A Montessori Toddler Program in Plano
for Ages 18 Months to Three.
Language, independence and a will of their own arrive all at once between 18 and 36 months. Our toddler classrooms on Gratitude Trail are built for exactly that — real work at child height, a small group, and a guide who knows your child's rhythm.
Toddler openings right now
Ages 18–36 months · 6:1 ratioWhat a Toddler Classroom Has to Get Right
A toddler is not a small preschooler. This is a separate developmental job, and the room, the materials and the adults all have to be built for it.
Practical Life, Not Pretend Play
Pouring their own water, carrying a tray without spilling, buttoning a coat, wiping a table. Real work with real consequences is how a toddler builds concentration — a plastic kitchen cannot do it.
The Language Explosion
Between 18 and 36 months vocabulary goes from a handful of words to hundreds. Guides name everything precisely, read and sing every day, and give a child the whole sentence back rather than correcting the half-sentence.
Toilet Learning, Supported
Toilet learning belongs in the toddler years, so it is part of the curriculum here rather than a condition of entry. Child-height bathroom, clothes a toddler can manage alone, and the same approach you are using at home.
Separation and Settling In
Some separation anxiety is normal. A short, consistent goodbye helps, and most children settle within minutes of their parent’s departure. You are welcome to call for an update after drop-off, and daily updates with photos come through our communication platform.
A Small Group, on Purpose
A 6:1 ratio means an adult can follow one child's sleep, appetite and mood instead of moving the whole room on a bell. It is the single thing that makes everything else on this page possible.
Order, Movement, Repetition
Toddlers steady themselves with order: the same shelf, the same sequence, the same song before lunch. Materials sit at child height so movement and choice are built into the room, not granted by an adult.
Still comparing? We have set out how a Montessori toddler room differs from a conventional daycare, and when families tour and when toddler seats come free.
What a Toddler Day Looks Like Here
Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The order never changes, which is precisely why a toddler can relax into it.
- 7:00 AMArrivalCoat on its own hook, bag in its own cubby. The day starts with something your child can do alone.
- 7:30 AMMorning work cyclePouring, spooning, sorting, buttoning — chosen by the child and repeated as many times as they like.
- 9:00 AMMontessori work cycleThe long, uninterrupted stretch: sensorial materials, language work and practical life with individual presentations.
- 10:30 AMOutdoorsClimbing, digging, running. Gross motor development is not an extra at this age — it is the main event.
- 11:30 AMCircleSongs, stories and turn-taking. Short, because eighteen-month attention is short.
- 12:00 PMLunch togetherServed family-style. Children set their own place, serve themselves and clear afterwards.
- 12:30 PMRestNap for the children who need one, quiet books and puzzles for those who have outgrown it.
- 2:30 PMAfternoon workArt, sensory work and second helpings of the morning favorites.
- 4:00 – 6:00 PMExtended dayRelaxed play and stories as families arrive. The day’s activities, meals, naps and learning reach you in the daily update.
Catered lunch is available for $80 a month, billed separately from tuition, or your child can bring lunch from home. The school provides a morning and an afternoon snack, and Meridian is a nut-free campus.
Six Children to One Adult
A toddler room lives or dies on the ratio. At six to one, a guide can take one child to the bathroom without the room unravelling, can sit on the floor for ten minutes while a child works a puzzle for the twentieth time, and can notice on a Tuesday that a child has started pointing at words.
Every guide who leads a Meridian classroom is Montessori-trained.
- Toddler ratio
- 6:1
- One adult to six children
- Age range
- 18–36 mo
- Three toddler classrooms
- Hours
- 7–6
- Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Campus
- Nut-free
- 8565 Gratitude Trail, Plano, TX 75024
Montessori Toddler Program FAQs
What age does the Montessori toddler program in Plano start?
Our Toddler program is for children 18 to 36 months. Children move up from our Infant classroom or join from home or another school at any point in that window.
What is the toddler classroom ratio at Meridian Montessori?
Toddler classrooms run a 6:1 ratio — one adult for every six children. Every guide who leads a Meridian classroom is Montessori-trained. Small groups are what let a guide follow one child's sleep, language and toileting rhythm instead of running the whole room on a single schedule.
Does the toddler program help with toilet learning?
Yes. Toilet learning is part of the toddler curriculum, not a prerequisite for it. Children wear clothing they can manage themselves, the bathroom is child-height and part of the classroom, and we follow your child in step with what you are doing at home. Children moving up to our Primary program at three are expected to be toilet trained by then.
How long does it take a toddler to settle in?
Some separation anxiety is normal and expected, and most children settle within minutes of their parent’s departure. A short, consistent goodbye routine helps, and so does not lingering once you have said it. You are welcome to call the school for an update after drop-off, and daily updates with photos and notes from the classroom come through our communication platform.
Are meals included in the toddler program?
Catered lunch is optional at $80 a month, billed separately from tuition — or send lunch from home. Snacks are provided, and Meridian is a nut-free campus.
Do you have toddler openings in Plano right now?
Openings change through the year, and our Toddler classrooms are where seats most often come free as children move up to Primary. The openings shown on this page are read from our own enrollment records rather than a brochure, and a tour is the fastest way to confirm a start date for your child.
Where is your Montessori toddler program in Plano located?
Meridian Montessori is at 8565 Gratitude Trail, Plano, TX 75024, in West Plano near Legacy West and minutes from Frisco and The Colony. Call (214) 856-6337 to arrange a visit.
Book a Toddler Tour
A tour takes about 30 minutes. Book a morning slot if your schedule allows, and you will see the classroom while the children are at work.