BABIES/ PER-TALKERS-WALKERS

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The Early Years Curriculum
The prime areas

Personal, Social Emotional Development

Practical life activities

Dressing frames, (buckles, buttons, zippers, hooks, laces), washing,

polishing, sweeping, setting the table etc. These are real life

activities which develop concentration, co-ordination, independence and care of self.

Grace and courtesy exercises:

These are group activities which are designed to reinforce and encourage the children’s awareness of good manners at an early age – e.g. saying “Please”, “Thank you”, “Excuse me please”, “May I join you?” and “Can I help you?”.

Physical Education

Development of gross motor and small motor skills is accomplished through individual and group activities both in the classroom and outdoors. Children naturally love to jump, hop, bounce, roll, climb, catch, balance, stretch etc. and have an abundance of opportunity to do so under careful supervision.

Communication and Language

Since young children have a phenomenal ability to absorb language, every effort is made to give each child as large and as precise a vocabulary as possible. The process of absorbing, assimilating and expressing is encouraged whether individually or in groups and is a very important part of the Montessori curriculum.

The Early Years Curriculum – Specific areas

Literacy

Sandpaper letters are used to introduce the sounds of the alphabet to the child when he/she is ready.

Make Your Own Sandpaper Letters

Sandpaper letters and numbers are traditionally used in Montessori schools to help children learn the shapes, formation and write way to form the letters by feel. Start by guiding your child's forefinger around the letters in the way that you write them.

Find our Letter Templates here - we have lower and upper case.

Make your own sandpaper letters using our templates and a bit of patience! Simply print, hold securely on top of a sheet of fine grade sandpaper, and cut out. You will need a craft knife to cut the insides of the letters out, and either a cutting board or sheets of thick cardboard as a safe surface. This is an adult job!

We've used our sandpaper letters as they are, placing them on our large handwriting lines printout to make words.

>>link to printable hand writing lines<<
Handwriting lines

Large Handwriting Lines Printable

Note: Montessori sandpaper letters are cursive. The letters are mounted on stiff card (pale blue for vowels and pale pink for consonants). Lower case letters are introduced first, and the phonetic sound of the letter is introduced at the same time as the child traces the letter with his/her finger.

Explore

Pintables

Each child works at his/her own pace and gradually, through practice on a daily basis, develops pre-writing, pre-reading, communication skills and reading, writing and listening skills.

Mathematics

Math materials are designed to give the child a sound understanding of numbers and their relationships. An idea is always introduced in a simple and sensorial way so that the child can see, hold and feel a number or concept. Gradually the child is led to an abstract understanding. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, combinations, tables, fractions, squares and cubes are all available to the child when he or she is ready.

Understanding of the World

These activities are designed to refine the five senses and help guide the children in learning to discriminate, classify and compare. The materials include the Pink Tower, cylinder blocks, broad stairs, the Red Rods, the smelling jars, color tablets, baric tablets, temperature jugs, sound boxes, geometric solids. The Sensorial materials teach the concepts of color, weight, shape, texture, size, sound and smell in an enjoyable way and are great fun for the children.

Botany and nature studies

In each classroom we have a nature table and the children are welcome to add to the classroom display of natural wonders and objects of interest. The botany materials include a cabinet and cards which introduce the child to different types of leaves, flowers and trees and their parts. Books about nature, group discussions and the botany jigsaw and materials are all designed to light a flame of interest in this vast subject.

Geography

Globes, maps, flags, land and water forms and country or continent topic weeks all introduce the child to the idea that he or she lives in a wide, wonderful world.

Science

Following the child’s spontaneous interest and wonder, simple science experiments, the basic laws of light, gravity, sound and magnetism are explored with the children.

Expressive arts and design

Music

Rhythm instruments, percussion groups, singing and dancing help to promote an appreciation for music, develop large motor co-ordination and prepare the group for any further pursuit in musical training. At Norfolk Lodge, we have a wonderful collection of music from around the world and we introduce the pleasure of listening to and identifying with different types of music: classical, folk, jazz, traditional etc.

Arts and crafts

Painting, drawing, stenciling, collage and various levels of sewing are available every day. Art sessions give the children an opportunity to print, make simple objects, cards, models etc. The art cards introduce the child to famous artists, their paintings and various styles in an interesting and enjoyable way.

Drama and role play

We introduce simple drama and role play related to our various topics e.g. people who help us, transport, food, the high street.