What are the opening hours?

Monday 07:45 - 12:30 Tuesday 07:45 - 12:30 Wednesday 07:45 - 12:30 Thursday 07:45 - 12:30 Friday 07:45 - 12:30

Stellenbosch Montessori Pre School

Home
South Africa
Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch Montessori Pre School

Montessori Pre School in Stellenbosch

24/09/2026

Heritage Day — Celebrating Where We Come From

Heritage Day is about so much more than a braai, a sports team or the colours we wear.

For a young child, heritage begins much closer to home.

It is the language spoken around the dinner table.
The food prepared by a grandparent.
A family photograph tucked away in an album.
A song, a story or a saying passed from one generation to the next.
It is the places our families come from, the traditions we keep, and the people whose stories have become part of our own.

In Montessori education, we begin with the child and gradually open the door to the wider world. Before children can truly appreciate the richness of other cultures, they first need a sense of their own identity and belonging.

Throughout this week, our children have explored heritage through stories, conversations, pictures and hands-on work. They have learnt about the things that make each family unique, while also discovering the things we share.

One of our favourite projects was our collaborative South African flag — many little hands, each contributing a part to create something together. A rather lovely reflection of our country itself.

South Africa is home to an extraordinary variety of languages, cultures, traditions and family histories. Heritage Day gives us an opportunity not only to celebrate our own, but also to become curious about and respectful of the heritage of others.

There is no single way to “look South African”. Our collective heritage is made richer by the many individual stories within it.

So this Heritage Day, perhaps ask your child:

Where does our family come from?
What traditions do we have?
What did Ouma and Oupa do when they were little?
What foods, songs, stories or celebrations belong to our family?
What would we like our children to carry forward one day?

Because heritage is not only about remembering the past.

It is also about helping our children understand where they belong — and giving them something meaningful to carry into the future.

Happy Heritage Day from Stellenbosch Montessori.

22/09/2026

Children don’t always need to be entertained — they need to be included.

There is so much learning, connection and belonging in the ordinary moments of everyday life. Invite them in. Let them help. Let them work alongside you.

Beautiful reminder from The Peaceful Parent, Lisa Smith.

12/09/2026

Kindness, Grace and Courtesy

In Montessori, Grace and Courtesy is something we consciously teach our children. We show them how to speak respectfully, how to listen, how to offer help, how to disagree kindly, and how to move through a community with consideration for others.

But perhaps it is worth remembering that these lessons are not only for children.

As adults, we too need reminders to be patient with one another. To listen before we react. To choose our words carefully. To extend a little grace when someone is having a difficult day.

We rarely know the full journey another person is walking. The colleague who seems distracted, the parent who is unusually quiet, the person who responds more sharply than usual — there may be far more happening beneath the surface than we can see.

Kindness does not mean that we cannot disagree, set boundaries or have difficult conversations. It simply asks that we do so with dignity and respect.

Our children learn Grace and Courtesy not only from the lessons we present, but from watching how the adults around them treat one another.

Perhaps that is the most important lesson of all.

Be kind. You never really know what someone else may be carrying.

Inspired by Montessori Centre South Africa, whose original post and image are shared with permission.

08/09/2026

Freedom does not mean doing whatever we like

One of the cornerstones of Montessori education is freedom within limits.

We give children freedom—not because there are no boundaries, but because they need opportunities to learn how to act independently within those boundaries.

From a very young age, children have a strong desire to do things for themselves: to feed themselves, pour their own water, choose their work, dress themselves, carry something carefully, tidy up after themselves and solve small problems without an adult immediately stepping in.

It can be tempting to help because it is quicker, cleaner or easier. But every time we allow a child the time and space to try, we are quietly saying:

“I trust that you are capable.”

And with each small success comes greater confidence, coordination, responsibility and independence.

Montessori freedom is therefore not the absence of guidance. It is carefully prepared freedom that gradually allows the child to need us less.

As Maria Montessori so beautifully expressed it:

“Liberty is not to be free to do anything one likes; it is to be able to act without help.”

Sometimes the greatest help we can give a child is simply enough time to do it themselves.

Image credit: MontessoriTraining.net

04/09/2026

Being present also means knowing how to listen

Last week we shared some thoughts about being present with our children.

But being present is about more than putting down our phones, spending time together, or being physically available. It is also about how we listen when our children come to us — particularly when they are upset, angry, disappointed or frustrated.

A child does not always need us to fix the problem.

Sometimes they simply need to know that we have heard them.

“That sounds frustrating.”
“I can see that you are angry.”
“Oh… I understand.”

These are such simple words, but they communicate something very important:

Your feelings matter. I am listening. You are safe to tell me how you feel.

