Time and the Young Child
History is a part of a pre-school curriculum that is easy to gloss over. But it is all around us in the stories we tell. With a little bit of intention in how we approach…
Gardening is Fun and Dirty
Our playground is more than just a place to relax and unwind. While we definitely run and dance and play, several curricula intersect here. This unstructured time is central to Social Emotional Learning. Here we…
What is MLK’s message for young children?
During these first two weeks of 2026 we have been discussing Martin Luther King, Jr.’s messages, focusing on his words of love, kindness and friendship. Children under age 6 are known for their concrete thinking.…
Young Children and the Holiday Season
We regularly speak about the importance of consistency in the lives of young children. From school drop-off to lunchtime procedures to bedtime, routines help kids find comfort and a sense of place in our busy…
Life gets busy? Stop and Smell the Flowers
At the end of his very, very busy day off Ferris Bueller reminds us that "life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." For…
The Child on the Move
Watch a young child for a few minutes and it becomes obvious that they are explorers. A young child is a very social person. They observe. They explore. They ask "Why?" They try out everything…
The Instruments of Intelligence
Every August, after weeks of preparation by our wonderful teachers, we welcome returning students back to school. They return to a classroom with many of the materials they know well from last year, and some…
Creating tomorrow’s leaders
"The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six." --Maria Montessori As we head into the heat of…
Learning from our Mistakes
Academics at all levels have researched how we learn. There are myriad pedagogies that we won’t get into here. (It probably goes without saying but we like Montessori best!) One aspect within the question of…
Love for our Outdoors
Anyone who has spent a little time at HMS, or with Khuloud, Rick or any of our teachers, understands of our love of the outdoors. This is not just about our camping trips or games…
Our Sensorial Shelves
If you've ever seen a two-year-old work her way around a room and pick up nearly every item within reach, then you know the appeal that simple objects have to a young child. Everyday items…
Embracing Holidays
We are now two weeks past Halloween and two weeks until Thanksgiving. While October in Austin is a busy time with ACL Festival, Formula 1 and Halloween (and we usually spice up the month with…