Wonder & Wander
The Parkside Blog
Wonder & Wander: The Parkside Blog is dedicated to the magic of childhood, where curiosity leads the way and every step is a new adventure. We believe that learning isn't just about answers -- it's about the questions, the exploration, and the joy of discovery.
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Through Wonder & Wander, we'll share stories from our classrooms, insights into Montessori philosophy, and reflections on child development. We'll also offer parent education resources to help families better understand and support their child's learning journey.
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Come wonder with us. Come wander with us. Because learning happens everywhere, and the path is just as important as the destination.
Montessori and Brain Development
Maria Montessori was a scientist, a physician, and a profound observer of the human spirit. Over a century ago, she developed a method that felt instinctively right for children. Today, modern neuroscience is giving us the tools to see what she observed: how the classroom environment literally shapes the developing brain.
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“The child’s mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
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In Montessori classrooms, we witness the kindling of that fire every day such as in the focused concentration of a three-year-old mastering a practical life skill, the quiet tracing of a Sandpaper Letter, or the deep collaboration in a mixed-age group. This nurturing of natural curiosity is the essence of Montessori, and science is now confirming why it is such a powerful foundation for lifelong learning.
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The Absorbent Mind,
Illuminated by Science
The first six years of life are a period of explosive brain development, where neural pathways are rapidly forming in response to the environment. The Prepared Environment in Montessori classrooms are designed to capitalize on this sensitive period, and its key principles align perfectly with the science of learning:
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Movement Builds Intelligence: The brain and body are not separate. Purposeful movement (like carrying a tray, setting a table, or working with the moveable alphabet) integrates sensory and motor systems, strengthening the brain's capacity for complex thought.
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Sensory Learning Deepens Memory: The tactile, visual, and auditory nature of the Montessori materials (e.g., the Pink Tower, Geometric Solids) activates multiple brain regions simultaneously. This multisensory engagement helps lay a robust foundation for abstract concepts.
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Concentration Wires for Success: The freedom to choose work and engage in long, uninterrupted work periods supports the development of executive function: the ability to plan, focus attention, manage working memory, and persist through challenges.
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"What Did You Do Today?"
If you’ve ever asked your child, “How was your day?” and received a one-word answer—or none at all—you’re not alone. This common question, while well-intentioned, can feel too big or vague for young children to answer meaningfully. Fortunately, there are ways to help children remember and reflect on their experiences while strengthening your connection with them.
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Why It’s Hard to Answer “How Was Your Day?”
According to child development experts at the Fred Rogers Institute, young children live deeply in the moment. Their days are full of new experiences, feelings, and sensory input, which can make it difficult to summarize the day in a neat response. Additionally, abstract or general questions may not match how children process or recall information.
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From a Montessori perspective, children learn through hands-on experiences, and their understanding is built through concrete, real interactions. Talking about those experiences in a reflective way takes time, support, and gentle guidance.
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Understanding Childhood Stress
Childhood should be a time of joy, exploration, and discovery—but even young children experience stress. Changes in routine, academic pressure, social challenges, or even overstimulation can create feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. The good news is that with thoughtful support, children can develop resilience and emotional well-being.
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Both the American Montessori Society (AMS) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) emphasize the importance of a calm, child-centered environment, strong relationships, and self-regulation in helping children manage stress. Let’s explore what childhood stress looks like and how we can support children in navigating it.
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What Causes Stress in Young Children?
Stress in children often looks different from stress in adults. Young children may not yet have the words to express their emotions, so their stress often appears in physical or behavioral ways. Common sources of stress include:
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Changes in routine – Moving, starting school, or changes in family dynamics can cause uncertainty.
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Academic pressure – Expectations that don’t align with a child’s developmental stage can lead to frustration.
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Social challenges – Learning how to navigate friendships and conflict can be overwhelming.
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Overstimulation – Loud environments, too many choices, or an overfilled schedule can create anxiety.
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Feeling a lack of control – When children don’t have opportunities to make choices, they may feel powerless.
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Raising Kind and Respectful Humans
In a world that often values achievement over empathy, raising children who are kind, considerate, and respectful feels like an essential counterbalance. In Montessori education, we understand that these qualities aren’t extras alongside academic growth, but they are the very foundation of what it means to become a whole, capable, and compassionate human being.
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Kindness is not something taught in a single lesson, but something lived every day. Grounded in Montessori philosophy and inspired by the wisdom of Fred Rogers, Simone Davies, Janet Lansbury, and others, we see that respect begins with how we speak to and listen to children. When children experience genuine respect and trust, they grow into individuals who naturally extend the same care to others.
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Why Kindness and Respect Matter (Beyond “Be Nice”)
Kindness is caught, not taught. Fred Rogers — beloved host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and lifelong advocate for children’s emotional well-being — devoted his career to helping families understand that love and empathy grow through consistent, caring relationships. Through the work of the Fred Rogers Institute, his message endures: children “observe caring adults being kind … then choose to be helpful rather than hurtful.” Kindness becomes a living language when we model it daily, in both our words and actions.
