Toddler Program
Re-Enrollment for our current families for the 2025 - 2026 academic year starts March 1, 2025
Spaces still available open up to our community during Open Enrollment starting April 1, 2025
See updated 2025 - 2026 Rates on our Toddler Admissions Page!
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
We have designed a new toddler classroom at Maine Mountain Children’s House! In September 2024, we re-opened our school with a new 500 square foot toddler classroom as well as updates for ADA accessibility, energy efficiency, and a subtle but important step in transforming a building intended as a residence into a Montessori school. Read our Grow With Us blog to learn more about the mission of our expansion and renovation work and ways you can help raise money for this exciting step for MMCH!
The toddler room is designed to introduce children ages 18 to 36 months to a Montessori classroom with materials specifically designed to meet their developmental needs. Our toddler classroom aims to nurture the young child’s budding independence while our Montessori trained and certified teacher models and encourages respect to self, others, and the environment. In the toddler room, children are provided a safe, warm, and carefully prepared space to explore and discover. Our unique location in the Western Mountains provides us with ample opportunities to connect children with the natural world around them. Our school has a large, fenced-in outdoor play space, raised garden and flower beds, and an outdoor classroom, in addition to an extensive trail network just across the street. We spend time outdoors, and we bring the outdoors into our classroom.
Our toddler program offers 3 or 4 day a week schedules Monday - Thursday, from 8:30am - 3:00pm from September to June. We also offer before-school care from 7:30 - 8:30 and after-school care from 3:00 - 5:00 for an additional charge. Children must be 18 months old to be enrolled, and will look to graduating into the primary program when they approach their third birthday.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Want to learn more about the Montessori environment and toddlers? Here are a few resources we recommend:
-Simone Davies, author of “The Montessori Toddler” and a Montessori toddler guru, has a wonderful Instagram account with tips and tricks for understanding toddlers and a peak into her beautiful toddler classroom in the Netherlands. She also has a wealth of knowledge on her website, including a great post “Is Montessori right for my toddler?”
-American Montessori Society : Both of our lead teachers in our toddler room are certified through the American Montessori Society—a highly regarded Montessori teacher-training program that is internationally recognized. This website has links to all kinds of Montessori information, including resources for parents, teachers, and schools.
-Nichole Holtvluwer, an American Montessori International trained toddler teacher who has started her own toddler programs and is a Montessori consultant, has a wonderful Instagram account with more great tips on toddlers!
INTERESTED IN ENROLLING IN THE TODDLER PROGRAM?
See our enrollment process page to learn about your next steps for joining our school community, including meeting our staff and setting up a classroom visit!
Visit the admissions page for program prices, schedule options, and enrollment forms.