First School Dayton

In our Montessori classroom, the Number Rods are used when teaching Mathematics. The Montessori Number Rods give children a physical understanding of quantity before they ever see a written numeral. Each rod represents a specific number, and children compare, sequence, and count them by hand. This hands-on introduction to math builds a strong conceptual foundation that supports all future number work.

Give your child a wordless picture book and ask them to tell you the story. This activity builds narrative thinking, sequencing skills, and expressive language without putting pressure on early readers. Picture-based storytelling is a joyful and research-backed way to grow literacy skills all summer long.

Turn everyday moments into letter learning.

Literacy does not have to happen at a desk. Point out letters on cereal boxes, street signs, and store windows during your daily routine. When children see that reading exists everywhere around them, it becomes meaningful and motivating. These small moments add up to big learning gains over the summer.

Summer reading starts now! Did you know that reading together every day helps little ones hold onto everything they've learned and start the new school year ready to shine? We're so excited to kick off our Summer Reading Program for our youngest readers (ages 2–5), and we'd love for your family to join in the fun!

The key to keeping little ones engaged all summer? Books they actually love! Look for titles that match your child's interests, whether that's animals, trucks, fairy tales, or silly characters. Don't worry about it being "too simple." At this age, familiar, repetitive, and fun is exactly right. Reading the same favorite book over and over is not only okay, it builds real early literacy skills! Stay tuned each week for more tips to make this the best reading summer yet!

In our Montessori-inspired classrooms, the Rough and Smooth Boards introduce children to the sense of touch in a structured, intentional way. By running their fingers across different textures, preschoolers develop sensory discrimination skills that lay the groundwork for writing and fine motor control. Every material has a purpose.

When children play house, run a pretend restaurant, or take care of a doll, they are practicing language, problem-solving, and social skills all at once. Dramatic play is one of the most powerful forms of learning in the preschool years. We intentionally design our classroom spaces to support it every day.

One of the beautiful Montessori math materials used in our Montessori classroom at First School is the Number Rods, a set of ten wooden rods that give children a concrete, hands-on understanding of quantity and sequence. By physically handling and comparing rods of different lengths, children build an intuitive sense of number that goes far deeper than memorization. This tactile approach to early math lays a strong foundation for abstract thinking as children grow.