About

Activities of Everyday Living

The very first activities children do in a Montessori classroom helps to develop their ability to look after themselves and their surroundings. It is with this in mind that children are introduced to practical life at around two years old. Our aim is to introduce fundamental skills such as pouring, threading, transferring and polishing as well as an appreciation of the environment and a consideration of all things within. Our aim is that these activities will help children develop their co-ordination and concentration, and to gain confidence and independence in preparation for future progress.

Sensorial

The sensorial equipment has been specially designed to help the child refine and develop the use of their senses. This will help children understand concepts within the environment, e.g. colour, temperature, size and dimensions. Due to the nature of the equipment your child is also preparing for reading, writing and arithmetic.

Language

This begins by first combining the sound, shape and visual appearance of the letter. The child then starts to build 3 letter phonic words followed by reading. The child progresses to longer words with the common spelling patterns known as phonograms. Writing skills are learned by colouring intricate shapes drawn with insets, and sandpaper letters are experienced by touch as well as by sight and sound. A wide range of both story and reference books are always available in the classroom.

Mathematics

We start by introducing numbers combining the sound, shape and visual appearance of the symbol together with the quantity. We work from simple to complex, reinforcing the child’s existing knowledge and then moving onto new concepts e.g. simple sums, sets and time.

Culture

We maintain a global outlook on these subjects, helping the child to understand how they fit into their environmental geographical, historical and cultural makeup of the world. Projects are opportunities for group learning activities, and are based on various themes planned carefully by our qualified and experienced staff. We like parents to be very much involved in the nursery and find that cultural subjects provide an excellent opportunity for parents share your experiences and knowledge with your child.

Creativity

These include arts and craft, enhancing the development of the imaginative and expressive skills. Various media and mark making activities are freely available for the child to use throughout the day. We use both indoor and outdoor block play with small groups of children, to foster their imagination, problem solving skills and extend their language and thinking skills. We also have a variety of extra-curricular visits, for example ‘Jo-Jingles’ a music and rhythm session aimed at helping children become confident and expressive.

 

If you would like a prospectus, please email stockport@hazel-tree.uk