Toddler Program

TODDLER PROGRAM

“At the age of two years the child has a need for walking…But the child does not want to get anywhere, he just wants to walk, and to help him truly, the adult must follow the child…The child walks with his eyes as well as with his legs, and it is the interesting things on the walk that carry him along.”

– Maria Montessori, “Education for a New World”

Fostering Independence and Determination

The Montessori School of Lake Forest Toddler Program maximizes the development of young children through meticulously prepared environments. An adult with Montessori “Assistants to Infancy” (birth-three) training conducts carefully planned activities which lead the Toddler age child to build sensory-motor skills, high self-esteem, inner security, and abiding habits of concentration.

The Toddler Environment

The Toddler environment is divided into several areas, including gross motor movement, fine motor development, and language skills. The exercises of practical life include care of the environment (both indoor and outdoor), care of the self, and refinement of grace and courtesy. All activities are designed to develop coordination and independence, and encourage contributing to the group, which leads to increased self-esteem.

A Toddler develops the foundations for a strong personality through work carried out with full concentration. This is achieved by working on activities which completely absorb the child, and fulfill their urge to explore the world.

Be sure to read this article, written by one of our MSLF Toddler Directresses: Authenticity in the Toddler Years

As Your Child Learns, So Do You

One of our driving goals at the Montessori School of Lake Forest is to work together with parents to insure their child’s optimal development. To that end, we offer special Montessori Parent Information Sessions throughout the year. Observation of your child’s class is another way to gain insight and understanding of the Montessori way.

The American Montessori Society provides this wonderful video about Montessori programs for infants and toddlers:

Ready for Primary

By the end of their Toddler experience, children are ready for the Primary environment. They are increasingly interested in learning from other children and about the world around them. The more complex social life and the vast array of materials and lessons to be learned in the Primary class satisfy their need to grow.