Mommy & Me Classes in Downey

Mommy & Me at Montessori Academy Downey

The Mommy & Me program at Montessori Academy Downey is designed for children ages 18 months to 3 years and their primary caregiver. It is not a drop-off class — parents and caregivers stay and participate alongside their child for the full session. This co-participation model is deliberate: at 18 months to 2 years, a child's sense of security is their primary learning tool. When the primary attachment figure is present and engaged, the child feels safe enough to explore, concentrate, and absorb the prepared environment without anxiety.

Each Mommy & Me session follows the Montessori structure: a short welcome song, free choice time with the practical life and sensorial materials, a language activity, and a closing song or movement break. Teachers from our Toddler Program lead the sessions. Parents observe Montessori principles in action — including the adult's role of offering assistance without intervening, and allowing children to make attempts and work through frustration independently.

The Downey Mommy & Me class introduces children to the trilingual environment of the campus — Spanish, French, and Tagalog are woven into the session. Families considering the Toddler Program can observe how language immersion actually feels during a live Montessori session.

Families who attend Mommy & Me regularly find the transition to the full Toddler Program significantly smoother. The child already knows the classroom, the materials, and the teachers. The caregiver already understands the Montessori philosophy. The emotional adjustment that can make the first weeks of preschool difficult for both child and parent is largely resolved before enrollment begins.