One of the most significant differences in a Montessori classroom is that children ages 2.5-6 are grouped together in one environment. Because of this age mixture, the children are exposed to many advanced activities that might not be available in a classroom with same-age children. The younger children watch the older children and get excited about the activities others are working with, and want to challenge themselves to continue progressing so they, too, can work with these more advanced materials. The older children take great pride in taking the leadership role in the classroom, often helping the younger children with activities and helping them learn something in a new way. The interaction among the age groups is an integral part of the Montessori experience, as all are interacting with each other and learning from one other.

A second unique difference in the Montessori classroom is the type of materials available to the children. The children do not use dress-ups, dolls, or play with toys that they have at home. Instead, during the hours they are at school, they have an opportunity to work with developmentally appropriate, hands-on materials that are not found in traditional schools or in the children’s home. Many of these materials were designed by Dr. Maria Montessori herself.

Each classroom is set up with specific areas, which include: Practical Life (fosters development of concentration, coordination, fine-motor control, and independence); Sensorial (fosters and refines the senses through materials that engage the children’s visual, auditory, and sensory touch skills); Language (begins with pre-reading and pre-writing through advanced writing and leveled book reading); Math (materials begin with early counting and number recognition work and progress through addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division); Science (materials allow the children to experiment with basic science principles, as well as in-depth studies of weather and changes in nature); Geography (the children learn about the seven continents, and study a continent or two each year, learning the culture of the countries within the continent), and Art (a wide variety of art media is used throughout the year).