Simcoe Place

Child painting with watercolours

Creative Exploration

A child’s desire for creative exploration and expression is fostered through a variety of mediums and tools. Playdough, paint, markers, crayons, pencils, glue, chalk, scissors and paper are always available. As children explore these mediums, they develop hand-eye coordination, co-ordinating two hands together, concentration, sequencing, and precision through molding, cutting, gluing, painting, and mark-making, all while having fun!

Please click “Creative Exploration” for more information.

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Child under 2 serving, pouring, and feeding herself

Self-Help and Independence

In our Under 2 program, the children learn a variety of self-help skills during meals, such as serving themselves, eating independently with a spoon, drinking from an open cup, tucking in their chairs, cleaning up, washing their hands, and practicing grace and courtesy skills. What an achievement!

Please click on “Self-Help and Independence” to see more photos and information.

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Easy Tortilla Bean and Chicken Casserole

Easy Tortilla Bean and Chicken Casserole

Simone makes an easy and delicious Tortilla Bean and Chicken casserole that is one of the children’s favourite meals.

Please click on “Easy Tortilla Bean and Chicken Casserole” to see the recipe and more photos. We hope you enjoy this scrumptious dish with your family!

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Space materials for children to explore

Wonders of Space

The children of South Casa have been exploring the wonders of space through reading materials, matching games, singing songs, exploring space objects, and through arts and crafts. The children have created a space shuttle using paint and recycled materials, as well as starting to make a 3D model of the solar system, beginning with the sun.

Please click on “Wonders of Space” for more photos and information.

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Child arranging fresh flowers

Practical Life

Practical Life is an area in which our Under 3 children learn real-life tasks such as scooping, pouring, sweeping, mopping, cooking and taking care of the self and environment. These activities allow the child to develop motor control, self-confidence, thinking outside the self, empathy for others and a feeling of being productive and belonging to the community.

Please click “Practical Life” for more photos.

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Children planting and painting to welcome spring

Welcome Spring!

Our Under 2 program explored different cultural experiences in March that celebrate the arrival of Spring. The children participated in activities such as painting with flowers, planting seeds, transplanting spring flowers into flower pots and exploring sensory activities that incorporate colours and flowers.

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Child kneading dough

Baking!

The Casa children partake in a food preparation activity weekly, in addition to peeling, spreading, etc. throughout the week. We create foods such as bread, cakes, and cookies, as well as non-baked goods such as smoothies and rice crispy squares. The best part is getting to eat our creation!

Please click on “Baking!” to see more photos and information.

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Adriana playing the guido with children following her

Music With Adriana!

Adriana incorporates various instruments such as the tambourine, drums, flute, guitar, shakers, and bells into the weekly music program. The bells are an important part of our Montessori curriculum. The children take great pride in performing songs on the bells in front of their classmates and look forward to their music class. Adriana has recently begun to teach the older students beginner ukulele.

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A child matching dinosaur figurines to nomenclature cards

Language Acquisition

Enriching a child’s vocabulary fosters the ability to clearly communicate and express oneself. Children’s brains are primed to learn language from before birth to age six, the most critical period for language acquisition, when language can be learned effortlessly. Language in the Montessori classroom is taught in many different ways, such as through storytelling, songs and poems, encouraging self expression, identifying and matching objects to nomenclature cards, and labeling photo representations on nomenclature cards.

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Children under 2 engaged in Autumn sensory exploration

Sensorial Exploration

Sensorial exploration is a fundamental part of development. Children absorb their environment through their senses. In the Under 2 program we are exploring what the seasons have to offer by bringing nature into the classroom and engaging our senses through sensory play.

Please click “Sensorial Exploration” for more information and photos of sensory exploration in the Autumn.

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