Parent-Child Program · Ages 0–2

Montessori Academy Mommy & Me —
your first step together.

Before they're ready for their own classroom, explore the Montessori prepared environment side by side. Babies and toddlers ages 0–2 and their caregivers — all three LA campuses. No waitlist. No commitment required.

Call to Reserve a Spot What Happens in Class
Ages 0 through 24 months All caregivers welcome — Daddy & Me too No enrollment required to start All 3 LA campuses
Ages 0–24 months
Caregiver participates throughout
75–90 min sessions
Culver City · West Adams · Downey
Smooth path to Toddler program
Parents and toddlers exploring Montessori materials together at Montessori Academy
What Is Mommy & Me

The Montessori environment — discovered together.

Mommy & Me is a guided parent-child exploration session in the authentic Montessori prepared environment. Your baby or toddler discovers the materials, movement activities, songs, and classroom rhythms — with you right there beside them. No separation, no stress.

Maria Montessori believed that the first years of life are the most formative. The Mommy & Me program at Montessori Academy was designed to honor that window: giving infants and young toddlers their first encounter with the prepared environment during the most receptive period of their development, alongside the person they trust most.

  • Sensorial Montessori materials sized for infant and toddler hands
  • Movement and gross motor activities on safe, padded surfaces
  • Daily language immersion songs (Mandarin, Spanish, French, or Tagalog by campus)
  • Caregiver discussion with a Montessori-credentialed teacher
  • A warm, consistent community of like-minded families
Why It Matters

Three reasons Mommy & Me is more than a play class.

This isn't an arts-and-crafts drop-in. It's a deliberate, developmentally-designed introduction to the most effective early childhood education system in the world.

01 Sensitive Period

Ages 0–2 is the most powerful learning window in human life.

Maria Montessori described the first three years as the period of the "absorbent mind" — when children absorb language, movement, and social patterns from their environment with an ease that will never return. Mommy & Me places your infant or toddler inside a rich prepared environment during this exact window, seeding skills in sensorial discrimination, practical life, and language before their first solo day of school.

Absorbent mind window Language acquisition peak Sensorial development Motor skill refinement
The science behind it
02 Community

A caregiver community that lasts long after the class ends.

Parents consistently tell us that Mommy & Me gave them their closest local parent friendships. The sessions are intimate — small groups, real conversation, shared values. Many cohort families form lasting bonds and continue together into the Toddler program.

Small group sessions Peer parent support
Visit the campus
03 Seamless Transition

The easiest school transition your child will ever make.

Children who attend Mommy & Me already know the room, the materials, and the teachers before their first independent day. Research on school readiness shows caregiver-supported previewing dramatically reduces separation anxiety. Parents report their children run to the classroom — they don't cling to the door.

Familiar environment Reduced separation anxiety
Toddler program
A Typical Session

What happens in a Mommy & Me class?

Each 75–90 minute session follows a gentle, consistent rhythm that mirrors the full Montessori classroom experience.

1

0–20 min

Arrival & Free Exploration

Babies and toddlers freely explore the prepared environment — wooden sensorial materials, puzzle maps, sorting activities. Caregivers observe and participate at their child's pace.

2

20–35 min

Circle Time & Language Songs

All families gather for songs in the campus language (Mandarin, Spanish, French, or Tagalog), finger plays, and movement. Babies on laps, toddlers participating actively.

3

35–55 min

Practical Life & Sensorial Work

A teacher-led practical life activity (pouring water, folding, spooning), followed by caregiver-child sensorial work at individual tables. Snack time included.

4

55–90 min

Caregiver Discussion

A Montessori teacher facilitates a brief parent discussion — sleep, development milestones, language at home, school readiness. Children play freely while caregivers connect.

Find Your Campus

Mommy & Me at all three campuses.

Each campus offers Mommy & Me sessions on rotating weekly schedules. Call or email to receive the current calendar.

