Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Toddler Community?

A Montessori toddler community is a class in which children ages 15 months to 24 months are given the opportunity to learn using real life experiences. Our toddler community provides a warm and peaceful atmosphere where young children develop meaningful skills and play an active role in their own care as well as the care of the classroom environment. This creates a special understanding for each child that he or she is a valued member of the community. 

What sets a Montessori Toddler Community apart?

A Montessori toddler environment offers a unique beginning to self development in which a child learns by doing. With proper support of a guide and an assistant, they are provided with the necessary skills and materials to independently take care of themselves and their environment. The environment is child-sized and prepared just for them. This empowers them to operate independently and freely according to their own will and desires. Through practical life experiences, they learn self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-reliance as well as control of movement and appreciation and respect for their environment. They are learning what it means to have a love of learning!

Curiosity

Community

Independence

Sensory Experiences

When children are young, they absorb the entire world around them through their five senses. At Cornerstone Montessori School we cater to their senses by offering an environment rich in sensorial experiences.

Social Emotional Development

In the the toddler community, we not only focus on intellectual development, but seek to support social and emotional development. A child who has been supported both socially and emotionally with responsive individualized attention will learn easily, manage frustration, and react positively to their environment. This will result in a happy, well-rounded child.

Language Development

The first three years of a child’s life are critical to language development. We strive to offer a language-rich environment that intertwines language activities and vocabulary into all that we do. This includes during snack time, time outside, and group activities. We also offer multiple direct language lessons in which children are exposed to many language growth opportunities.

Spanish Language

Every day at lunch time, we spend the hour speaking in Spanish. We find this is the right amount of time to introduce children to another language. In this way, we use the concept of immersion within the parameters of a regular, predictable activity. The children learn tangible words for food and serving ware while also being introduced to common phrases and commands. 

Practical Life Skills

Practical life experiences and activities are dynamic in the toddler community. 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.

Freedom of Movement

Children in the toddler community are given complete freedom of movement. In the Parent-Infant Program, we allow the children to move freely in an inviting environment prepared just for them at their stage of development. In order to develop movement skills in the toddler community, the room is designed for them. The environment is conducive to carrying tables and chairs independently, reaching all works, and practicing practical movement skills such as setting the table and washing their hands.

Care of Self

Once in the toddler community, we encourage children to learn the essentials of care of self. We guide them in learning basic skills, such as getting themselves dressed, washing their hands, feeding themselves, and wiping their noses. Many children are used to having things done for them. In the toddler community, we begin to help the children to help themselves. We empower them to enjoy their independence and take pride in doing things for themselves. 

Care of the Environment

Learning to care for the environment around us is a vital life skill that we foster in the earliest years. Children learn to keep the classroom environment clean and orderly. By doing this for themselves, they learn respect and take ownership and responsibility of the space around them, both indoors and outdoors.

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