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Respect for the child fosters respect for others. In Montessori philosophy, how we treat children — how we speak to them, involve them, and trust them — shapes their sense of worth and their view of others. The American Montessori Society reminds us that showing genuine respect to a child is one of the deepest affirmations we can offer: that they are capable, valued, and seen. When children experience this level of dignity and care, they naturally extend it to those around them.
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Relationship precedes behavior. Parenting expert Janet Lansbury, a former actress turned educator and advocate of the RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) approach, teaches that respectful relationships are the foundation of all positive behavior. She reminds us that even the youngest children deserve honest, two-way communication — not just correction or control. When a child feels genuinely understood, they are more likely to internalize respect and respond with kindness.
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Kindness needs courage. As Fred Rogers often demonstrated, being kind doesn’t mean avoiding hard feelings; it means holding space for them. We don’t need to shield children from disappointment, frustration, or sadness — we can accompany them through these moments with empathy and calm. In doing so, we show them that kindness includes honesty, patience, and the strength to care even when things are difficult.
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The Gift of Montessori
Childhood is such a special time—a time of wonder, discovery, and endless possibility. Every child is born with curiosity and a deep desire to learn, and the way we nurture that spark makes all the difference. That’s why a Montessori education is such a beautiful gift. It helps children grow into capable, confident, and kind people who know how to care for themselves and others.
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Let’s take a little time together to think about what makes Montessori so special.
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Growing Capable and Confident Children
Children feel a deep sense of pride when they learn to do things for themselves. In a Montessori classroom, every child is given the time and space to explore, make choices, and solve problems. The materials in the classroom are just right for their little hands and growing minds, helping them build confidence in their abilities.
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Why Sensory Work Matters
Montessori sensorial materials intentionally isolate single qualities (size, color, weight, tone, texture, temperature, smell, taste, three-dimensional form) so the child can make discriminations and then classify, sequence, and name those impressions. That disciplined sensory discrimination lays the foundation for abstract skills:
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Math (seriation, number concepts)
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geometry (form, proportion)
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language (vocabulary, categories)
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cognitive flexibility (sorting, comparing)
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Maria Montessori wrote that the young child's intelligence is born through sensory impressions; sensorial materials are what she called "a key to the whole work of education."
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There is empirical support that Montessori classrooms that include sustained sensorial work produce advantages in academic outcomes, executive functions, and creative problem solving compared with many conventional programs.
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Montessori and Alternatives
Why Montessori Stands Out Among Early Childhood Approaches such Reggio Emilia and Play-Based
When it comes to early childhood education, Montessori provides a distinct alternative to play-based, traditional, and Reggio Emilia programs. The Montessori method, based on Dr. Maria Montessori's principles, has proven its effectiveness over the last century and is supported by modern science. Its core is a deep respect for the child as an independent learner. Montessori classrooms are carefully prepared spaces equipped with sequenced materials, where teachers act as guides, allowing each child to pursue their interests and master practical, social, and academic skills independently.
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The Montessori method is built around respect for the child, independence, and the belief that children thrive in environments that match their natural development. Montessori classrooms are designed with the child in mind, from the furniture to the carefully sequenced learning materials. Teachers act as guides, helping each child follow their interests while mastering academic, social, and practical life skills.
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​How Montessori Compares
Montessori and Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia programs value creativity, self-expression, and collaboration. They are project-based and often emphasize art and documentation of children’s ideas. Montessori shares that same respect for the child and beautifully designed environments, but offers a more structured progression of skills. For families, this means children benefit from both creativity and a strong foundation in academics and practical life.
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Montessori and Play-Based Programs
Play-based programs emphasize learning through play, and research confirms that play is vital to child development. Montessori also values play, but takes it a step further. Children use hands-on materials with clear purposes that not only spark curiosity but also build concentration, independence, and real-world skills. Parents often notice Montessori children developing longer attention spans and a love for “work” that feels joyful and meaningful.
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Montessori and Traditional Center-Based Programs
Many center-based schools group children strictly by age and follow a teacher-led schedule. Montessori is different: mixed-age communities reduce competition and foster collaboration, while fewer transitions allow children to immerse themselves in learning. The result is calmer classrooms where children grow into confident, self-motivated learners.
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Why Is My Child Always Sweeping and Cleaning at School?
If you’ve ever asked, “Why does my child seem obsessed with sweeping, dusting, or tidying things up when they get to school?” rest assured: this impulse is far from trivial. In Montessori environments, the impulse to care for the classroom is not only honored, it is a cornerstone of the curriculum. That drive toward order, contribution, and care is deeply purposeful.