Culver City

Montessori Academy
Culver City

5881 Green Valley Cir, Culver City CA 90230
(310) 215-3388
Languages in session: Mandarin & Spanish
Serves: Culver City, Playa Vista, Westchester, Marina del Rey, Inglewood, El Segundo
Call for current Mommy & Me session days and availability
Call to reserve Campus info
West Adams

Montessori Academy
West Adams

4449 W. Adams Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90016
(323) 795-0200
Languages in session: Mandarin & Spanish
Serves: West Adams, Leimert Park, Crenshaw, View Park, Mid City, Jefferson Park
Call for current Mommy & Me session days and availability
Call to reserve Campus info
Downey · 3 Languages

Montessori Academy
Downey

7515 Firestone Blvd, Downey CA 90241
(562) 291-2324
Languages in session: Spanish, French & Tagalog
MAOF & CalWORKs accepted for the Toddler/Primary program (not drop-in)
Serves: Downey, South Gate, Bellflower, Norwalk, Paramount, Compton, Whittier
Call to reserve Campus info
What Comes Next

From Mommy & Me to the Toddler program — a natural progression.

Most Mommy & Me families transition their child into the full Montessori Toddler program (ages 2–3) when their child is ready. Because the environment is already familiar, the transition is almost always smooth.

Children who attended Mommy & Me know the room. They know the teachers. They know the rhythm. When the caregiver says goodbye on their first independent day, the child is curious — not afraid.

Toddler Program (Ages 2–3)
1

Attend Mommy & Me sessions (ages 0–2)

Build familiarity with the environment, teachers, and classroom rhythm — together.

2

Express interest in Toddler enrollment

When your child is approaching 2, speak with the campus director about Toddler program availability.

3

Complete enrollment paperwork

$100 registration + $300 deposit. Health records. Most Mommy & Me families skip the full tour since they already know the campus.

4

First independent day — usually seamless

The classroom is familiar. The separation is gentle. Your child walks in — and you breathe.

Parent Voices

What families say about Mommy & Me.

★★★★★

"Mommy & Me at Culver City was the best decision we made when my son was 14 months old. The classroom is so calm and beautiful, and seeing him naturally drawn to the Montessori materials made the transition to the Toddler program completely seamless. He actually knew the room already!"

Yuki Tanaka

Culver City campus · Reviewed October 21, 2025

★★★★★

"I was nervous about going back to work and putting my daughter into daycare. Mommy & Me gave us both a gentle preview. By the time she started the Toddler program at West Adams, separation was a non-issue. I cried more than she did!"

Gabriela Morales

West Adams campus · Reviewed December 9, 2025

★★★★★

"As a dad I wasn't sure what to expect but the teachers called it Daddy & Me without missing a beat. My daughter and I loved every session. It's a genuine community — we still meet with families from our cohort."

James Okonkwo

Downey campus · Reviewed February 14, 2026

FAQ

Your Mommy & Me questions, answered.

Mommy & Me classes at Montessori Academy welcome babies and toddlers from birth through age 2 (24 months). Children who turn 2 during a session often transition directly into the Toddler program at the same campus.
No full enrollment is required. Mommy & Me is a drop-in or session-based program designed to introduce families to the Montessori prepared environment. Many families attend for several months before transitioning their child to the full Toddler or Primary program.
Each session includes free exploration time in the prepared environment (sensorial materials, movement activities), a group circle with songs, a language activity, a practical life component (pouring, folding, simple tasks), and caregiver discussion time with a Montessori teacher. Sessions run approximately 75–90 minutes.
Absolutely. Mommy & Me is a colloquial name — any primary caregiver is equally welcome. Fathers, grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and nannies all participate. Montessori Academy celebrates all family configurations.
Mommy & Me allows the child to explore the same physical prepared environment, meet the teachers, and build familiarity with the classroom rhythms before their first independent day. Research on attachment and school readiness consistently shows that gradual, caregiver-supported introductions dramatically reduce separation anxiety.
MAOF and CalWORKs subsidies apply to the enrolled Toddler and Primary programs, not to the Mommy & Me drop-in sessions. However, attending Mommy & Me is an ideal way for Downey families to preview the MAOF-eligible Toddler program before enrolling.
Session days and times vary by campus and season. Call your preferred campus directly or fill out our contact form and a campus coordinator will send you the current Mommy & Me calendar.
A change of clothes for your baby or toddler, a snack, and a water bottle. Soft-soled or bare feet are encouraged in the classroom. Everything else — Montessori materials, mats, and activities — is provided by the school.
Reserve Your Spot

The most important classroom they'll ever enter — for the first time, with you.

Spots fill quickly. Call your preferred campus today to join the next Mommy & Me session.

Culver City · (310) 215-3388 West Adams · (323) 795-0200 Downey · (562) 291-2324

Next Steps

Toddler Program (2–3) Primary Program (3–6) Language Immersion Why Montessori Works