Olive Toddler Community - children 15 months to 3 years
The Montessori toddler programs at Nest are for children between the ages of 15 months and 3 years and are designed around each child’s individual skills and interests. Through daily observations, educators are able to identify these interests and skills and introduce new materials and activities that further ignite curiosity and foster learning. At this stage, learning objectives include developing language, concentration, problem-solving, visual discrimination, and physical coordination skills.
Day to day routines form the core of the programs in both our Olive room and Laurel room. Focus is primarily on promoting order, coordination, and concentration, whilst supporting the child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development, laying a solid foundation for future learning. During a typical day in our toddler rooms, children will participate in learning activities that are tailored to their individual capacity, fostering self-confidence and independence. These activities include:
- Self-care: washing, dressing, toileting, and eating.
- Care of the environment: cleaning, food preparation and service, as well as gardening.
- Large-motor activities (indoors and out): walking, climbing, running, jumping, balancing, climbing steps.
- Fine-motor skills: grasping, picking up objects of differing weights, transferring objects, using tools and utensils, doing art.
- Language: naming and describing objects, discussing pictures, conversation, music, and singing.
- Social skills: developing manners through interactions with peers and educators, and adult-led small group games.
Laurel Toddler Community - children 15 months to 3 years
Further to the above, our toddler communities are designed to nurture your child’s desire to do things for themselves, fostering autonomy, and promoting confidence and a sense of competence. In the Montessori educational setting, children are encouraged to work independently, learn by observing others, explore their space freely, and express their curiosity and creativity.
Our environment is rich in language, with educators using correct terminology when communicating, instead of baby talk, as the exposure helps children develop a broad vocabulary. A variety of books is available for children to explore on their own or read with an educator.
Both the Laurel and Olive rooms have a self-care area that promotes toilet awareness and independence in personal hygiene, such as learning to wipe their nose and wash their hands. Rest time consists of children having individual floor beds, allowing them to prepare for rest and rise independently once rested. The spaces also feature areas for gross motor activities to help children coordinate their movements, and appropriately sized tables and chairs that enable them to participate in preparing, serving, eating, and cleaning up their snacks and meals.