At what age should a child start in a Montessori school?
A. The ideal age is between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2. The child is beginning a new stage of development at around age 3. This is a natural time to separate from the primary caregiver. In addition, the Montessori preschool is optimally a 3 year cycle, with each experience leading to the next and preparing the child for the next. In the third year, or kindergarten year, this foundation culminates with the “explosion” into the academics. Children are seen to learn to read effortlessly and to enjoy more complex math activities, easily learning math facts. They enjoy creating maps of geography or making books about animals. They love learning! The program is also quite beneficial for children who enter later, although the earlier a child begins the better.
