MONTESSORI FOR 3- to 5-YEAR-OLDS
Encouraging imagination, exploration, and innovation.
What to expect
A Montessori curriculum helps each child gain self-esteem, independence, physical development, and academic achievement—the ingredients of a thirst for lifelong learning. Throughout the age of 3 to 5, students gain skills that are the foundation for approach challenges in life.
New Montessori parents are often surprised at the independence 3- to 5-year-olds exhibit at MMIA. It’s often remarkable to see a 3-year-old pour water from a pitcher, organizing belongings and focus on her or his tasks, while 4-year-olds read an entire book.
Our curriculum includes Geography, Culture, Geometry, History, French, Spanish, Chinese and practical life skills.
During the ages of 3 to 5, children are exploring their creativity and imagination. Encourage them to do so independently! We establish an environment to help children at these ages thrive. They can grow in their understanding of the world around them.
Developing through Practical Life skills
Practical Life lessons are an essential component of the Montessori method of learning. Perfecting day-to-day tasks, children gain the confidence to function in their own environment. Practical Life lessons help a child gain independence, both physically and mentally. Children also learn physical coordination including muscular control, concentration, perseverance, and balance. As part of a community, they also learn to gain respect for others.
Specific Practical Life activities include:
Care of self: Washing hands, grooming, dressing
Care of inside environment: Dusting, sweeping, polishing
Food preparation: Setting a table, preparing fruit, pouring
Care of outside environment: Watering plants, raking leaves, weeding
Grace and courtesy skills: Greetings, shaking hands, interrupting
Characteristics of Practical Life skills:
Reality-based: Wash real dirty dishes with real soapy water, clean shoes with real polish and prepare fruit with real utensils
Sequential: Activities have a beginning, middle, and end, such as taking dishes to sink, preparing soapy water, cleaning and drying dishes
Exploratory subjects for learning
To the children in our MMIA early childhood programs, work seems like play. All that play is focused on the following areas of development:
SENSORIAL
Montessori materials focus on the Sensorial area of development. The goal is to develop the five senses. This happens through comparing colors, shapes, smells, weights, temperatures, and textures through activities. These broaden a child’s ability to grow.
MATHEMATICS
Many Montessori activities provide a number and geometry foundation. Children gain an understanding of numbers, quantities and the decimal system. They learn basic operations of addition, multiplication, subtraction. Children also study fractions and measurements.
LANGUAGE
In Montessori environments, pre-reading and pre-writing skills happen in a sensorial manner. Vocabulary, drama, and dictation are an integral part of the curriculum. When a child is ready to read and write, they advance to different levels of materials. Children have their own journals for practicing their letters and writing. Our teachers encourage each child to write creatively.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Students enjoy exploring world cultures, geography, history and maps. They gain an understanding of the diversity of the people and lands around the world.
MUSIC
Children develop skills and appreciation for music through instruments and group singing. Specific activities help develop perceptions of high-low, matching, and scale. Children experience different types of music from around the world.
SPANISH
Spanish lessons taught by native Spanish-speaking instructors allows students to engage in conversations. They exchange everyday information in Spanish. They express basic needs, feelings, emotions, and opinions. The children give and follow simple instructions in Spanish through activities in groups.