The Children’s House

serving children 3 years old - 6 years old

Children’s House (Ages 3–6)

More than a century ago, Maria Montessori opened the first Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House, in San Lorenzo, Rome. That model still guides Montessori communities around the world today.

At Yucca Learning, we refer to our preschool program as the Children’s House. It is a calm, carefully prepared environment where young children learn through daily routines, meaningful work, and shared community life.

Our mixed-age community for children ages 3 to 6 focuses on developing functional independence, task persistence, and self-regulation. Children are given time and space to choose their work, stay with it, and learn to manage their bodies, emotions, and behavior with growing confidence.

The Children’s House includes hands-on materials that support sensory development, motor coordination, language, and early mathematics. Art, storytelling, music, and imaginative play are part of the rhythm of each day.

Clear expectations and natural consequences help children learn responsibility and respect for themselves, others, and their environment.

The Children’s House is a place where children build skills that support both learning and life.

A child wearing a gray shirt scooping corn kernels from a large metal container with a small shovel, next to a yellow container and red buckets in the background.
Child practicing ribbon tying on a Montessori dressing frame in a classroom setting.
Two young children sitting at a table in a classroom, one playing with colorful building blocks, the other engaging in a practical activity with a tray and container. The classroom is well-lit and organized with educational materials.

“When a grownup thinks of work, he thinks of doing something as a means to an end — spending his days in an office for the sake of a salary — but a child’s work is based on doing things for their own sake.”

Maria Montessori

The Children’s House Full Cycle Experience

Children typically enter the Children’s House between ages 2.5 and 3.5 and remain through their kindergarten year. Over this multi-year cycle, children grow in independence, focus, and responsibility as they become more intentional in their work and relationships.

Each year builds naturally on the one before it. As children gain confidence and familiarity with the environment, their ability to care for themselves, others, and their space deepens.

The final year of the Children’s House is especially important. Older children take on leadership roles—helping younger classmates, modeling care for the environment, and contributing to the life of the community.

Through mentoring others, children strengthen their own understanding and develop genuine confidence and capability—qualities that support future learning.

When children complete the Children’s House, they are well prepared to begin the next chapter, whether that is at Yucca Studios or in a traditional first-grade setting.