15 months to 2 years

Orientation

A joyful, nurturing beginning
rooted
in Montessori

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Young child playing with a wooden toy at a table

A Nurturing First Step

Our Orientation program at St. Stephen’s, serving children 15 months – 2 years, is designed to welcome our youngest students into a learning environment crafted just for them.

We support each child’s natural drive to explore, connect, and do things independently—building the confidence and joy that form the foundation of lifelong learning.

Why families choose orientation at St. Stephen’s

  • A peaceful, purposeful start to school
  • Caring teachers who truly 
know your child
  • Meaningful, hands-on learning
  • Foundations for lifelong growth
  • Toilet learning with dignity and care
  • Flexible scheduling: half-day, full-day, and extended care options
  • Conveniently located in Montrose
  • Montessori certified teachers

Inside the Classroom

Independence in Action

Our environment is designed for toddlers to perform everyday tasks on their own. This includes preparing snacks, pouring water, wiping spills, and cleaning up after themselves. These activities foster confidence, coordination, and a sense of responsibility.

Children also care for their personal needs, learning to dress, wash hands, and manage belongings in a space that supports autonomy at every turn.

This is a powerful stage for language development. Teachers use clear, respectful vocabulary and give children space to express themselves. Stories, songs, rhymes, and conversations are woven throughout the day to grow vocabulary and build communication skills.

We also support emerging social skills by modeling and encouraging thoughtful communication between children.

Toddlers build early math skills by engaging with their environment. Rote counting, sorting, matching, and sequencing happen naturally during activities that are joyful and hands-on.

These foundational experiences prepare children for abstract reasoning later on, while supporting concentration, visual discrimination, and problem-solving.

Children refine their five senses by interacting with materials that isolate one specific quality, such as color, texture, or sound. These sensorial experiences help them organize and interpret the world around them and introduce vocabulary for describing what they experience.

This also lays a foundation for more advanced skills in reading, writing, and math.

Movement is essential to toddler development. Our classrooms and outdoor spaces support whole-body play, coordination, and purposeful movement throughout the day.

Children climb, crawl, stretch, balance, and move with intention—developing body awareness, strength, and control.

Toilet learning at our school is tailored to each child’s individual readiness and rhythm. We honor their developmental timing by inviting—never pressuring—them to participate in routines that promote independence and body awareness. Our environment supports consistent, respectful toilet learning that is never forced or rushed.

A consistent daily rhythm helps toddlers feel secure and balanced. Each day includes a scheduled nap time, with soft mats that support restful sleep. Our peaceful environment and familiar routines help children settle in, recharge, and wake up ready to re-engage.