Maple Tree Montessori Salmon Arm

Maple Tree Montessori Salmon Arm Maple Tree Montessori offers Preschool/Kindergarten & Afternoon Care to children aged three to five years.

While fostering a lifelong love of learning, our holistic Montessori curriculum and philosophy nurtures a good beginning that will last forever.

A View Worth Pausing ForYesterday, during a quiet moment in our Infant Toddler classroom, one of our youngest children w...
10/08/2026

A View Worth Pausing For

Yesterday, during a quiet moment in our Infant Toddler classroom, one of our youngest children was sitting peacefully, looking through a book.

She paused, looked up, and became captivated by the view beyond our windows — Shuswap Lake and the mountains stretching out before her.

It was such a lovely moment to witness.

One of the things we treasure about our Montessori environment is the connection to the natural world. With beautiful views, abundant natural light, and the changing seasons just beyond the glass, nature is a constant presence in our classrooms.

Sometimes, the most meaningful moments of the day are the ones we never planned.

A little reminder of just how fortunate we are to learn and grow in this beautiful corner of Salmon Arm. 🍁

New Infant & Toddler Spaces at Maple Tree 🌿We are excited to share that new infant and toddler spaces will be opening at...
09/29/2026

New Infant & Toddler Spaces at Maple Tree 🌿

We are excited to share that new infant and toddler spaces will be opening at Maple Tree Montessori in January 2027.

Our Infant & Toddler program is a carefully prepared environment where children from infancy through the toddler years are supported as they grow, explore and become increasingly independent.

From outdoor play and movement, to caring for living things, exploring nature, discovering new interests and sharing books with friends, each day offers opportunities for meaningful learning through hands-on experiences.

At Maple Tree, we believe these early years are incredibly important. Our environments are designed to give young children the time, space and freedom to develop at their own pace, while being supported by caring educators who understand and respect the needs of each child.

🌱 New spaces opening January 2027
🌱 Infant & Toddler program
🌱 Montessori environment
🌱 A beautiful balance of indoor and outdoor learning

If you have been waiting for a place for your little one at Maple Tree, now is the time to get in touch.

The Work Cycle"A child who has become master of his acts through long and repeated exercises, and who has been encourage...
09/26/2026

The Work Cycle

"A child who has become master of his acts through long and repeated exercises, and who has been encouraged by the pleasant and interesting activities in which he has been engaged, is a child filled with health and joy and remarkable for his calmness and discipline."- Maria Montessori The Discovery of the Child, p. 92

One of the most beautiful things to observe in a Montessori classroom is what happens when a child becomes absorbed in their work.

The child chooses. They begin. They practise. They make mistakes. They try again. Given the time and space to continue, something changes — concentration deepens and the child becomes completely engaged in what they are doing.
This is why the uninterrupted work cycle is so important. Children need time to move beyond simply choosing an activity and into the deeper experience of concentration, repetition, and discovery.

The work itself becomes the motivation.

The great thing about a child saying "I can help" is that it reflects an intrinsic desire to contribute, belong, and car...
09/24/2026

The great thing about a child saying "I can help" is that it reflects an intrinsic desire to contribute, belong, and care for their community.

When children practice acts of kindness, demonstrating respect and empathy, they begin to develop an understanding of the powerful impact of their words and actions.

Through these everyday experiences, they internalize that they are part of a community and that the choices they make can contribute to creating a peaceful environment.

In Montessori through intentional lessons, children learn how to greet others, wait for a turn, listen when someone is speaking, offer help, care for their environment and living things, resolve conflicts assertively, and move thoughtfully around others.

These lessons give children practical life skills for navigating social situations while developing awareness of the people and living things around them.

When we model and guide children into Grace and Courtesy, we are helping the child become a person who can contribute positively to the world.

Movement & Practical Life“Not only are thought and action two parts of the same occurrence, but it is through movement t...
09/04/2026

Movement & Practical Life

“Not only are thought and action two parts of the same occurrence, but it is through movement that the higher life expresses itself.”
— Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p. 141

In Montessori, movement is not separate from learning.

Children develop coordination, concentration, independence, and confidence through purposeful movement. Everyday activities such as preparing food, arranging flowers, sweeping, washing, and caring for the classroom give children opportunities to use their hands with intention while contributing to their environment.

What may look like a simple activity is actually much more. Through purposeful movement, children are developing the skills they need to care for themselves, care for others, and participate in the world around them.

Discovery & Joy“In fact, our little ones have the impression of continually making discoveries in the world about them, ...
08/31/2026

Discovery & Joy

“In fact, our little ones have the impression of continually making discoveries in the world about them, and in this they find the greatest joy.” — Maria Montessori, Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook.

Today we celebrate the birthday of Maria Montessori, whose work continues to influence the way we see children and their capacity to learn.

Dr. Montessori understood that children are naturally driven to explore, discover, and make sense of the world around them. When children are given meaningful work, time to concentrate, and the freedom to follow their curiosity, learning becomes something they actively participate in and build through their own discoveries.

