Toddler Community
An academic program for students 18-36 months old.
Some refer to this developmental period as “The Terrible Twos.” We disagree; toddlers are terrific. We love everything about them – their energy, determination and curiosity – and purposefully created a very special place for your toddler to learn.
An Environment Conducive to Learning
Where so many early childhood programs are chaotic and overwhelming, parents are often surprised to see the peaceful tone of our toddler classroom. The calm atmosphere and lack of distraction helps her to develop impulse control and concentration, planting the seeds for learning in this classroom and beyond.
A Community
Our students grow together into a close-knit, caring community. When children work, learn and grow together, they learn much more than any of them could learn alone!
“Help Me To Do It Myself”
Your child has a natural drive to be independent which we encourage by creating an environment where everything is just the right size for her to do things on her own. Child sized tools that fit her tiny hands allow her to prepare a snack and serve it to friends. A miniature broom empowers her to clean up on her own. She is taught the skills of self-care and toilet training. Your child learns a set of concrete life skills and self-confidence – but, more importantly, develops the belief that she can choose to make a genuine impact on her world.
A Beautiful Environment
Our bright and sunny toddler classrooms are specially designed for your child between the ages of 18 and 36 months. It is a world scaled down to your child’s size. Here, your child paints, cooks, waters the garden, sings songs with friends and plays with materials that develop fine and gross motor coordination.
Absorbing Language
We surround your child with rich and stimulating conversation to support this once-in-a-lifetime period of rapid language development. Your child, trying to blow bubbles, might be encouraged with “Blow! Can you make the air move just like the wind?” Your child’s mind effortlessly absorbs the new vocabulary, which plants the seeds for reading, writing and self-expression in the future.
A Joyful Experience
Maria Montessori once said, “One test of the correctness of the educational procedure is the happiness of the child.” Take a peek into our Toddler classroom and you will see children who are happy, engaged and deeply connected to their friends and teachers. As a result, your child develops a deep affinity for school and a true love-for-learning.
Ready To Move Up
Sometime between the ages of 2 ½ to 3 years of age, your child’s language skills and self-expression will develop rapidly; he will express a growing confidence in independence and a keen interest in broader concepts; he will want to know what lies ahead, outside of the Toddler Classroom. At this point, he is ready to move up to the Primary program, for children from the ages of 3 to 6.
Daily Routine
Our Toddler program is 5 days a week one week and 4 days the following week. The consistency of coming consecutive days helps the child establish his/her routine and adapt to the environment. They become more secure and therefore are more engaged with the Montessori materials and the other children in the classroom.
Our morning routine begins with a 2 hour work cycle and includes a group snack. During snack time the children come together as a community to enjoy a meal prepared by the children. Snack is followed by recess. The schedule of 45-60 minutes and allows for the youngest child to strengthen and refine their large motor movements.
Our afternoon routine includes preparation of the classroom for dining. Each day children take turns preparing tables so that we share a meal together as a community. The children learn to set a table: placemat, cloth napkin, glass plate, a drinking glass and silverware. When finished, they clean-up: they place their dishes in the dishwasher; place table linens in the laundry; and wash the tables. Children then have an opportunity to rest up to 2 hours.
Half Day children leave at 11:50 am
Extended Day children leave at 3:00 pm
All Day children leave between 3:30 and 5:30 pm
Parent Reviews
"Our family has been abundantly blessed by being a part of the IMA community. When we relocated to Indiana from out of state, we decided to take the move as an opportunity to try a different approach to our children’s early childhood education. IMA was profoundly more than we could have ever hoped for in an early learning experience for our children. Not only is the community of Directresses and students welcoming, kind, and inclusive, but the facility itself is remarkably beautiful both inside and out. The thought and care that goes into incorporating the incredible learning gardens into the children’s work cycle, during the warmer weather months, is fantastic! The work and materials our children found within each of the classrooms was not only beautiful and of the highest quality, we believe it far exceeds even the highest Montessori standards. Our children thoroughly enjoyed their time, friends, and, most importantly, their directresses at IMA. As they’ve transitioned to their elementary school years, they are exceeding current classroom expectations and demonstrate the kindness, gentleness, compassion, independence, leadership, self-advocacy, and practical life skills which will remain their solid foundation and not likely to have been so fully nurtured as they were at IMA. IMA is an incredible, true to Montessori form early childhood learning experience which is invaluable! Our family is forever changed and forever grateful for our time spent at IMA!"
Davis Family
