During my Infant and Toddler Montessori training, I encountered a phrase that at the time felt a little silly, but which has become an anthem of truth in the classroom for me. While discussing transitions for the toddler age, an instructor introduced the concept they called ‘Toddler Time,’ referring to the extra time it takes for a toddler in the Montessori classroom to complete a task independently. The concept was mentioned in a humorous way, but it has since become a personal mantra, reminding me that, in the birth to age three group, slowing down to meet the pace of the infant and/or toddler is crucial.
As informed Montessori adults, we study the method and apply it to our practice in the environment. However, are we missing the small moments that lead to bigger advances in development because we are not slowing down to observe and allow for the ‘small sparks’ that occur day to day?
In The Secret of Childhood, Montessori referred to the first three years of life as the period of the spiritual embryo. During this time, the child engages in the enormous tasks of constructing the self and working toward independence. For the construction to be successful, the child is provided an environment designed to create opportunities to foster their development. These opportunities for small sparks during this period support the foundational development of the child’s independence and learning.
As Montessori-informed adults, we are also aware that, during the spiritual embryo period, the child absorbs their environment in its totality. Within the environment, there are a multitude of opportunities to spark curiosity in the child. The Montessori adult must take care to set up the environment to encourage these little sparks, including the incorporation of ‘Toddler Time.’
Over the course of the period of the spiritual embryo, the child will experience critical sensitive periods that will serve to guide them during the construction of the self. A sensitive period is a temporary phase early in development when an individual is especially receptive to learning a specific skill or trait; once that learning occurs, the heightened sensitivity fades. In these sensitive periods, the child will experience many small moments that hold the potential to propel their development and independence.
‘Growing is a succession of acquisitions of independence. At first, they are physical acquisitions – teeth, walking, language – each comes at the right time if the child is allowed to live naturally, for nature has assigned a definite order for these acquisitions.’
(Montessori, 2012)
During the infant and toddler ages of development, these sensitive periods can be manifested in the smallest movements, behaviors, or other indicators that can be overlooked by the adult if not given due consideration. Purposeful observation of the child helps the Montessori adult determine how to foster these sparks of curiosity.
Take the infant who consistently pulls themself into the standing position during meal times. A caregiver may find this behavior disruptive, but a Montessori adult recognizes it as the child’s sensitive period for gross motor, specifically refining the skill of standing. If the caregiver does not slow down to meet the pace of the child, they may rush through this interaction in an effort to complete the feeding efficiently, but they would miss the opportunity to allow the child to fulfill the task during this critical period.
As the infant and/or toddler moves through this early development, they experience a series of developmental stages that, while they may seem like tiny moments, comprise the foundation of the child’s educational journey and their understanding of the world around them. These moments add up to an explosion of understanding which, if fostered with intention, can lead to independence in the child’s construction of the self. The Montessori adult must capitalize on these moments to help guide the child in the construction of the self. The smallest sparks in the infant and toddler lead to the leaps in the development of the whole child. Don’t miss them in an effort to rush ‘Toddler Time.’
Works Cited
Montessori, Maria. “The Psychology of the Newborn.” The 1946 London Lectures, Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company, 2012, pp. 108–108.