Montessori Parent-Toddler

The Montessori Parent-Toddler Programme is catered to children from approximately 18 months (or steady walkers) to 3 years old, where they can use child-sized equipment and carefully crafted Montessori materials to develop independence, concentration and a love for learning. Every area in our centre reflects beauty and calmness.

At Montessori Family Centre, every child is respected and we strive to create harmony as much as possible in everyday situations, which include respecting the child’s individual space and the freedom to select his activities and to be able to concentrate on them without interruptions. We model calm and respectful behaviour, listen empathetically and provide consistent boundaries.

Children are exposed to real activities everyday and we guide parents in supporting their children at home using the Montessori philosophy. Parents and care-givers are encouraged to attend Parent-Education workshops held at the centre.

Home visits can be arranged as we believe education starts at home. We will follow up with a subsequent home visits, if desired.

Children feel instantly calm as they enter the centre that is prepared for them. When they are calm, they are able to focus on learning and expressing themselves without judgement. We allow for children to show their emotions and free expression within the limits of what is appropriate and inappropriate. We use positive discipline to help teach children to manage their emotions and behaviors. We guide and support them and foster an environment of co-regulation by actively engaging with children to help them understand and navigate their feelings. Over time, these interactions help children develop the skills necessary for self-regulation, enabling them to independently manage their emotions and make thoughtful decisions. Positive discipline not only strengthens the child’s ability to self-regulate but also builds a foundation of trust and mutual respect, encouraging a healthy emotional and social development.

Everyday is familiar but is also filled with new experiences. Practical life activities play an important role in helping children develop independence which in turn allow them to progress to activities with more difficulty. Every child learns at their own pace and it is absolutely okay to repeat an activity over and over again. Young children are naturally drawn to helping out with tasks at home and we provide child-sized equipment and safe materials made primarily from wood. All materials are free of toxic paints and chemicals.

Montessori learning for toddlers focuses on fostering independence, coordination, concentration and order through five core areas:

Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Math, and Culture. These hands-on, self-paced activities utilise child-sized, real-life materials to develop motor skills, cognitive abilities, and social skills. 

Practical Life

They learn how to care for themselves and their environment, how to greet others, show politeness and move about gracefully.

Sensorial

Visual Discrimination: Sorting by color, size, or shape (e.g., nesting cups, cylinder blocks).

Tactile Sense: Texture bins, fabric matching, sandpaper tablets.

Auditory Sense: Sound cylinders, musical instruments. 

Language (Communication)
Activities build vocabulary, communication skills, and prepare for reading. 

Vocabulary Development: Naming objects, picture books, flashcards.

Object Matching: Matching 3D objects to pictures.

Fine Motor Preparation: Threading beads, pegboards, using tongs, which prepare the hand for writing. 

Mathematics (Logic)
Concepts are introduced through concrete, hands-on materials rather than abstract numbers. 

Counting: Counting, sorting, and arranging natural objects (shells, rocks).

Number Understanding: Simple sorting, arranging by size (small to large), and recognizing quantities. 

Culture (Geography & Science)
Introduces the child to the wider world, including nature and understanding the world around them.

Nature Study: Exploring with items found in nature.

Geography: Montessori Globes and puzzles of continents or simple maps.

Photo credit: Montessori Institute Prague, proud supporter of Montessori Family Centre

A safe climbing structure and balance beams allows the children to develop their gross motor skills, equilibrium and encourage turn-taking. An outdoor esplanade area and a green space allows for opportunities for outdoor games and organised picnic sessions.

Being around children of similar age-group fosters early social development and your child will look forward to seeing their friends again in the next session. The mixed age group also enables the younger toddlers to observe the challenging activities (of their older peers) that they will soon be able to partake in as well.

Key Principles for Toddler Learning

• Independence: "Help me do it myself" is the goal.

• Order & Routine: Activities are displayed on low, open shelves for easy access.

• Repetition: Toddlers learn through repeating tasks until they master them

Tuesdays: 9h to 11h

Fridays: 10h to 12h

Start date: March 2026

Term 1:

Sessions will run for 3 or 4 weeks depending on the chosen day

Investment: €38 per session

Price includes coffee and tea for parents and snacks for children

(It is necessary to pay in advance for each term to secure a spot for you and your child - you will be informed to make payment once the environment has been set up and ready for lessons)

A free trial lesson will be arranged before the formal sessions start

The classes will be run by Michelle Mateus, the founder of Montessori Family Centre. An assistant will be there to support her. 

Class sizes are limited to 8 Parent-Child pairs

*start date is subject to change due to pending arrival and setting up of the Montessori materials and furniture 

Before signing up, please be informed that:

During class, it’s important to minimize screen use to ensure that the focus remains on the children and their activities. Quick photos are allowed, but any phone calls should be taken outside the classroom.

We have a no-refund policy. We offer one make-up class per term for any absence that result from illnesses or family emergencies.

Thank you for your understanding.

Have questions? Refer to our Centre Guidelines page for full details and answers to the most commonly asked questions. 

Additional information can be found on our Terms and Conditions page