Oak Knoll Kinderhaus Montessori School of Pasadena

For a discussion on Dr. Maria Montessori, her philosophy and the Montessori Method, please read What is Montessori?

Separating from your child at any age is difficult, but separating from a baby or toddler is particularly difficult. However, such separation is necessary for growth. The Toddler Community is designed to make the transition as smooth (and painless!) as possible for you and your child. The Toddler Community has a small ratio of one adult to six children, which allows for a smaller classroom and greater attention to individual children and their families.

Children between 18 months and 3 years are in an extreme state of exploration and yearn to understand how things work and for what they are used. They want to touch and feel everything, which is not always desirable or safe. In the Toddler Community we create a safe environment in which children are able to explore freely without worry.

The classroom is divided into sections that focus on various aspects of a child’s development during the

toddler years. Each section of the classroom has developmental materials that help to develop specific skills. Using these materials is a child’s “work”. The various sections of the Toddler Community include:

tasks that improve hand-eye coordination and increase periods of focus;
practical life exercises that allow the children to master simple household activities such as sweeping, wiping a table, and watering plants;
an art section for painting and drawing; and
a reading area with books that the children can look at on their own or have one of the teachers read to them.

The Toddler Community classroom is designed to allow the child to choose their own "work" rather than have the guides choose for them. This allows each child to work at his/her own pace and encourages the natural desire for individuality.

There are also group activities, such as reading books, singing songs and eating. However, a child is not required to interrupt his/her activity to join the group.

The Toddler Community is a stepping stone in a child’s development and helps the child to prepare for the primary class to follow (at about age 3). When the time comes to transition, the child has ideally become accustomed to separating from his/her parents and has learned to care for themselves and the classroom. These abilities allow them to put their energy into learning new things such as sounds of letters, how to write, and counting.