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Toddlers sit along a long table eating a snack while a teacher stands nearby.

TODDLER CARE · 15 MONTHS – 3 YEARS · THREE FAMILY-OWNED SCHOOLS SINCE 1976

Montessori Toddler Daycare in St. Louis

Somewhere between "baby" and "big kid," your toddler is figuring out what their own two hands can do. At North American Montessori, the Toddler Room is built around exactly that: real tasks, real choices, and teachers who know the difference between a want and a need.

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What you can count on

SMALL GROUPS
Younger and older toddlers grouped separately
RATIOS
Low ratios for younger toddlers; 1:8 and 2:16 from age 2
A ROOM THAT MOVES
Built for walking, climbing and choosing, not sitting still

A room built for independence

Our toddlers follow a schedule including meals, outside time, art activities, and Montessori work time, all of which helps them prepare for Preschool. Here's the shape of a day in our Toddler Room.

  1. 01

    Arrival and settling in

    A familiar face and a few minutes to ease into the day.

  2. 02

    Hands-on work time

    Sorting, stacking, dressing frames, and other practical life tasks, chosen and repeated as often as your toddler wants.

  3. 03

    Snack and mealtime

    Breakfast, lunch, and two snacks, served on a consistent daily rhythm.

  4. 04

    Outdoor and gross motor play

    Walking, climbing, running, and balancing, all part of the curriculum, not a break from it.

  5. 05

    Nap

    One consolidated nap, on cots or pack-and-plays, following Missouri's Infant Safe Sleep Policy for younger toddlers still transitioning.

Learn More About the Montessori Method

Five Areas, No Fixed Order

In the Toddler Room, the five Montessori areas show up as everyday tasks your toddler repeats until they've mastered them.

Our 5 Areas Explained
01Practical LifeDressing, hand-washing, real utensils, one repetition at a time.
02SensorialSorting, matching, and the first sense of how things differ.
03LanguageNaming things and asking for them: what reading will rest on.
04MathematicsCounting and sorting: maths long before numbers on a page.
05CultureMusic, songs and circle time: a first shared classroom.

Inside our toddler rooms

Our toddler rooms keep low ratios for younger toddlers, and a 1:8 ratio for older toddlers, with two teachers for a group of up to 16 (2:16), so your child gets real, consistent attention. Rooms separate crawling and cruising toddlers from the running, climbing group to prevent collisions, and are equipped with developmentally appropriate furniture and materials your toddler can use on their own.

Children move into the Toddler Room once they've dropped their morning nap, stopped using bottles, started eating table foods, and are walking, milestones we watch for individually rather than by the calendar.

  1. 15 months – 2 years

    Younger toddlers

    Low ratios, and a room kept separate from the running and climbing group so crawling and cruising children are not knocked over.

  2. walking, talking, choosing

    2 – 3 years

    Older toddlers

    A 1:8 ratio, with two teachers for a group of up to 16 (2:16), and a room built for movement: walking, climbing, running and balancing are the curriculum, not a break from it.

Little Hands, Big Work

Pictures explain a toddler room faster than paragraphs can. Here is what the work actually looks like, across all three schools.

A toddler holds a toy phone to her ear while pulling a wheeled toy.
Hello, who is this?
A toddler moves yellow rubber ducks between two baskets on a tray.
Ducks in a basket
A toddler drops small sticks into a wooden cylinder at a table.
Drop, drop, drop
A toddler in glasses dips a pinecone into orange paint.
Pinecone painting
A toddler in glasses balances apples on cardboard tubes at a table.
Apples on top
A toddler threads pasta onto sticks on an octopus activity board.
Pasta on the pegs

Trust, earned one family at a time

I visited several schools before choosing Casa Dia Montessori. And I wouldn’t send my daughter anywhere else. Her teachers are amazing and the school’s Headmistress is competent, smart, and caring. I feel comfortable leaving my daughter in the staff’s care. And she is learning so much.
Danielle SchabergCrestwood Parent
I am very happy with Casa Dia. The Directress and Teachers always keep us informed of what is going on. My son has Type 1 Diabetes and the staff has been outstanding working with his medical needs. We would recommend Casa to anyone. Thanks for making us so welcome.
Julie KralemannMehlville Parent
Really enjoy the teaching and learning style at CAC. My 2 year old has excelled with her ABCs, drawing, singing and cleaning up. Social interaction is great and she obviously has confidence from what she learns.
Michelle BakerConway Parent
Read all parent reviews

Find Your Nearest School

All three of our schools share the same Montessori philosophy and the same warm, family feel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still wondering about something? Schedule a tour and ask us in person. Bring your child, too.

What ages are in the Toddler Room?

Generally, children who have dropped their morning nap, stopped using bottles, are eating table foods, and are walking.

What are the ratios in your toddler rooms?

Low ratios for younger toddlers. For older toddlers, ages 2 to 3, a 1:8 ratio, with two teachers for a group of up to 16 (2:16).

Do you provide cots or pack-and-plays for naptime?

Yes, and we follow Missouri's Infant Safe Sleep Policy for every nap.

Are meals provided?

Yes, breakfast, lunch, and two snacks daily for every classroom.

Can you accommodate food allergies?

Yes, our schools can accommodate food allergies.

Ready to see it in person?

Schedule a tour at the school closest to you and see a Toddler Room in session.

Schedule a tour Enroll

Full- and part-time options at all three St. Louis locations.