In short
- In Montessori there is no "class with the teacher at 10:00" for the whole group — the child chooses their own work from the prepared environment.
- Five areas: practical life, sensorial, language, mathematics and culture (geography, biology, art).
- At our place these are joined by English and French, plus support from a psychologist and speech therapist — included in tuition.
- We run activities for children from Białołęka: Tarchomin, Nowodwory, Choszczówka, and neighbouring Targówek and Bródno.
Parents looking for “activities for a preschooler in Białołęka” often picture a timetable: Monday rhythmics, Tuesday English, Wednesday art. In Montessori it works differently — and that difference is the essence of the method. Instead of leading the whole group through the same task at the same time, we prepare an environment in which the child chooses their own work and returns to it for as long as they need. Here is what the child concretely does at our place.
What “work” instead of “classes” looks like
The day has a steady rhythm, but at its centre there is a long, uninterrupted block of independent work. The child goes to the shelf, chooses an activity they already know or that the teacher has shown them before, works at a table or on a mat, and then puts everything back in its place. The teacher does not stand at the front — they observe and, at the right moment, show the child the next step. What such a day looks like from arrival to departure is described here: How to choose a Montessori preschool in Warsaw.
Work in Montessori is divided into five areas.
1. Practical life
This is where the youngest child begins. These are activities that look ordinary but build concentration, coordination and independence: pouring water, transferring, buttoning, cutting a banana, sweeping, caring for a plant. In our classroom one-year-olds pour their own water from a glass jug. This is not “helping the teacher” — it is the foundation on which everything else stands.
2. Sensorial
Sensorial materials help the child organise what they take in through their senses: size, shape, colour, texture, sound, weight. The classic pink tower, brown stairs, cylinders — all designed so the child sees for themselves when they have done something differently and corrects themselves, without an adult’s judgement. More about what these materials are and why they are made of wood, metal and glass: The complete Montessori method guide.
3. Language
Speech development, vocabulary, preparing the hand for writing (through concrete materials, not worksheets), first letters recognised by touch. The child gets to know language through multiple senses and at their own pace — and the sensitive period for language at this age is so strong that the results can surprise a parent.
4. Mathematics
Numbers begin with things you can hold: beads, spindles, blocks. The child first feels quantity before they see the digit. As a result, mathematics is not an abstraction to be crammed, but something concrete and understandable.
5. Culture — geography, biology, art
This is a window onto the world: globes, maps, the life cycle of a plant and an animal, the seasons, music and art. This area feeds a preschooler’s natural curiosity and shows them that they are part of a larger whole.
What we add
Beyond the five Montessori areas, in our preschool the child has contact with English and French and, where needed, support from a speech therapist and psychologist — with no extra fees. This is not "extra activities on the side", but a natural part of the day.
Why this model works better than a timetable of classes
Because it respects how a child really learns: through repetition, in concentration, when they are ready for it. A child who has chosen their own work and seen it through to the end learns something more than content — they learn that they are capable. How this independence translates into later school readiness is discussed here: How to choose a Montessori preschool in Warsaw.
We invite you to Białołęka
We run a nursery (ages 1–2.5) and a preschool (ages 2.5–6) at ul. Małej Brzozy 12 — for children from Tarchomin, Nowodwory, Choszczówka and neighbouring Targówek and Bródno. The best way to understand what our activities look like is to see the children at work in person. Book a visit or take a look at our nursery and preschool pages.