We see this joy of discovery in our classrooms every day — in the moments of concentration and the excitement that comes with making a new discovery.

This week, we’ll be celebrating Maria Montessori’s birthday by sharing some of the ways her philosophy comes to life at Maple Tree Montessori.

Montessori work: building one step at a timeIn a Montessori environment, the materials are the second educator. Maria Mo...
08/29/2026

Montessori work: building one step at a time

In a Montessori environment, the materials are the second educator.

Maria Montessori thoughtfully designed every piece of work to give the opportunity to children to learn with their hands what their mind absorbs. From Practical Life and Sensorial materials to Mathematics, Language, and Culture, each material is a tool for the child to discover the world at their own pace. The repetition, sensorial experience and purpose allow children to master their learning.

Each works is carefully made to help children build concentration, a sense or order, and preparation for the next learning stage.

The Pink Tower is the most iconic. The child carefully carries one cube at a time, compare, explores and build each cube, strengthening coordination, discrimination and preparing the mathematical mind.

Some materials can even be worked together or combined like the Pink Tower and Brown Stairs to develop further skills like comparisons and exploring relationships between different dimensions.

Learning Through Nature 🌿In our Nature-Based Afternoon Program, one of our curriculum classes is Nature Study—an opportu...
08/17/2026

Learning Through Nature 🌿

In our Nature-Based Afternoon Program, one of our curriculum classes is Nature Study—an opportunity for chilWasecaBiomes them through real-life experiences, observation, and hands-on learning.

We encourage children to move from the concrete to the abstract by using their senses, observing nature, asking questions, forming hypotheses, and sharing their ideas and interests. 🌱

We explored the biomes of the world. Children learned what a biome is and why biomes are important, compared different biomes, observed the natural world around them, and connected their new learning to previously explored concepts such as ecosystems and symbiosis.

We used the Waseca Biome Map to explore the different biomes of our world and make connections between the environments, plants, animals, and people that inhabit them. You can see the map in one of the photos from our exploration.

Learning about biomes helps children understand that every living thing has a place and an important role in our shared world. 🌎

🍓 From Garden to Table: A Living Botany Experience 🍓The children experienced the full cycle of growth, care, and transfo...
05/02/2026

🍓 From Garden to Table: A Living Botany Experience 🍓

The children experienced the full cycle of growth, care, and transformation as they tended to strawberries in our garden.

Throughout the season, they observed the plants closely—watering, noticing changes, and watching the small green fruits slowly ripen under the sun. When harvest time arrived, the excitement was quiet but deeply focused: careful hands picked each strawberry with intention and care.

Back inside, the work continued. The children prepared the strawberries for food preparation—washing, slicing, and sharing the fruit together as part of practical life work. This simple act connected the garden directly to nourishment and daily living.

To extend the learning, the children explored a felt puzzle of the strawberry plant, identifying and naming the parts of the plant—roots, leaves, flower, and fruit. They then worked with nomenclature cards, matching images and labels to deepen scientific vocabulary and reinforce the connection between observation and language.

In Montessori education, this is where understanding becomes real:

🌱 the hand, the mind, and the environment working together
🌱 observation turning into knowledge
🌱 care becoming responsibility

What began as a plant in the soil became food on the table—and meaning in the child’s experience.

🍓 Learning is not separate from life. It is life, carefully prepared.

There’s something quietly powerful happening here.A nearly three-year-old child sits with a simple task: steeping tea. N...
04/22/2026

There’s something quietly powerful happening here.

A nearly three-year-old child sits with a simple task: steeping tea. Not pretend play. Real work. Water has been poured, the timer is set, and now comes the part many adults underestimate: waiting. Three minutes. No shortcuts.

In a Montessori environment, this moment is not incidental. It is intentional.

Concentration is not taught through instruction. It is developed through experience. When a child is given purposeful, hands-on work that has a clear beginning, middle, and end, something shifts. Attention deepens. The body stills. The mind organizes itself around the task.

Here, the child is tracking time, resisting the urge to rush, and holding a sequence in mind: steep, wait, pour. These are early executive functioning skills—focus, self-regulation, and working memory, emerging naturally through meaningful activity.

Practical Life work like tea preparation, may appear simple, but it carries layered developmental value:
• Precision of movement (pouring, handling tools carefully)
• Sequencing and order
• Patience and delayed gratification
• Independence and confidence

Most importantly, it builds the child’s capacity to concentrate—arguably one of the most critical foundations for all future learning.

When children are trusted with real tasks, they rise to meet them. And when they are given the time and space to repeat these tasks, concentration strengthens—not through pressure, but through purpose.

This is what high-quality early education looks like: not faster, not louder, not more—but deeper.

Because a child who can concentrate is a child who can learn.

Address

931 12th Street SE
Salmon Arm, BC
V1E2C8

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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