Rethinking the ability of your toddler

When a child comes into the world, they appear to be incredibly vulnerable and needing much attention from caring adults. That is definitely the case; however the transformation that we  see in a very short time is phenomenal.  Within weeks our little person is able to clearly communicate their needs: initially the body will provide signs of discomfort and tears will express stronger needs (hunger, pain, comfort). Within a couple of months, communication has refined further and babbling starts. Usually by the time the infant reaches eight months crawling begins and participation in family life is evident. Suddenly, we have a toddler.

The toddler’s brain

We notice how the toddler has physically grow, but what we do not see is the neural change in these amazing humans. The brain has doubled in size by the time the child is one and neural connections have increased in the millions. This individual is hungry for knowledge and experiences. The ability to change so quickly and develop so many skills in a short time demonstrates the capacity of this young child.  We definitely underestimate what little people aged 1, 2 and 3 can do. We underestimate how much information is being absorbed by the young brain.

The Toddler’s environment

Providing the correctly prepared environment will allow adults to witness little miracles daily. Watching an eighteen month child serve tea to Mum or washing his/her own dish after having a snack and dressing without adult intervention are all activities that can be seen in a Montessori Toddler environment. These are activities that come naturally to a child when in the correctly provided environment. The next time you watch your toddler ‘play’, look at the concentration, view the determination and grit, and wonder at the way this child is adapting to his/her environment. Montessori acknowledges that we as adults do not fully understand this phenomenal learning and therefore the process is deeply respected. Your toddler wants to grow and wants to be able to function independently, and we as Montessorians facilitate that learning.

The prepared Montessori environment at Cabooltue Montessori School respects the learning process wherein your toddler exists, thrives, and observes deeply.  They may not become Einstein, but their hunger for knowledge will be met enabling them to develop in ways that traditional education overlooks.

Download and submit a  Toddler Application form today.