Toddlers have a limited ability to filter and prioritise sounds in their environment, so I make sure to keep the tone of my voice gentle and measured, especially in the indoor environment. Also, in Montessori education, when presenting an activity to a child, we make a point of doing this: when our mouths are moving, our hands are not. When our hands are moving, our mouths do not. This is to naturally guide the focus and attention of the child to one thing; watching or listening. It’s a gem. Try it at home!

This is a space for your toddler to have free rein. I only intervene if a child is going to hurt themselves, another child or the materials. Other than that, I stand back and marvel at their capabilities and agency.

Intrinsic motivation and an internal sense of accomplishment are central to Montessori philosophy.

Activities occur on a table with or without a chair or on the ground using a mat that defines a child’s workspace. Children at this age are very self-focused; this respects their stage of development.

We focus on the process, not the result.

All materials must be returned to the shelves. If a child cannot collaborate with me at that moment, that’s okay; I role model and take it back myself. The order and sequence of activities and social behaviour in a Montessori environment are holistic by design.

Children this age are in a sensitive period for language. I am a passionate believer in the power and lifelong positive outcomes of early exposure to high-quality literature. I embed language absolutely anywhere I can, following a child’s cues and interests especially. Using correct terminology, sentence structure and grammar, children’s brains literally wire around what they are hearing and experiencing and honestly, the benefits of this extend far beyond mere vocabulary acquisition.

You would be stunned to see how engaged and purposeful your toddler is when choosing what to work with and how they interact with it! Their glowing sense of accomplishment.