroom pets, exploring in forest school, and tending the garden, children have opportunities to heighten their senses in a natural setting, develop important observation and problem-solving skills, make important connections between classroom learning and nature, develop important practical life skills, and of course, have fun. Children make also develop a respect for nature.

Language and Literacy

Language beautifully flows throughout our Montessori classroom. From delightful poems and seasonal rhymes to singing songs and reading countless books together to exploring new vocabulary in the forest, your child will be immersed in rich spoken language experiences throughout the day. We strive to model for the children with common words and phrases in every area of the curriculum and throughout every activity and routine. We are constantly naming objects, emotions, feelings, and directions. We also give lessons of grace and courtesy that remind us of our contribution to and place in the community.

Practical Life

At Highland Hills, practical life experiences and activities are an important dynamic in the toddler class. Children participate daily in activities such as window washing, dish washing, wood polishing, and baking. By contributing to the community environment in this way, they learn they are a valued and respected member of the group.

Children also learn through observing what the people around them do and our practical life activities allow children to practice the skills they see adults using. All of these activities support fine motor or gross motor development.

Toilet Learning

Opportunities for toilet independence are a significant part of the toddler daily routine. Toileting is a natural and normal part of our daily routine and the children quickly acclimate to the toileting process. We work collaboratively with parents to support toileting independence at home and offer parallels between home and school for the child.