Primary Daily Routine & Programs

The morning program is an integral part of our school. Arrival for the morning program begins at 8am. During the arrival period children will have time to ease into their day by greeting their friends and teachers, hanging up their belongings in their own personal cubby, changing into their indoor shoes, and then beginning on the work cycle.

The “work cycle” is a term we use in Montessori that refers to the time of the day where children freely engage with their environment and all that it has to provide.

At Philly Montessori, we implement a three hour uninterrupted work cycle, because we understand that young children simply do not enjoy multiple transitions, or being interrupted from their work and play. As a one-classroom school, during this work cycle children will have complete access to our beautiful campus including: a fully equipped Montessori classroom, an outdoor garden, an art studio, and indoor play gym.

During the work cycle your child might be engaged in a number of self-directed, or teacher led activities such as: preparing a healthy snack to enjoy with a friend, receiving a lesson in a group or individually with a teacher, choosing from any number of hands on learning activities in the classroom, circle time, story time, gardening, creating a painting in the class garden, or simply engaging in some conversation with a friend in the cozy corner.

Following the work cycle, our class will enjoy a period of gross motor play, either in a nearby park, or in our indoor gym. After free playtime, the children will gather together for group yoga, meditative, and mindfulness exercises that will prepare their minds and bodies for a peaceful and productive afternoon.

The morning program is further enriched with weekly music, movement, and foreign language classes. Attending the morning program for five days a week is required for all Philly Montessori students.

Following the morning work cycle, and gross motor play, children in the Full Day Program our class will begin to set up our tables for a community lunch. This is a collaborative process that has many meaningful layers: wiping tables clean, setting place settings, reciting a poem of thanks, and finally engaging in conversations, stories, and laughs while eating a delicious and healthy lunch together. After lunch, each child is responsible for washing his or her own dishes, and cleaning up their lunch space. Then, children will either enjoy a quiet rest time, or begin a second work cycle. The second work cycle is a quieter time of the day; wherein, children engage in individual activities or have more personalized time with their teachers.

The second work cycle also allows time for our Kindergarten aged children to extend their morning learning through in depth studies, advanced lessons, field trips, and group activities.

Our Extended Day Program is unique in that children are led by a Montessori Certified teacher for the entire day– creating an All Day Montessori Experience. During the extended day program, children are offered a wide range of activities including, collaborative STEAM activities, Sensory Art, Cooking, and Yoga. Our extended day children often take field trips to places around our neighborhood such as the library, playground, and local attractions. They also enjoy time to play in our indoor gym, garden in our garden, and spend time working and playing with their classmates and teachers in the classroom.