Early Years
Early Years Program at Wonderwood
Home / What is Montessori in the early years / Early Years Program at Wonderwood
The Montessori early years program is designed as a three-year program that equips your child with the vital skills needed to confidently transition to Primary School.
At Wonderwood Montessori, our Early Years Program offers an enriched learning experience for your child through a diverse range of specialised Montessori materials. These materials are carefully introduced at varying levels of difficulty, allowing your child to build on their existing knowledge and achievements. Our Montessori educators focus on providing a strong foundation in both academic and social development, ensuring your child gains skills that will support them throughout life.
Our classrooms are co-educational and multi-aged, promoting greater social cohesion, a respectful community, and a more vibrant learning environment. By grouping children into a crucial three-year work grouping, this multi-age setting gives your child the time and space to develop, explore, integrate, and master their learning before moving on to the next phase of their educational journey.
One of the significant benefits of our three-year age grouping is the exposure your child will gain to a wide range of talents, skills, and interests, along with a broader academic and holistic curriculum than they would experience in a single year. In our multi-age environments, younger children have the opportunity to observe older peers engaged in more advanced work, sparking their interest in mastering new materials and developing their own skills.
Early Years
A typical day in the early years program.
A typical day our Early Years setting is thoughtfully structured to balance structured activities with free exploration, all within a nurturing prepared environment that encourages independence, creativity, and social development. As children arrive to Wonderwood, they are greeted by their educators and encouraged to take responsibility for their belongings, fostering independence from the very start of the day. The children begin by choosing an activity from the prepared environment, whether it’s a familiar task they enjoy or a new material that sparks their interest.
The core of the Montessori day is the morning work cycle, usually lasting 2 to 3 hours depending on the age group. During this uninterrupted period, children are free to select activities that engage them, moving at their own pace. They might immerse themselves in practical life tasks like pouring water, explore sensorial activities, or delve into academic work involving language, maths, or cultural studies. Montessori educators observe and gently guide the children, introducing new materials as they show readiness. This personalised approach ensures that each child’s learning is tailored to their developmental stage and interests. The mixed-age setting fosters natural social interactions, with older children often helping younger ones, creating a strong sense of community.
Following the morning work cycle, children eat their morning tea, often helping to prepare their snacks as part of their practical life activities.
After the workcycle, they head outside for playtime, engaging in physical activities that develop gross motor skills like running, climbing, and exploring nature. Outdoor play is also an opportunity for free play, where children can socialise, collaborate, and enjoy the natural environment. Afterward, the children may gather for a group activity, such as singing, storytelling, or a cultural lesson, which brings the whole class together and fosters a sense of belonging.
Lunchtime is a communal experience at Wonderwood, where children help set the table, serve food, and clean up afterward, reinforcing independence and practical life skills while encouraging social interaction. After lunch, younger children may have a rest or nap, while older children engage in quiet activities like reading or drawing, providing essential downtime to recharge.
The afternoon offers another opportunity for self-chosen activities, allowing children to continue exploring projects from the morning or select new tasks that interest them. This time may also include collaborative projects, where children work together on a shared goal, further developing their social and teamwork skills.
Towards the end of the day, children gather to reflect on their activities, sharing what they’ve worked on, discussing what they’ve learned, or simply enjoying a story or song together. As the day comes to a close, they prepare to go home, tidying up their workspaces, gathering their belongings and head outside for play until they’re collected.
Upon pick up, Educators take a moment to share insights with parents during pick-up, ensuring a strong connection between home and Wonderwood.
Throughout the day, the focus remains on child-led learning, with children encouraged to follow their interests and select activities that deeply engage them. The classroom environment is carefully designed to support this, with materials and activities that are accessible and organised to promote independent exploration. The mixed-age interaction within the classroom fosters a strong sense of community, with younger children learning from older peers and older children reinforcing their knowledge by assisting the younger ones. The day strikes a balance between structure and flexibility, allowing children to explore at their own pace while benefiting from a predictable routine that supports their holistic development.
