Toddler Program
For children 18 to 30 months: a calm, safe, Montessori-inspired first classroom where little explorers grow in independence.
What Makes Our Toddler Rooms Special
Toddlers spend their day with the same small group and the same caring faces.
An uncluttered room where everything has its place helps toddlers feel settled and find what they need.
A steady rhythm of work, meals, outdoor time and rest helps toddlers feel secure.
Space to walk, climb, carry and explore, indoors and out, every day.
Little pitchers, brooms and low shelves, so toddlers can do it themselves.
Outdoor play every morning and afternoon, in every season.
18 to 30 months
Montessori-Inspired Learning for Toddlers
Choosing child care for your toddler is a big decision. Our toddler rooms are designed around how very young children learn best: by moving, touching, repeating and doing things for themselves.
Uninterrupted work periods each morning and afternoon give toddlers time for practical life, sensorial and language activities, while educators gently guide, model and encourage.
What Your Toddler Will Learn
- Self-careHandwashing, putting on shoes and coats, feeding themselves and toilet learning.
- Fine and gross motor skillsPouring, threading, stacking, climbing and carrying.
- LanguageNew words every day through songs, books and conversation, plus simple French songs.
- Social skillsSharing space, taking turns and caring for friends and the classroom.
Gentle Starts & Toilet Learning
Every toddler settles in at their own pace. We recommend three short settling-in visits during the first week: 30 minutes to an hour, then one hour, then two hours. Educators adjust them to what feels right for your child.
Toilet learning is a shared effort between home and center. Once your child has started at home for about two weeks, we continue the same routine in class, calmly and without rewards or pressure.
A Day in the Toddler Program
Highlighted rows are uninterrupted work cycles.
Toddler Program
18 to 30 months- Opening – 8:15 amArrival, small-group activities and free play
- 8:15 – 8:30 amDiaper routine and handwashing
- 8:30 – 9:00 amMorning snack
- 9:00 – 10:30 amUninterrupted work cycle: practical life, sensorial and language work
- 10:30 – 11:30 amOutdoor play (indoor gross motor play in bad weather)
- 11:30 am – 12:00 pmHot lunch
- 12:00 – 2:00 pmSleep time; diaper routine as children wake
- 2:00 – 2:30 pmAfternoon snack
- 2:30 – 3:30 pmOutdoor play
- 3:30 – 5:00 pmUninterrupted work cycle: exploration and small-group activities
- 5:00 pm – ClosingDiapering, quiet activities and pick-up
Please check the opening and closing times for your center: Burlington 7:00 am – 6:00 pm; Scarborough and Acton 7:30 am – 5:30 pm. Schedules adapt to the needs of the children in each room.
Our Toddler Educators
Toddlers need patience, warmth and consistency. Our toddler educators learn each child's cues for sleep, hunger and comfort, and celebrate every small step, from a first word to a first time pouring their own water.
You'll see your toddler's day as it happens, with meals, naps, diapering and photos shared through the Kindertales app.
Ready for Preschool Next
Around age 2.5, children move up to our Preschool (Casa) Program. Book a tour to see both classrooms.