This resonates so strongly with Montessori, where respect for the child is at the heart of what we do. We try not to dismiss feelings, shame children for having them, or immediately rush in with adult solutions. Instead, we help children recognise and name what they are feeling and, eventually, learn how to respond appropriately.

And perhaps one of the most important reminders from How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk is this:

All feelings are acceptable — but not all actions are.

A child may be angry. They may be disappointed. They may even be furious with a sibling or friend. Our role is not to tell them that they shouldn’t feel that way, but to help them learn what they can do with that feeling.

That is where emotional regulation, empathy and self-discipline begin — not through forced compliance, but through being understood, guided and treated with respect.

I recently came across these lovely reminders on a friend’s Instagram page, shared here with her permission, and thought they followed beautifully from our post last week.

Because sometimes being present is simply being quiet enough to really hear what a child is trying to tell us.

Ideas and excerpts based on How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

21/08/2026

“We give the child nourishing food so that his little body may grow, and in just the same way we must provide him with suitable nourishment for his mental and moral growth.”
— Maria Montessori

The Surprising Benefits of Montessori Snack Time

Snack time in a Montessori environment is more than simply a break for food. It is a purposeful part of the prepared environment that supports a child’s growing independence, social development, and self-awareness.

Within the Montessori classroom, the snack area offers children the opportunity to practise important practical life skills. Children learn to prepare their own snack, pour water, clean up after themselves, and return materials to their proper place. These small, meaningful tasks help develop coordination, responsibility, and confidence.

Snack time also encourages independence and decision-making. Rather than being told when to eat, children learn to recognise their own hunger cues and choose an appropriate time to have their snack within the work cycle. This helps them begin to listen to their bodies and regulate their own needs.

Equally important is the opportunity to practise grace and courtesy. Children learn to wait their turn, invite a friend to join them, use polite language, and share a peaceful moment together. These interactions help build respect for others and a sense of community within the classroom.

From the Early Childhood environment through the Lower and Upper Elementary levels, the snack area remains an important part of the prepared environment. It supports the child’s natural development by combining nourishment with meaningful activity, independence, and social learning.

In Montessori education, even the simplest daily routines become opportunities for growth — nurturing not only the child’s body, but also their mind and character.

17/08/2026

While knowledge is what we know, imagination opens endless possibilities. 🌍

✨ Read about myths about the uncreative child here: https://neurochild.com/library/the-myth-of-the-uncreative-child/

14/08/2026

Nurturing a Love for Music in the Early Years

Maria Montessori observed that young children pass through a sensitive period for music development between the ages of 2 and 6. During this time, they are naturally drawn to rhythm, sound, and movement, making it an ideal opportunity to nurture a lifelong appreciation for music.

In the Montessori environment, musical experiences are woven into the child’s day through action songs, movement and dance, playing simple instruments, and exploring tone and pitch with the Montessori bells.

Engaging with music in these early years offers far-reaching benefits. It supports the development of mathematical and language skills, refines the senses, enhances concentration, and contributes to a positive emotional state. Most importantly, it nurtures confidence, creativity, and a deep appreciation for the arts.

10/08/2026

The Montessori world and continent Puzzle Maps are tactile geography materials that offer children a beautiful, hands-on way to discover and connect with the world around them.

Through purposeful exploration, children are given the opportunity to learn about physical and cultural geography while developing important skills along the way.

Some of the benefits include:

• Strengthening the connection between the hand and the mind
• Developing independence and confidence through hands-on learning
• Fostering an appreciation and respect for different cultures and communities
• Refining concentration, focus, and coordination
• Learning the names and locations of countries, continents, oceans, and other geographical features

In the Montessori environment, geography is more than learning names and places. It is an invitation to explore, wonder, and develop a deeper understanding of the world and our place within it.

With each carefully placed puzzle piece, children are building knowledge, independence, and a sense of connection to the world around them.

09/08/2026

Today we celebrate Dr. Maria Montessori’s legacy and honour every mother, educator, and woman in our community who prepares the environment for our children to blossom into confident, capable human beings.

Happy Women's Day!

Address

41 Paradyskloof Road, Paradyskloof
Stellenbosch
7600

Opening Hours

Monday	07:45 - 12:30
Tuesday	07:45 - 12:30
Wednesday	07:45 - 12:30
Thursday	07:45 - 12:30
Friday	07:45 - 12:30

Telephone

+27218800198

Website

http://Stellenbosch-montessori.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Stellenbosch Montessori Pre School posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Stellenbosch Montessori Pre School:

Want your school to be the top-listed school/college in Stellenbosch?