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The Montessori Impulse to Care: More Than Busy Work
Maria Montessori first observed that children, when placed in a well-prepared environment, often gravitate toward “practical life” tasks such as wiping tables, sweeping floors, arranging materials, polishing, washing, and caring for plants. These tasks are not add-ons or substitutes for “real work.” They are real work for the child’s development. Montessori believed that children have a natural urge to act purposefully in their environment and to bring order to it.
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When your child picks up a broom or a dust cloth in class, they are often responding to this inner drive. The classroom is their micro-society, and caring for it is their way of participating, contributing, and creating order in their world.
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Practical Life: The Foundation for Motor, Cognitive, and Emotional Skills
The Practical Life area in Montessori classrooms includes both care of self (dressing frames, hand washing, buttoning, pouring) and care of the environment (sweeping, polishing, cleaning, preparing food). These simple activities build a wide range of developmental foundations.
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Benefits of a Montessori Toddler Program
Building the Foundations for a Lifetime of Learning
Montessori for toddlers isn’t just “childcare.” It’s a carefully prepared environment and relationship-based approach that helps very young children develop the cognitive, social, and emotional building blocks they need for later success. Through real-life tasks, hands-on materials, and a classroom that supports independence and focus, children strengthen their attention span, fine-motor coordination, sequencing, and problem solving. These skills may seem quiet and small in the toddler years, but they matter deeply for what comes next. When a child masters tying their own shoes, pouring water, or selecting a work on their own, they’re also building the blueprint for reading, writing, math, and deep thinking.
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Language development and social growth flourish in this rich, child-centred environment. We use everyday routines and rich vocabulary, engage in meaningful conversation rather than passive instruction, and honour each child’s rhythm of growth. At the same time, our classroom is a micro-community where toddlers learn to care for themselves, others, and their environment. They navigate choice, experience collaboration, and develop social intelligence and emotional resilience—skills that flourish when grounded in independence and intrinsic motivation.
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What Montessori for Toddlers Looks and Feels Like
Montessori toddler classrooms are intentionally prepared: low shelves, child-sized tools, real materials for practical life, and predictable routines that let toddlers master everyday tasks. The environment is designed to encourage exploration, repetition, and growing independence rather than passive entertainment. The American Montessori Society describes Infant & Toddler programs as environments that “foster your young child’s emerging independence and desire for exploration” and that “promote your child’s growth in all areas of development.”
Simone Davies, in The Montessori Toddler, captures the spirit with short, guiding lines that are often quoted by parents and teachers: “Help me to help myself,” and “Teach by teaching, not by correcting.” These phrases summarize Montessori’s emphasis on supporting a child’s own efforts and competence.
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At Parkside, we believe that when you respect a child, you reveal their capacity for wonder, confidence, and deep learning. Dr. Maria Montessori put it simply: “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.”
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Respect and independence go hand in hand. When we trust children and allow them the time and space to try, fail, and try again, we offer them the most powerful gift: belief in themselves.
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This philosophy doesn’t end when the school day does. In fact, some of the most meaningful opportunities for fostering independence happen at home. Whether your child is 2 or 12, there are small, consistent ways to cultivate autonomy, confidence, and curiosity every day.
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Why Respect Matters
Respecting children means more than using kind words or listening closely (though those matter deeply). It also means recognizing their abilities and trusting their developmental process.
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As the American Montessori Society shares, “Children are natural learners who benefit from an environment that encourages independence, exploration, and purposeful activity.” When we hold this perspective, we begin to see even the simplest routines—putting on shoes, preparing snacks, setting the table—as rich opportunities for learning and growth.
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Respecting the Child
Fred Rogers, whose approach to children aligns beautifully with Montessori ideals, reminds us:
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“When we treat children's play as seriously as it deserves, we are helping them feel the joy that's to be found in the creative spirit.”
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Montessori For Grandparents
At Parkside Community Montessori, we love seeing the many ways grandparents enrich a child’s world. Their wisdom, patience, and unconditional love provide a beautiful foundation for connection and growth. But when parents are raising their children using the Montessori approach, it can sometimes feel a little different from the way grandparents once parented.
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If you're a grandparent (or a parent looking to help bridge the gap), know this: Montessori and grandparenting go hand in hand! With a little understanding, you can embrace Montessori principles while enjoying meaningful, joy-filled moments with your grandchild.​
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How Grandparents Can Support Montessori at Home
If you're wondering how to blend your natural grandparenting instincts with Montessori principles, here are a few simple ways to get started:
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The Power of Observation
Observation is at the heart of the Montessori philosophy. It is not just a passive act of watching—it’s an intentional, thoughtful process that allows teachers, parents, and children to grow in understanding, connection, and independence. By observing without unnecessary interference, we gain deep insights into a child’s needs, interests, and development. As Dr. Maria Montessori herself said,
“The first duty of an educator is to stir up life, but leave it free to develop.”
Let’s explore how observation benefits each key member of a child’s learning journey: the teacher, the parent, and the child.
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