Dr. Montessori believed that the first three years of life are the most fundamental in the development of human beings and their potential.
In the Young Children’s Community, children between the ages of fifteen months and three years interact in a beautiful space specially prepared to meet their needs. It is a nurturing environment where motor coordination, independence and oral language are cultivated.
Under the guidance of one teacher and two assistants, children participate joyfully in purposeful tasks, such as slicing bananas or tending the garden. The environment is rich in opportunities to move with balance and control as well as lessons in art and music. The child’s development of self-confidence and understanding that he or she is part of a community are fostered. The children work together at tasks such as setting the table for snack or dressing for the outdoors. They gather as a community to play musical instruments, sing nursery rhymes or listen to stories. The Young Children’s Community has two one-way windows, which allow parents to observe the class at work and play, and enjoys its own protected playground designed for toddlers. One of the YCC’s most delightful features is that one of the classroom assistants speaks to the children exclusively in Spanish.
Once the child has shown the readiness, usually around age 3, he or she moves into the Primary Program.