Toddler Program

While children need careful nurturing throughout their development, toddlers need care, both from parents, and other adults which are uniquely suited to identify and meet their stages of development in life.

The rapid physical growth and developmental changes of infancy and toddler hood, require a responsive, flexible caring environment. Because infants do not have the ability to tolerate much discomfort or wait long for what they need, they require caregivers who can understand them and respond promptly. While toddlers are increasingly able to wait for and share adult attention, they require more vigilance for their safety and much support from adults in order to learn from play and to handle social situations.

The environment and curriculum fosters movement and introduces grace and courtesy lessons that promote focus and concentration. An important part of a toddler’s developing independence is learning to care for him/herself.

Toddler exercises and activities recognize that children learn by doing. Montessori materials are always accessible, attractive, safe, and geared for a child’s success. Activities are changed in response to children’s need for variety and challenge as they grow and learn. The safe, loving, gentle atmosphere puts children and parents at ease and makes for a trusting, spontaneous transition to school.

Toddler Toilet Training

Every child has a personal rhythm of physical development that prepares him/her for toilet training.

Your child’s teacher will discuss with you your child’s timing for toilet training and techniques used at the Sacramento Montessori School. Please share with your child’s teacher your own family practices and techniques so that you may mutually arrive at the most effective toilet-training plan for your toddler.

Your child may demonstrate his/her readiness for toilet training in many ways:

Child does not like to be wet.
Child sits on the toilet with diaper or training pants without being asked to do so.
Child watches other children who are using the toilet facilities.
When asleep, your child becomes restless, perhaps cries or sits up and is visibly uncomfortable.

Below are some toilet-training techniques used at the Sacramento Montessori School:

We invite the child to the bathroom every 15 minutes.
We invite the child to the bathroom after meals.
We invite the child to the bathroom before and after nap time.
We introduce training pants.

We use phrases that encourage your child:

“Tell me when you want to go to the bathroom.”
When your child is visibly uncomfortable, we say, “Let me take you to the bathroom.”
If your child uses the bathroom, we praise and encourage your child, “Good job! I’m proud of you!”
If your child is being toilet trained yet has an accident, we help your child to change his/her own clothes. We may say, “Oops, you had an accident. Here are some dry clothes,” or “If you need help going to the bathroom, please tell me, and I’ll help you use the toilet.”

Toilet training will be initiated when the following occurs:

1.) Parent and teacher observe the child and agree on when to begin toilet training.
2.) Parent and teacher agree on techniques for training.
3.) Parents and teacher discuss the following:
       a) Availability of training (potty) chairs and training pants at home and alternatives that will be used.
       b) Schedule for inviting the child to use the toilet.
       c) Preparing for bed—pros and cons of the night-time diapers
       b) Toileting upon awakening.

Toddler Program

Toddler Toilet Training

We use phrases that encourage your child:

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