Programs
Infant & Toddler
Little House
From birth to 40 months, children experience a critical period in their educational and emotional development.
The Infant Program: 6 Weeks - 15 Months
As Ohio’s first accredited Montessori Infant Program, West Side Montessori will begin welcoming children as young as six weeks old starting in Fall 2026. Rooted in Montessori philosophy, our infant curriculum honors even the youngest child as capable, curious, and deserving of gentle respect.
Designed by experienced Montessori educators, the program offers an unparalleled beginning—a space where independence, curiosity, and confidence are nurtured through beautifully prepared environments, highly trained teachers, and the introduction of carefully selected Montessori materials. Infants experience a language‑rich atmosphere, purposeful practical‑life activities, and concrete sensory exploration, all within a calm, orderly, home‑like setting that supports their natural development and fosters a lifelong love of learning.
Designed by experienced Montessori educators, the program offers an unparalleled beginning—a space where independence, curiosity, and confidence are nurtured through beautifully prepared environments, highly trained teachers, and the introduction of carefully selected Montessori materials. Infants experience a language‑rich atmosphere, purposeful practical‑life activities, and concrete sensory exploration, all within a calm, orderly, home‑like setting that supports their natural development and fosters a lifelong love of learning.
The Toddler Program: 15 - 36 Months
Toddlers have a great sensitivity for language, spatial relationships, music, art, and social graces. In the rich learning environment at West Side Montessori, toddler teachers carefully construct activities and experiences that capitalize on all of these developmental needs.
The toddler outdoor spaces encourage physical development and appreciation for the natural setting. Little House students are given weekly lessons in Outdoor Education, a schoolwide co-curricular program.
Montessori teachers also recognize toddlers need freedom within the security of limits and a place where they feel safe and loved so they may explore the classroom at their own pace and become independent. Activities are carefully sequenced from simple to complex so that each child can be successful.
The toddler outdoor spaces encourage physical development and appreciation for the natural setting. Little House students are given weekly lessons in Outdoor Education, a schoolwide co-curricular program.
Montessori teachers also recognize toddlers need freedom within the security of limits and a place where they feel safe and loved so they may explore the classroom at their own pace and become independent. Activities are carefully sequenced from simple to complex so that each child can be successful.
Dr. Maria Montessori
“Whoever touches the life of a child, touches the most sensitive part of a whole which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future.”
Areas of the Montessori Classroom
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Practical Life Area
Toddlers naturally want to imitate what they see adults doing. The Practical Life Area of the classroom allows children the opportunity to practice what they see in real life, therefore gaining the independence they so desire.Child-sized sinks allow the children to wash their own hands independently. For those children who show an interest, child-sized toilets encourage children to be as independent as possible when learning to use the toilet.
Pouring water from one pitcher to another, tweezing pom-poms and scooping and spooning objects help children feel proud that they can do things for themselves as well as build fine motor control needed later for correct pencil grip. -
Grace and Courtesy
Grace and courtesy may sound advanced but is an essential part of all Montessori activities and fits perfectly with the toddlers’ keen observation powers and desire to “help.” It is a cornerstone (closely linked with peace) of the Montessori philosophy.Lessons are given to each child in the environment on a daily basis. Grace and courtesy includes care of the environment such as sweeping, dusting, washing windows, using towels to tidy up spills, care of plants and care of classroom animals.
Care of self includes such things as washing one’s own hands and face, catching a cough or sneeze in the crook of the arm, putting one’s own coat on, and dressing or undressing. These are big accomplishments for such a young child and it is evident on the child’s face as they are proud of what they can do independently! -
Sensorial Area
The Sensorial Area offers children the opportunity to develop and refine their five senses. Children choose the sensorial materials because the materials fulfill their instinctive need to touch, taste, and feel the world around them.It is important for children to touch since they learn actively through this sense. What is rough? What is smooth? What is salty? What is sweet? Montessori materials such as the knobbed cylinders to discriminate size - width, depth, and height, or matching sound cylinders by sound, help refine the child’s senses. -
Mathematics Area
The Mathematics Area offers young children the opportunity to learn mathematical concepts at a young age. Real objects are used to demonstrate these ideas.One to one correspondence is the focus at this age. “Let’s count how many times you jump on the trampoline” or “How many spindles are in my hand?” The child and teacher count the spindles together. The child then takes the spindles in her hand to feel how large, or small, that quantity is. Then the child finds the corresponding number in the spindle box and carefully places the spindles in the box. This work allows the child to really see and feel how one is a much smaller number than ten. Holding ten spindles in a small hand can be quite a challenge. What a large number!
Children also use sandpaper numerals with a teacher to trace the numeral giving the child the experience of forming the numeral as well as the name. -
Language
Toddlers experience an explosion of both receptive and expressive Language. The Montessori environment is rich in spoken and printed language to meet the child’s insatiable thirst for words.The youngest children are given words such as “more please” as well as the sign for the word using American Sign Language. This gives the child the ability to communicate with others while verbal language is developing.
The book corner is a popular spot for the children and they love to be read to either by a teacher, an older child visiting from an upper level classroom, or even a classmate who is retelling the story in his own way.
Objects can be found on the shelves for naming or matching. Letter sound booklets are available for the older toddlers to read independently or with a friend. They practice the sound each letter makes (rather than focusing on the name of the letter) and name pictures that begin with that sound.
Children love to dictate their words to be recorded on their drawings. The language work is so enticing to children that they are naturally drawn to it.
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Program Options
Half Day: 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
- Two days: Monday, Tuesday
- Three days: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
- Full week: Monday-Friday
- Extended Day: 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Available for an additional fee for Little House half-day students on the days your child attends his or her regular program.
- Two days: Monday, Tuesday
- Three days: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
- Full week: Monday-Friday
Toledo Campus
Perrysburg Campus
West Side Montessori is an independent, accredited Montessori school educating children 13 months through 8th grade (preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school). We are one of the leading private schools in Toledo and the nation.
WSM does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin, race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability in the administration of its admission policy, educational policy, or any school-administered program.
WSM does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin, race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability in the administration of its admission policy, educational policy, or any school-administered program.