Curriculum - Preschool

Preschool students at Hilltop Montessori study practical life skills, sensorial skills, language skills, math, science, and history. After lunch, students are regrouped by age. While many three and four year olds go home at 12 or 1, kindergarten students remain for additional studies.

Click on the links below to access specific objectives for areas of the Preschool Curriculum.

Practical Life Skills in Preschool

Almost half of each preschool environment is devoted to the study of Practical Life skills. The purpose of Practical Life is to provide the child with the opportunity to develop a sense of independence. The teacher prepares the environment in such a way as to entice and excite the child. The child learns basic fundamental activities such as: care of self, grace and courtesy, control of movement, care for the environment, basic nutrition and food preparation, and order. The young child is given the opportunity to be spontaneous while fulfilling his natural curiosities. Through freedom in the classroom, but within the rules of the classroom, the child learns concentration, coordination, and independence. The child also gains self-esteem and self-confidence. This reality-based environment gives the child’s personality a chance to become perfected and integrated.

For specific preschool practical life objectives, click here.

Sensorial Skills in Preschool

The sensorial activities are designed to help the child sort out the many varied impressions perceived by the senses. The sensorial activities are specially designed to develop, order, broaden and refine senses. The activities develop the child’s senses through exercises that gradually build from simple to complex. They give order to the sensory perceptions children experience in their daily lives. The activities teach classification skills and build a critical foundation for higher mathematical operations. All senses are included throughout the range of activities.

For specific preschool sensorial skills objectives, click here.

Purposes of the Sensorial Work: