The Pre-Toddler Montessori Experience: Building Curiosity and Confidence

Preparing one to introduce a child to the Montessori world is very early even earlier than the normal age of toddlerhood. This is the pre-toddler stage (between 12 and 18 months), a period of idyll to cultivate independence, concentration and interest in discovery seeds. And under the close Montessori care, with Montessori parenting, your child begins to learn the simple Montessori life skills to be applied throughout his or her life lifespan.

This blog will explore the pre-toddler Montessori experience, the way to create a conducive environment, how you as a parent can assist your child to develop the sense of curiosity and confidence.

Why Start with Pre-Toddlers?

You may ask: Doesn’t Montessori teach preschoolers? As a matter of fact, the formative years are one of the most delicate stages when the essence of life habits, motor coordination and focus are learned. The pre-toddler age is the one when your child:

• Starts to notice cause and effect (e.g. “When I drop, it falls.”)

• Seeks more autonomy (pulling up, walking, letting go)

• Desires to imitate adult actions

• Begins to internalize routine and order

Introducing Montessori concepts now, softly, will contribute to developing a system of independence, interest, and appreciation of a child as a learner.

What Does the Pre-Toddler Montessori Experience Look Like?

1. A Safe, Accessible, and Orderly Environment

• Low shelves or baskets with very few, simple items to touch and explore

• Child-sized accessible furniture (a small table, low stool, soft rug)

• Open space and predictable layout fewer distractions, clear paths for movement

• Deliberate rotation of materials only a few items at once, changed thoughtfully to keep interest

In such an environment, your child can move freely, investigate safely, and build confidence in their ability to navigate space.

2. Hands-on, Real Tools (Scaled for Little Hands)

Even before full coordination, pre-toddlers can begin gentle touches of life tasks:

• Using a small sponge or cloth to wipe spills

• Manipulating open toys or puzzles with large knobs

• Carrying a small cup of water (with supervision)

• Placing objects in and out of containers (nested boxes, simple stacking)

These tools teach control, sequence, and purposeful movement all early Montessori life skills in miniature.

3. Freedom Within Limits & Repetition

• Allow your child to repeat actions freely (e.g. stacking cups, removing lids)

• Offer choice when possible: “Would you like the red block or the blue one?”

• Intervene only when safety is at stake; otherwise, observe and wait

Repetition builds mastery, and choice builds agency. This is central to Montessori parenting, which trusts the child’s innate drive to learn.

4. Encouragement through Observation & Language

• Narrate what your child is doing: “You are stacking the cubes so carefully.”

• Use minimal direct assistance  instead, point or reposition materials subtly

• Celebrate process over product “I notice how steady your hand is” rather than “Great job”

This style supports sustained concentration, internal motivation, and a respectful parent-child relationship.

How to Bring Montessori Values Home in the Pre-Toddler Stage

You don’t need a full classroom to begin. Here are practical steps for a Montessori-inspired home life:

Focus Area	Tips & Strategies
Daily Rhythm & Rituals	Consistent routine gives security. Wake, snack, play, nap in gentle sequence.
Order & Accessibility	Keep clothes in low drawers; place a small basket of toys the child can reach.
Real Responsibility	Give the child a soft cloth to help wipe the table, or a small broom to brush crumbs.
Movement Opportunities	Unstructured floor time, safe climbing surfaces, clear paths for walking.
Reading & Language	Offer simple board books, single-object naming, and frequent gentle conversation.

Each of these tiny choices supports the toddler in seeing themselves as capable contributors to their world.

The Long-Term Benefits: Curiosity, Confidence & Beyond

When nurtured during the pre-toddler years, children often carry forward:

• Intrinsic curiosity  a natural eagerness to explore and learn

• Emotional confidence “I can try, even if I make mistakes”

• Early concentration skills foundation for later abstract learning

• Life habit of independence  the confidence to do small tasks without always waiting for someone’s help

  
  

These attributes mesh beautifully with later classroom Montessori work and with a home built on Montessori parenting and a respectful Montessori environment.