Open House

Mar 14th, 2026 / 10am–12pm Flyer

Wishing you all a joyful and grateful Thanksgiving!

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Children and Gross Motor Development: The Control and Coordination of Movement
Fostering Empathy and Responsibility: The Role of Classroom Pets in Montessori Education
Concentration

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7970 West Lake St.
River Forest, IL 60305

P: 708-834-3099
M: 312-351-0074
info@mosaicmontessori.org

A.M.I Certificate of Recognition: 2023-2024 — AMI Recognition Certificate

Montessori Affiliation

The AMI/USA Board of Directors acknowledges the commitment of Mosaic Montessori Academy for providing a high standard in its Montessori education.

Recognized: Children 0 - 6 years old

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Recent Posts

Children and Gross Motor Development: The Control and Coordination of Movement
Fostering Empathy and Responsibility: The Role of Classroom Pets in Montessori Education
Concentration
Children and the Joy of Giving
Montessori Activities: Sensorial

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Parent-Child Work Day kicked off this week, as the

Parent-Child Work Day kicked off this week, as the children and their parents spend time in their respective classrooms working together. Parents are able to get their hands on materials that their children have been engaging in during the school year, and the children have enjoyed giving their parents “lessons” and showcasing their independence and other skills.

The Lunar New Year, which officially began on Febr

The Lunar New Year, which officially began on February 17 and ended on Feb 27th (https://chinesenewyear.net/), is a special event that involves lessons that extend to the various curricular areas in the Primary environment.
It is tied into our cultural and geography lessons (many countries celebrate in Asia, and people have brought this celebration into the United States and other countries in the world); we learned that this is an occasion to reflect on our attitudes and behaviors towards ourselves and others, that red is a good luck color. The celebration culminates with the Lantern Festival, which celebrates family and other connections. And so, for an art experience, some children made paper lanterns. Our school experience ended with an invitation to the Toddler community for a special snack that consisted of food that have special meaning: sticky rice (wealth), noodles (long life) with stir fried vegetables, egg rolls (abundance), and an orange (success). It was a feast that tickled all our senses!

Handwriting is not presented as a stand-alone acad

Handwriting is not presented as a stand-alone academic task in the Montessori classroom; rather, it develops organically as a result of deliberate work with carefully chosen materials. Activities like pouring, spooning, polishing, sewing, and using tongs in Practical Life help children develop their coordination and build their small hand muscles long before they even pick up a pencil. The hand strength, wrist stability, and controlled movement required for writing are developed through these experiences. In the Sensorial section, objects like geometric puzzles and knobbed cylinders promote lightness of touch and accuracy while also aiding in the development of the pincer grasp and hand-eye coordination. Children develop a muscle memory that supports both letter formation and phonetic awareness when they start to trace Sandpaper Letters, as they associate the shape and sound of each letter with the movement of their hand. A child’s hand has already been readied through purposeful, repeated movement before they start writing with a pencil.

Happy Valentines Day from Mosaic! 🌹 #valentinesday

Happy Valentines Day from Mosaic! 🌹 #valentinesday #mosaic #riverforest

Children continually absorb sensory experiences da

Children continually absorb sensory experiences daily. In the classroom environment, sensory experiences such as visual, tactile, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and kinesthetic are isolated from each other at first, so that each sense is identified, named and described. The isolated experience becomes more pronounced in their developing brains. Then, they begin to distinguish one from the other. As they explore these senses more and more, they begin to internalize these experiences independently of each other and also in combination. These enhance and reinforce any explorations outside of the classroom. It makes for a richer world that comes from deep inside the child that will carry them throughout their lives.

The Toddler Community has been engaging in a varie

The Toddler Community has been engaging in a variety of sensory activities that support sensory and physical development. These experiences allow toddlers to explore their environment through purposeful, hands-on work.
    •    Leaf cleaning supports fine motor development and tactile awareness as toddlers carefully explore the different textures of leaves.
    •    Sand sensory bins promote sensory integration and concentration by allowing toddlers to explore and manipulate natural materials.
    •    Musical instruments develop auditory discrimination and sound awareness through intentional listening and movement.
    •    Blocks of varying sizes support spatial awareness, balance, and problem-solving while strengthening fine motor coordination.
    •    Structure climbing and balance beam work encourage gross motor development, coordination, and confidence in movement.
    •    Water sponging strengthens hand muscles through squeezing and releasing while offering rich sensory feedback through the experience of water.

These activities foster independence, coordination, and concentration, laying a strong foundation for future learning and helping toddlers develop a deeper connection to their surroundings.

MMA invites you to our open house on Saturday, Mar

MMA invites you to our open house on Saturday, March 14, 2026!

In the Primary Environment, mathematics is integra

In the Primary Environment, mathematics is integrated into everyday work rather than confined to a single area. Sensorial activities such as grading, sequencing, and comparing support the development of early math skills by strengthening children’s understanding of number, order, and relationships. Mathematics is also naturally embedded in real-world tasks. For example,
counting beads while making bracelets reinforces one-to-one correspondence and number awareness, while measuring string for sewing introduces concepts of length, precision, and estimation. Through these meaningful, hands-on experiences, children come to view arithmetic as both engaging and relevant to everyday life. #montessori #ami #chicago #riverforest

The Toddler community has been working on practica

The Toddler community has been working on practical life activities. Each activity supports fine motor skills, concentration, and self-care from an early age.
Practical life skill activities help toddlers develop real-life skills through purposeful movement. In the photos the toddlers can be seen working on the listed activity’s below:
-Hand washing
-Mirror cleaning
-Table washing
-Polishing metal
-Watering the plants
Practical Life work contributes to helping toddlers grow into confident, capable, and independent individuals by connecting learning to real life activities.

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