Infant & Toddler | baymontessori

“The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth.”

– Dr. Maria Montessori

Education Begins at Birth Dr. Montessori believed that education must begin at birth, and she regarded the first two years of life as vital. She noted that without the facility for language, children use an innate sense to learn directly from their environment. They learn to adapt to their surroundings and begin the foundation of their own distinct personalities. Children are born with 100 billion neurons, just waiting for stimulation, waiting for experiences and waiting to connect.	Infant & Toddler at Bay The Infant and Toddler Community at Bay Montessori School, for children from the ages of 0-2 years, provides these expressionable experiences for your child during this important stage life. There are two areas of this developmental time period. Bay’s program provides a cozy home-like environment for the non-walking children and a comfortable age appropriate place for the walking child to discover his world by working in it.
Follow the Child Our teachers are trained to understand and follow the needs of the child, and not necessarily those of the adult. The child’s space is created with his success in mind. Furniture is very small, to fit the proportions of their body. All of the materials and equipment are life-like, assimilating real objects, but designed for use by their tiny hands.	Child Brain Development Child brain development specialist Glenn Doman discovered the connection between mobility and brain development. Starting from birth children should be given every opportunity to acquire mobility. For the young child, maximum time on the floor on the tummy is one of the best gifts a loving adult can give. Doman researched childcare practices around the world and discovered an amazing correlation.
Movement The more babies were held and carried, the lower the IQ. The more babies were given time on their tummies to explore their environment, the higher the IQ. Dr. Maria Montessori developed an entire method of education for infants and toddlers as well as older children, based on movement. In her observations of children, she saw that they were always moving, always exploring with hands, mouth, eyes and ears.	The law of the child Her conclusion was that movement is the law of the child's being and the way to his brain is through his hands. A physical development curriculum will be a pivotal part of Bay’s Infant & Toddler Program. In Montessori classrooms and homes established on the principles of learning through movement, children can learn to coordinate movement, develop clear sensory impressions, read, write and do math operations through simple hands-on activities.
Child's Work The Toddler area, or walking community is focused on supporting the child as he acquires the skills to “do it myself.” Children are allowed freedom of movement to explore and manipulate the objects in the environment, and they are given the time they need to accomplish their work.	Basic Ground Rules Activities change and evolve as the child grows. The specially prepared Montessori environment allows the toddler to develop and refine movements, increase language, and launch into social relationships with peers. The freedom to explore is tempered by three basic ground rules that will be beneficial for a lifetime—respect of self, respect for others, and respect for the environment.