Hopscotch Montessori School

Terrarium Creation

Last week's theme was the Nature of our city — the green spaces, the hidden gardens, and the natural rhythms that make urban life so unique. With that in mind, we focused on the new vocabulary words such as biome, plants, soil, and more, giving the children a new lens through which to see the world around them.

So, during circle time in both the AM and PM sessions, our friends made their own terrarium! They took turns spooning in the different layers — mulch, rocks, and soil. Each layer was added with care and concentration, and the children watched with wonder as the terrarium slowly came together. Next, we added succulents and moss as the top layer, and suddenly our little ecosystem felt alive 🌿☀

We also found the perfect spot on our sunny windowsill, where the terrarium can soak up the light, and we look forward to taking good care of it in the weeks ahead.

It was a beautiful start to our summer together! 💛

🌹 What a way to close the year.

Our End of Year Celebration brought families, children, and teachers together for a morning full of warmth, joy, and a few happy tears. Each classroom hosted its own special Rose Ceremony — teachers met with every family personally, presenting diplomas and tote bags filled with goodies to mark this milestone moment. Tiny graduation caps, proud smiles, and the kind of energy that only comes from a room full of people who genuinely love each other.

Then came the potluck — tables full of food that families brought from home, laughter filling every corner, children dancing and playing while parents connected one last time before summer break.

Thank you for an extraordinary year. Thank you for trusting us with your children, showing up, and making Hopscotch the place it is.💛

We had a fun trip to the Prospect Park Zoo, where we ventured all the way into Brooklyn!

Our friends had a wonderful time exploring the animals along the Discovery Trail, walking from exhibit to exhibit with curiosity and excitement. They stopped to watch the animals, asked thoughtful questions, and shared their observations with each other.

As we took turns sharing our favorite parts of the trip, it was clear that everyone had a great time — riding the bus with their friends, climbing the giant spider web and saying hello to the loud peacocks.

Everyone absolutely loved exploring a new zoo together, and we are already looking forward to our next trip! 🚌

The Montessori work cycle is one of the most essential elements for school preparation. It is a dedicated, uninterrupted period of work where children are free to choose activities that capture their interest. This extended focus allows them to experience the satisfaction of completing a task on their own, strengthening self-confidence and internal motivation.

The work cycle also builds concentration, independence, problem-solving skills, and social confidence — abilities that form the foundation for a successful transition to school.

Occurring daily, such activities create a predictable and comforting rhythm within future classrooms. Children feel secure, develop a sense of order and responsibility, and learn to manage frustration, persevere through challenges, and experience joy in learning at their own pace.

Our visit to the fire station 🚒

Last week, the firefighters welcomed us with warm smiles and showed us what their job is really about — helping people, staying brave, and working as a team. The children listened carefully and asked thoughtful questions.

Our students especially loved sitting inside the fire truck and even getting a chance to spray the fire hose.

Back in the classroom, the excitement didn't stay behind at the station. It was such a special experience and sparked lots of conversation and joy. Thank you to our brave firefighters for opening the doors and inspiring our little learners!

Our students group took their learning outside last week and turned it into a little adventure. While enjoying their time on the playground, the children went on a mission to find sticks — starting with small ones and slowly discovering bigger twigs along the way.

Back inside, we colored the five stages of the butterfly’s life: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, emerging butterfly, and butterfly. Each child carefully cut out the stages and arranged them on a large poster. They got to choose their own sticks to hang the chrysalis, making their work both creative and personal 🦋✨

Lastly, some of our friends independently wrote the names of each stage, while others traced the letters!

These past few weeks, our children have been busy creating, exploring, and discovering ✨

Recently, our young artists took on a special project — inspired by the legendary sculptor Alberto Giacometti, known for his tall, expressive human figures.
Over two classes, the children built their own sculptures step by step. They started with wire armatures, carefully twisting and shaping the skeleton of their figures with the clay.

Our students also explored the fascinating life cycle of a caterpillar. Together, we discovered each stage of its transformation and introduced a new word: metamorphosis.
And then we created artwork — each child illustrating their own incredible version of caterpillar.

Projects like these develop observation skills, patience, and confidence. Whether working with soft clay or crayons and paper, children learn to see things through — to enjoy the process and to feel proud of what they've made.

This year, our Summer Camp invites children to explore the natural world through hands-on science, inspiring field trips, creative projects, outdoor adventures, and meaningful Montessori work.

Because childhood summers should feel magical — and meaningful 💛 Find out more via the link in our bio! 🔗

If you are interested in enrolling, please reach out to us:
• VIA57 Campus: [email protected] | +1 (212) 765-0581
• UES Campus: [email protected] | +1 (212) 774-1907

In our classrooms, flower arranging is one of the favorite works. At first glance, it looks like a calm, quiet activity. But underneath it, a child is doing serious work.

Flower arranging helps children develop visual discrimination — noticing differences in size, shape, and color. They practice judgment over size and capacity, learning how much water a vase can hold before it overflows, how many flowers fit without crowding.

Through this simple but beautiful work, children build fine motor skills, concentration, patience , and the quiet satisfaction of creating something beautiful 💐✨

Last week, we welcomed 10 baby chicks into our classroom, and the excitement was unforgettable!

We let the chicks acclimate to their temporary home first, then invited them in for our friends to take a closer look. Before handling them, we talked about how fragile the chicks are and how much bigger and stronger we are. Our friends were extra careful — giving gentle patts and passing them softly to the next child.

The children were incredibly curious and observant. It was wonderful to see how gentle and caring they were as we learned more about the chicks' needs and growth.

Welcome, our new best friends 🐣