Montessori Kinderopvang Nature House Aruba

It’s time to put on our exploring hats and dive into the vibrant world of Montessori Leaf Activities. These activities aren’t just about keeping our little ones entertained – they’re about cultivating a sense of wonder, discovery and connection with the natural world.

Our beautiful garden allows for many opportunities of leaf study. We often show our children the different types of plants, trees and leaves, let them touch and feel the textures, and point out the various colors and shapes. We then encourage them to collect some leaves and bring them back to class.

From there we start with leaf identification. We have created laminated cards with pictures of different types of leaves. This helps our children to identify and match the leaves they collected during our nature walks in the garden with the pictures on the chart.

Another activity for our leaf study is leaf sorting. Together with the children we have gathered a variety of leaves in different sizes, shapes and colors. We have the children sort the leaves based on these attributes. This helps them develop their observational skills and categorization abilities.

After our studies, we thankfully donate the leaves to our compost bin to later feed our beloved trees and plants.

Are you passionate about early childhood education and Montessori principles? Do you thrive in a nurturing and dynamic environment? Are you in love with Nature? Nature House Daycare is seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Montessori Teachers to join our team! We have part time and full time positions available.

About Us:
Nature House Daycare is a Montessori daycare center located in Aruba. We are committed to providing a nurturing and stimulating environment that fosters children's natural curiosity and love for learning. Our approach is rooted in Montessori principles, emphasizing hands-on learning, self-directed activity, and collaborative play. We have a passion for nature, healthy eating and mindfulness.

Key Responsibilities:
• Plan and implement engaging and developmentally appropriate Montessori activities.
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and respectful classroom environment.
• Observe and assess each child’s individual needs and progress.
• Communicate effectively with parents and caregivers about their child’s development.
• Collaborate with a team of educators to maintain a cohesive and supportive learning community.
• Ensure the safety and well-being of all children at all times.

Qualifications:
• A diploma which allows you to work in a daycare.
• Understanding of Montessori principles and practices, or willingness to learn these.
• VOG, we can help requesting one from the Openbaar Ministerie in Aruba.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Passionate about fostering children’s growth and development.
• Ability to adapt and thrive in a multicultural environment.
• Experience with or interested to learn growing vegetable plants in our green house, nurture, and harvest together with the children.
• Being able to teach children at the age of 1-6 years old in the Dutch language.

Benefits:
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• Pension plan.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Supportive and collaborative work environment, with a self-steering team guided by our experienced coordinators.
• Opportunity to work in a beautiful and inspiring nature setting.
• Happy teachers is happy kids, we provide quarterly holidays to recharge yourself.

How to Apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume, and cover letter to [email protected].

Join us at Nature House Montessori Daycare and make a difference in the lives of young children in Aruba!

Where do we live? Most children at Nature House can answer that question with Aruba. But what makes our island so unique?

With 'Dia di Himno y Bandera' in sight, we took the opportunity to learn more about our beloved island in the Caribbean.

We have been learning about our first inhabitants, about our flag and the meaning of each color. We have been practicing singing along with the anthem, and let’s not forget the ‘baile di sinta’.

Our beautiful island is very important to us and we need to take good care of it. Therefore, we have extended our study this week to also learn about the animals and plants that are so important to Aruba and need to be loved and cherished as well.

The Montessori method emphasizes allowing children to learn through their senses, and the olfactory sense is not left out of the method.

Our sense of smell is controlled by the limbic system and is connected to memory, behavior, and emotion.

It can alert us to danger and help keep us healthy in a number of ways.

Developing the olfactory system supports the child in tolerating different odors in the environment and the child can sort out “good” smells from smells that mean danger such as the smell of smoke or burning.

The first model for children on how to complete a smelling activity is by modeling how to place the spice close to your nose, but not on your nose. Our teachers will describe the smell out loud to children. Then the children can try the activity.

Because of the strong growth of enrollments at Nature House, we are looking for more amazing teachers! Are you available parttime (morning or afternoon), fulltime or as a substitute teacher? Let us know. We are looking forward to meeting you soon!

Care of the environment, including care of plants and animals, is part of the practical life curriculum and an important part of Montessori education. Our littlest friends where practing the names and sounds of different Pets today. Once they are ready for our 2 to 4 year old group they will be involved daily in taking care of the garden and animals at Nature House.

Our digestive system is more complex than most kids imagine. A fun way to help our children visualize it is by using this interesting doll. We used it to explain how food moves from their mouth through their stomach and intestines to the toilet.

Our children have been fascinated, learning more about the human body. We have been feeling the Hard bones under our skin and learned that we use our Lungs for breathing and our brain for thinking.

What would happen if you dont have any bones?🦴 How long can you hold your breath?🫁 Questions that had them use their brains. 🧠

Gardening has many benefits for everyone, both children and adults. While working in the garden, children develop fine motor control and also work larger muscles: gardening uses practically every muscle in the body.

Sensorial lessons are found throughout our oitside area; the children can practice color recognition, identify fragrances, and learn how fresh fruits tastes. Emotionally, gardening reduces stress while cognitively it improves attention and memory. Studies show that gardening increases math and science skills and even boosts standardized test scores. Opportunities for academic development abound in the garden; our children learn new vocabulary, ecological concepts, math skills (counting and probability), and the scientific method.

One of the pleasures of watching a child grow is being shocked out of taking the mundane for granted. The most ordinary things that we seemingly know without thinking and can do without trying, are for the child wondrous, new discoveries and engaging, joyous challenges.

This includes the everyday routines and practices of life: preparing food, dressing oneself, cleaning, habitual courtesies, and more—these are for the child new, maybe daunting, exciting tasks that are visibly part of the human world and that are empowering to master.

One of the hallmarks of the Montessori method is that it takes full advantage of the child’s motivation to learn these things at a very young age. The practical life curriculum in Montessori provides a scope and sequence for these everyday routines and practices. And exactly like the other, more academic areas in the Montessori classroom, the Montessori approach offers a pedagogy that elevates and empowers the child in her pursuit of these skills.

Practical life at Zonnekind are purposeful activities that develops motor control and coordination, independence, concentration, and a sense of responsibility.