Programs

Infant & Toddler

Infants (3-18 months)

The Infant community is a special environment meant to replicate the home. Children will enjoy warmth and care while developing many life skills in a safe and loving environment.

Hand-eye coordination, grasping skills, coordination of the body through movement and independence are skills your child can explore at their own pace.

Preparing for a New Experience

Help your baby get ready for daycare and ease the transition:

Play object permanence games with your child like hide and seek with people and objects.
Practice observing your child. If your baby is interested in an activity, sit back and watch them play independently.
Talk about their new routine and make changes to their sleep schedule.

Learning Materials

During the first years of your child’s life, they will develop more quickly than any other time. In a Montessori Program, infants are free to explore all their environment has to offer.

The Montessori Learning Materials help them work on their coordination, language skills, hand eye coordination, eating and dressing. Music and stories are also a daily part of the Infant program, as well as neighbourhood walks and outside play in the Infant park.

“My daughter attended Bishop Hamilton Montessori School from Toddler to graduation from Junior High. She developed a passion for science, music and physical education under the guidance of her wonderful teachers. She is planning to study health sciences and French at university next year, and hopes to travel to third world countries to use the gifts and abilities.”

Joanne Seymour

Former Parent

Our Sleep Routine

In the Infant room, we do not have a set schedule for naps. Each baby’s needs are different and we are sensitive to this.

We observe each baby carefully and when we observe signs of tiredness, we prepare the child for a nap. We change their diaper and give them their sleep toy or security blanket, if they use one.

Each baby has their own crib in our sleep room, and soft music plays in the background to help them drift off.

Eating in the Infant Room

The feeding routines that you and your baby have established will be followed in the Infant program. Infants, when weaned, are encouraged to use utensils and are given the opportunity to self-feed and drink small amounts from a cup.

A daily log of eating and diaper changes will be tracked and reported to parents.

Toddlers (18 months - 3 years)

Our Toddler program is specifically designed to meet the needs of ambulatory (walking) children aged 18 months to 3 years. Our Toddler room is a secure, positive place for developing confidence, self-control, and independence.

Our Toddler program focuses on the follow objectives:

Self Care: Real life tasks such as washing dishes, preparing food, arranging flowers, using the toilet, and sewing.
Fine Motor Coordination: Working with Montessori manipulative materials that involve touching, tasting, listening, smelling, feeling, and hand-eye coordination.
Communication Skills: Improving articulation and pronunciation, encouraging thinking, listening, expression of ideas and answering questions in sentences.
Physical Development: Outdoor large motor activities such as climbing, carrying, running and walking in line all encourage the development of coordination, equilibrium, and strength.

“I have 4 children who attended Bishop Hamilton Montessori. They gained excellent human life skills and values, while also developing an appreciation for learning that encourages questions, confidence, and different opinions. They were also taught by the example of their teachers to respect fellow classmates, students, and teachers regardless of ability, aptitude, character or background.”

Linda Pollon