Our Nest

In the Montessori framework, the environment designed for children aged three to six is known as the Children’s House. Our Cypress room has been created to be homelike, inviting, visually appealing, and orderly to allow children to view it as a small community. Here, they acquire skills that can be applied both at home and within the broader community, where the focus is on encouraging cooperation rather than competition.

The structured environment of our Cypress room offers children a sense of order and predictability, helping them navigate both the physical space and the multi-age small community within it. Emphasis is placed on children developing independence, cooperation, and practical life skills, enabling each child to become a valued and self-reliant member of the community. The space features materials displayed on open shelves, always within the children's reach. During work sessions, children engage with these materials, allowing them to follow their own natural rhythms of activity and rest without interruption.

This prepared environment includes both indoor and outdoor spaces, which work together harmoniously and are always accessible to the children. Practical life activities are integral to both settings and children can choose to work with sensorial, mathematics, or language materials. Our outdoor environment includes an edible garden that children help to maintain, fostering an appreciation for nature and its importance to all living things.

Lessons in this space are usually given individually. Once a child has received a lesson, the activity becomes part of their repertoire, and they can draw upon these skills as they wish. Small group activities include games that extend earlier lessons and participation is voluntary, fostering a supportive atmosphere. In mixed-age groups, older children act as 'experts', sharing their knowledge and skills, while younger children benefit from peer teaching and role models, motivating them to advance in their learning.