Tempe Montessori School
Toddler
The Infant Community: Independence through movement and language development.
“The period from 0 – 3 years of age is one in which the mind and body must reach a harmonious balance, because the entire subsequent life depends on the quality of this first phase of development.”
Dr. Silvana Montanaro, Understanding the Human Being
In assisting the young child in developing independence, the adult prepares a place which allows freedom of movement and opportunities for language development.
Good speech models for articulation, naming things, speaking in phrases and sentences are included. At 20-36 months, children can engage in a real dialogue, and their vocabularies are enriched with new words every day. This is the sensitive period for naming things and the prepared adult responds to the hunger for words in an appropriate way.
As soon as children are able to walk, a period begins during which the hands, which are now liberated, need to be given work. In this way their movement leads to positive results in the development of personality.
Being able to walk allows the child to do those activities involved with looking after oneself and one's surroundings, such as dressing, toileting, wiping the floor, dusting, sweeping, watering the plants, preparing food, setting the table, clearing the dishes, etc.
At this age children are looking for an activity that uses their muscular energy and that leads to visible and useful results. These activities also require thinking and problem solving.
In the infant community, interesting manipulatives are precisely designed to meet developmental needs.
The young children learn to trust in themselves:
- I can do
- I am able
- I am worthwhile
- I can contribute
