A Montessori Beginning
Building independence and joy from day one
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Parenting is one of the most rewarding and demanding journeys a person can embark on. As parents, we get the unparalleled experience of building a relationship with our children from the very beginning of life, supporting their growth and development, and watching their limitless potential unfold each and every day.
The goal for Montessori, these kits,and our Nido Classrooms (which serve children from approximately 6-weeks to 16-months-old) is to give caregivers support and guidance so that every child has what they need to learn, grow, and flourish!
Montessori from Birth
The Goals of a Montessori Home
Support in every area of development
Starting at birth, children are constantly learning and growing—from sitting up to walking, from babbling to whole sentences, and so much more. Our goal is to provide the environment, tools, and support children need to achieve their development with confidence and joy.
Connecting with an interesting world
Through caring relationships, consistent routines, and a carefully prepared environment, we can help children understand and connect with their world. One of the most important goals in the newborn stage is to help children develop a basic sense of trust—in their parents, in themselves, and in the exciting world in which they were born.
Building the skills for independence
Children are fascinated by the activities of daily life—dressing themselves, feeding themselves, caring for their environment. When we help children build on their understanding of the world by doing meaningful work, they build the skills necessary for independence and enjoy all the self-confidence that comes with it.
Children Under Six
Young children are astonishing in their ability to learn. Over the course of a few short years, they go from immobile and totally dependent infants to walking, talking, competent explorers, eager to discover the world and hone their independence. How do they do it?
absorbent mind.
Children learn all about their world, seemingly with no help at all. The most striking example is the way young children acquire spoken language! When we watch young children closely, we notice that they are actively seeking out opportunities to observe and act for themselves.Montessori described this phenomenon as the child’s “absorbent mind,” their ability to learn simply by paying attention to and interacting with the world.
sensitive periods.
Montessori observed that young children have “sensitive periods,” periods of time when they have an intense interest and ability in learning particular skills. Young children, for example, are very interested in learning to coordinate their body—from rolling over and sitting up, to crawling and walking. When we pay close attention to their behavior, we can provide materials and activities that tap into these periods, enabling deep, engaging learning at the time when they’re naturally most interested.
Montessori Fundamentals
- The Child's Work
Children under six are learning a tremendous amount—from understanding and speaking a language, to coordinating their body to sit, stand up, crawl, walk, and climb, to controlling their hands, to being independent in eating, toileting, and dressing, and so much more. For Montessori, all this is the child’s work and is accomplished through concentration and effortful activity. Without the help of the adult, the child doesn’t have what she needs to be successful. Caregivers have the rewarding role, not only of watching this work take place, but of providing support and preparing the tools she needs to build her independence.
- Preparing the Environment
- Observation