A Day in the Life of a Toddler at Montessori Ivy League

If you are a parent of a toddler and also a full-time employee or professional, you know how difficult it can be to find a child care center that is open early enough for you to drop off your child and then head to work in time to beat the traffic.

There is finally a place where your child can get dropped off at as early as 7 AM and where he/she will be in a safe environment. That place is called Montessori Ivy League and it is located in Pembroke Pines, FL.

Montessori Ivy League is not your usual daycare center. It is a place where children from the ages of 1 to 6 can be entered in and be able to develop their mental skills and social skills. The Montessori preschool is open Monday through Friday from 7 AM to 7 PM. These hours are great for the working parents of children. It gives them enough time to drop off their children early and pick them up after work without having to rush after work. Even though the doors are open at 7 in the morning, the actual curriculums do not start until 8:30 AM. The Montessori staff gives the children a tender, loving environment where each child can feel comfortable to be their individual selves. Healthy fun activates are promoted all the time.

Here is what a normal day at Montessori Ivy League looks like for a toddler:

Figure 1 Montessori Time at the Montessori Ivy League Academy

• 8:30 AM – This is the time when the child will learn fine motor skills. These skills are developed by learning about numbers and number tracing. The toddler can also learn about letter sounds, arts & crafts, and music.
• 9:15 AM – This is called “Montessori Line Time.” The kids sing the Good Morning song and learn about the calendar (date), the day’s weather, and then the attendance is taken. Circle and Music Time occurs here, too.
• 9:30 AM – This is morning snack time.
• 9:45 AM – This is bathroom break time. Usually, the toddlers’ diapers are changed now. Toilet training is done as well with the toddlers.
• 10:00 AM – Recess Outdoor Play occurs now. This is the time when the toddlers will learn large motor skills which include circle games, relay races, organized sports, and free play.
• 10:30 AM – Montessori Line Time comes again, but this time the toddlers are involved in group lessons with their preschool teachers.
• 10:45 AM – This is “Montessori Individual Work Time.” Here, the children are able to choose their own work to do. They have the freedom to pick and choose whatever it is they want to do individually, regardless of what it is. For example, this time can be used drawing or painting.
• 11:00 AM – Lunch time takes place at this time for all of the toddlers.
• 11:50 AM – At this time, there is another bathroom break. The diapers are changed again and toilet training occurs again. For those children who only spend half of their day here, clean-up time takes place.
• 12:00 PM – This is half day dismissal for the toddlers and children who are only admitted into Montessori Ivy League for partial time.

Several other activities are available for the children that full-time students. The rest of the full-time toddler’s day looks like this:

• 12:00 PM – Everyone loves “Nap Time.” This is when the kids get their own nap time. They are put to sleep while one of the Montessori teachers reads to them a story.
• 2:00 PM – Once the kids wake up 2 hours later, they take an additional bathroom break. The toddlers’ diapers are changed once again.
• 2:15 PM – Time to play outside with other kids. Large motor skills are learned again.
• 2:30 PM – This is afternoon snack time.
• 2:45 PM – This is the final bathroom break and toilet training segment of the day. Diapers are changed one final time.
• 3:00 - 7:00 PM – This is Full-time students’ dismissals. Aftercare takes place during these hours.