Primary

Ages 3-6

Dr. Montessori referred to the 3–6 environment as the Casa dei Bambini, which translates to “Children’s House.” It is not merely a classroom, but a place where children live, explore, and grow. Here, they take responsibility for their surroundings, develop care for themselves, and cultivate pride in contributing to their community.

Montessori saw each child as a unique individual, and the environment is intentionally designed to foster independence, concentration, and refined movement. The carefully sequenced materials guide children from simple to complex, and from concrete to abstract, allowing them to build understanding step by step.

Based on the child’s need for order and routine it is important for a child to attend school consistently and on time to benefit from a full three-hour work cycle each day. Children ages 3 to 4 1/2 stay for the morning, while children 4 1/2 through 6 years of age enjoy staying for lunch and spending the afternoon continuing to explore the materials and see large pieces of work through to conclusion.

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Montessori Number Rods

The Number Rods are one of the first math materials introduced in the Montessori Primary classroom for ages 3–6. They build a child’s concrete understanding of quantity and lay the foundation for abstract number concepts. Children can see and feel the difference between “three” and “eight,” for example, because the rods are different lengths. As the child places the rods in order, they count “one, two, three…” developing number sequencing and order.

Montessori Method Language Skills

Toddlers and young Primary children begin with picture-only cards (for example, animals, fruits, or household items). Once children know the objects and vocabulary, labels are added. As reading skills strengthen, the guide introduces cards with words only. The child reads the card, then goes to find the object in the room (“Bring me book”) or acts it out if it’s a verb card (“jump”). This makes reading active and fun, helping the child internalize that words are instructions for meaning and action.

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Montessori Puzzle Maps

The world map is designed with precise details; colors are consistent, making the countries easier to memorize; the sizes are proportional; and children are often amazed how small and large countries are compared. In addition, the peg on each country is designed so that the child holds the piece as they would a pencil.

Moveable Alphabet

Children begin to recognize 3-4 consonant sounds (blue) and one vowel sound (red) in a much less intimidating way than with paper and pencil. The goals of this lesson are to focus on order, concentration, coordination, independence, self-esteem, and preparation for writing, reading, and spelling.