the magic years - A Montessori House of Children

A carefully studied and considered programme catering to the needs of children between the ages of 18 months to over two years.

The child enters the environment with his parent, an adult in whom he has complete trust. There are no attempts to force early separation, the child ventures forth to the other adult and his peers only when he is ready. The child gains skills and confidence, bolstered in the knowledge that he is not alone. As each child develops, he is encouraged to explore more around him, to reach out, to grow.

Given the right tools – optimum encouragement, appropriate assistance, space and protection - the child develops wholly and completely. Primary goals include development of movement and independence.

The curriculum focuses on fostering basic trust in the child. We are committed to protect the great inner powers children possess and to grow these into individuals with mental and physical strength, confident of their capabilities and mindful of those around them.

When given the appropriate assistance in the first few years of life, the child at three is an impressive human being. He is able to express himself perfectly, he can deal with all the practical needs of life (dressing, washing himself, eating, etc). He can collaborate usefully in the activities of the environment, he can develop a logical pattern of thought that prompts him to question and has a clear awareness of all his senses.

It is during this stage that the faculty of language and communication develop at a very impressive rate. From not being able to make more than basic needs known to the caregiver, the child- at a rate never matched in later life- develops the ability to convey much, much more: he is able to articulate mood, fancy, need and urgency with a vocabulary that is both formally presented and informally absorbed.

The child who enters a pre-school programme with this foundation is more than ready for increased challenge and stimulation.

		Infancy A carefully studied and considered programme catering to the needs of children between the ages of 18 months to over two years. The child enters the environment with his parent, an adult in whom he has complete trust. There are no attempts to force early separation, the child ventures forth to the other adult and his peers only when he is ready. The child gains skills and confidence, bolstered in the knowledge that he is not alone. As each child develops, he is encouraged to explore more around him, to reach out, to grow. Given the right tools – optimum encouragement, appropriate assistance, space and protection - the child develops wholly and completely. Primary goals include development of movement and independence. The curriculum focuses on fostering basic trust in the child. We are committed to protect the great inner powers children possess and to grow these into individuals with mental and physical strength, confident of their capabilities and mindful of those around them. When given the appropriate assistance in the first few years of life, the child at three is an impressive human being. He is able to express himself perfectly, he can deal with all the practical needs of life (dressing, washing himself, eating, etc). He can collaborate usefully in the activities of the environment, he can develop a logical pattern of thought that prompts him to question and has a clear awareness of all his senses. It is during this stage that the faculty of language and communication develop at a very impressive rate. From not being able to make more than basic needs known to the caregiver, the child- at a rate never matched in later life- develops the ability to convey much, much more: he is able to articulate mood, fancy, need and urgency with a vocabulary that is both formally presented and informally absorbed. The child who enters a pre-school programme with this foundation is more than ready for increased challenge and stimulation.