Toddler
2 - 3 years
During the first three years of life, children use their senses to unconsciously absorb and explore everything in their environment. They observe all that takes place around them and begin to acquire mobility, build motor skills, develop language and strive for physical independence with a strong focus on themselves. Our toddler program focuses on these developmental needs and provides opportunities in the toddler environment to develop, practice, and strengthen them.
“The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge.” - Dr. Montessori
Our Toddler Program
The Toddler Pre-Primary Program includes the traditional Montessori curriculum, language immersion in English and Spanish, and developmentally appropriate materials. In a purposefully and beautifully designed Montessori classroom, our teaching guides provide a nurturing, warm, enriching, and responsive environment to support and guide the holistic developmental and exploratory needs of our toddler students.
Quick Facts
Here are some quick facts about our Toddler Classroom:
- Location: Oakland campus
- Size: 15 - 18 students
- Teachers: 3
- Ages: 2 - 3 years
- Immersion: Spanish and English where at least one of their three teachers speaks in the second language at all times.
- Instruction: A carefully planned combination of individual and small group lessons based on the Montessori curriculum.
Our Goals In the Classroom
Our goals for your child are:
- Foster independence
- Encourage care of self and the environment
- Facilitate separation
- Encourage toileting
- Provide opportunities for exploration (individual and group)
- Develop fine and gross motor skills
- Guide courteous social interactions
- Build a sense of community
- Promote language acquisition
- Inspire a love of learning
- Exposure to music and cultures from around the world
- Exposure to Art
Daily Schedule
A Typical Toddler Pre-Primary Daily Schedule includes:
- Early/regular drop-off and regular/late pick-up
- Uninterrupted indoor work period
- Individual and group lessons
- Morning and afternoon snack time
- Group circle time
- Morning and afternoon outdoor playtime
- Lunchtime
- Naptime
- Toilet training
Toddler Curriculum

Toilet Learning
Toddlers get toilet-trained in the classroom. Teachers phrase gentle reminders in a matter-of-fact manner that encourages a routine and identifies using the toilet as a natural behavior. To ensure success for our students, we partner with parents to offer consistency and extend routines and habits at home.

Practical Life - Care of Self, Others, and the Environment
Practical life lessons develop independence, motor skills, coordination, concentration, sequential memory, and social skills. While often appearing deceptively simple, these tasks also build self-confidence and responsibility towards self, others, and the environment.
Daily activities include care of self and surroundings such as organizing their workspace, using materials appropriately and putting them away correctly, independently cleaning up the workspace, dressing, wiping nose, preparing food, setting the table, dusting plants, sweeping floors, washing dishes, etc.

Grace and Courtesy
Lessons in grace and courtesy help toddlers learn and practice how to communicate politely and respectfully, extend courtesy to their peers, and practice patience, empathy, and understanding. Lessons include table manners, etiquette, and respecting other students' needs and boundaries.

Language
Language is an instrument of collective thought.” - Dr. Maria Montessori
Toddlers absorb language from their environment at a phenomenal pace. In the Montessori environment, we focus on specific vocabulary enrichment. For developing and enriching language we use:
- Adults as models
- Real objects for concrete sensorial experience
- Replica objects when the real objects are difficult to bring into the classroom
- Objects with cards: 3 dimensional objects matched to 2 dimensional pictures
- Classified cards
- Books, poetry, and songs
- Self-expression: listen to the children and allow them to talk to us.
Question Exercises: this is the process of asking a child or group of children questions with the intention of helping the children organize thoughts around a single concept.
Toddlers are very capable of learning multiple languages. Since materials for language acquisition are consistent between languages, our toddlers experience language immersion in a bilingual environment. One teacher speaks only Spanish and the other only English. Once a child gets older and moves to the Preschool Primary level, parents may choose to transition their students to classrooms with Spanish/English or French/English immersion. At the Elementary and Junior High levels, students are immersed in all three languages.

Art
Toddler art lessons are designed to introduce and to develop some fundamental art and practical life skills. It is a process of exploration of some basic art media and techniques, such as painting on an easel and working with polymer clay.

Music
Music is a universal language. It develops both sides of the brain and increases a child’s ability in spatial reasoning. Listening to composers from different parts of the world and singing songs is a part of the daily routine in the toddler classroom. Toddlers explore musical instruments and sing together with their Montessori guides.
We also have a dedicated Music teacher who follows the Kodály Method of teaching music.

Celebrating Cultures
We love that our community includes families from different parts of the world. Together, we celebrate the cultural diversity in our classroom by inviting families to share their customs and traditions with other families. From a young age, children observe and absorb this celebration that builds awareness and acceptance and celebrates differences in language and cultures different from their own.
Please join us on a tour to learn more about our program and visit our toddler Pre-Primary classroom.
“Toddler teachers are loving, kind and build a sense of independence within the 2yrs olds. The focus on independence is amazing, they allow kids to gain the confidence in potty training, teach snack preparations, bake muffins and introduce both English and Spanish through daily work and circle time. They also help the kids and parents separate smoothly as this is usually the first time for kids to be in school.”
M. A.
“Our two children are thriving at TRIS, and we are grateful that we found this remarkable school. They have formed strong friendships. The environment is extremely warm as well as supportive of socioeconomic development. It also has an environment that breeds autonomy and independence. It is a school that breeds a sense of community, service, and responsibility rather than entitlement.
During work periods, children choose their own work, set it up, and put it away, with guidance and lessons as appropriate. To me, this helps them find joy -- and "play" -- in their work, including their academic learning. I am thrilled that both of our children have a thirst for learning, which I attribute in large measure to TRIS."