Manhattan Academy
Programs
Toddler Community
At Manhattan Academy, we understand the unique needs of toddlers - their growing sense of curiosity and independence, balanced with their need for love and patience. Our cozy Montessori environment emphasizes a hands-on, activity-based approach to learning, while also providing the comfort and small class sizes that these little learners need. Through our program, we encourage independent curiosity and self-motivation by providing our toddlers with a safe and secure environment where they are invited to learn, at their own pace, with guidance from our Montessori-accredited teachers. Our program focuses on small and gross motor development, language acquisition, honing a sense of independence and self-confidence, and learning basic life skills.
Montessori Materials
Children spend a good part of their morning engaging with stimulating Montessori materials, designed to foster a sense of independence and discovery. During this time, children develop crucial fine motor skills, are introduced to mathematical concepts like patterns and matching, learn basic concepts like cause and effect, and so much more. Using Montessori materials allows the children to learn through their hands, developing muscle memory that solidifies concepts as they have fun.
Language Acquisition
We incorporate language development into every aspect of our program. Whether we are reading stories, using our Montessori materials, singing, identifying objects by name or having one-on-one conversations with our students, language acquisition is a critical goal of our Toddler Community. We aim to teach our children basic vocabulary and sentences, and also help them learn to express their emotions and needs.
Practical Life
A key goal of the toddler curriculum is to teach our little ones how to start taking care of themselves and the world around them. We focus on several practical life skills, such as walking in a line, pouring, transferring objects, dressing oneself, cleaning, and of course, toilet training. Developing these basic skills is central to the Montessori philosophy of encouraging independence and self-confidence in one's abilities. It is such a rewarding experience to see our little ones learn a new skill, as their sense of pride and excitement are infectious.
Sensory
Here at Manhattan Academy, we aspire to help children develop a sense of creativity and a desire to experiment. In the Toddler program, we incorporate art projects, science experiments and sensory activities into the day, so that children are able to develop these skills in a hands-on, fun way. At this young age, children have a natural sense of wonder and are curious to understand the many new things they discover each day. We capitalize on that natural excitement, by providing an abundance of opportunities to see, hear, touch, smell and taste the world around them.
Enrichment
Included in our Toddler curriculum are two enrichment classes:
Spanish
Our Toddler Spanish program is taught mainly through songs and games. Through these methods, children begin to identify objects by name, including shapes, numbers, colors, and other basic objects. Our Spanish teacher speaks only in Spanish to the children, so their comprehension skills develop quickly.
Music
Our Toddler music program focuses mainly on singing and dancing...and having fun! Here, the children learn songs and movements and are also introduced to basic instruments as well.