Group of children posed around a large rock in an outdoor setting, some sitting on it and others standing nearby, with trees and parking lot in the background on a sunny day.

Preprimary

Ages 3 to 6

A Place to Explore, Practice & Belong.

For children ages 3–6, a day at Carmel is filled with purposeful work and plenty of room to explore. Children care for their classroom, discover new interests, spend time outdoors, and build friendships with students of all ages. Each day offers chances to try something for themselves, with a teacher nearby to guide them.

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A young child in a gray hooded jacket with orange buttons is sitting in the dirt, digging or playing with the soil and yellow gloves. The child appears to be focused on their activity, and a second child can be seen blurred in the background.

The Day Begins Outside

The Preprimary morning begins with time to move, play, and explore. Children may visit the animals, dig in the sand pit, wander through the garden, or pick fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The changing seasons give them something new to notice each day.

A young boy wearing a yellow raincoat and gray hoodie grating a carrot on a grater beside bowls of sliced carrots and carrots chunks on a kitchen counter.

Work Chosen by the Child

Around 10:00, children enter the classroom for their morning Montessori work period. They choose activities from the shelves and work at their own pace while teachers offer individual and small-group lessons.

Some children practice pouring, washing, or preparing food. Others explore colors and shapes, trace Sandpaper Letters, count with hands-on materials, or learn about plants, animals, and places around the world. As they work, children practice concentrating, finishing what they begin, and returning materials for the next person.

A snack of fruits, vegetables, cheese, or other whole foods is available during the work period, so children can pause when they are ready and return to their work.

A group of children sitting at a table eating watermelon, with books and kitchenware around them.

Together at Carmel

Before lunch, the whole school gathers for Line Time. Students sing, share presentations, and join discussions. Children also learn about the traditions of the five major world religions.

At lunch, Preprimary children enjoy home-cooked food using real plates and silverware. They practice serving themselves, joining the conversation, and caring for their place at the table. Older student mentors sit with them and offer a helping hand.

Children sitting on the ground feeding a goat through a fence at a farm or petting zoo.

Fresh Air and an Afternoon That Fits

After lunch, students of all ages head outside together. Preprimary children have time to play, explore nature, visit the animals, and get to know older children across the school.

The afternoon offers different rhythms for different ages. Younger children have an opportunity to nap. After about 20 minutes of settling, children who are still awake may choose a quiet activity. Children ages 4–6 return to Montessori work, continue projects, and receive individual or small-group lessons.

The school gathers for roll call near the end of the day, followed by one more chance to play outside before dismissal.

A person with red hair and hoop earrings wearing glasses is leaning over a young child with long blonde hair. They are at a kitchen sink, washing dishes. The person is wearing a beige shirt and striped blue pants. The child is wearing a white t-shirt with colorful race car prints.

A Mentor for Every Preprimary Child

Every Preprimary child is paired with a student mentor aged 12 to 18.

Mentors help during transitions and at lunch, helping the youngest members feel at home in the larger school. For older students, the relationship is a meaningful way to practice leadership, responsibility, and care.

Come See a Preprimary Day

The best way to understand Carmel’s Preprimary classroom is to see the children at work, outdoors, and together with the school community.

Schedule a Tour —>

A woman is serving food into a mold with compartments that contain mashed sweet potatoes, during a community meal or gathering, with a child in a floral shirt reaching out for food.
A woman crouches outdoors with four children, one pointing at the camera. The scene is sunny with green trees and grass in the background.
Children and adults gathered around a table, petting and examining a snake, in a room with framed artwork on the walls and windows showing a rural landscape outside.
A young child with blond hair and a blue shirt pouring cereal from a metal pitcher into a bowl.
Group of children sitting on the ground at a farm, feeding a baby goat with a leafy branch, in a rustic outdoor setting with wooden fencing and green foliage.
Children feeding goats on a wooden platform outside a red barn.
A young girl with light brown hair and wearing a floral dress and orange leggings, sticking out her tongue and holding an apple in an orchard among apple trees.
A teacher and young boy working on a math activity with number tiles, blocks, and a number line in a classroom.
Children and an adult sitting and lying on grass in a park, engaging in a storytelling or group activity during daytime. The scene includes a tree-lined background and scattered yellow and purple items on the ground.
A young girl with long hair, smiling, wearing rain boots, a yellow jacket, and a purple hoodie, climbing a tree outdoors on a clear day. The background shows more trees, a fence, and a body of water.
Children dressed warmly playing outdoors near a red wooden barn, with some children sitting and others standing, on a sunny day with leaf-covered ground and leafless trees.
Children sitting on the floor while an adult reads a book to them in a library, with wooden shelves filled with books and baskets in the background.
A group of children and an adult sitting on the ground outdoors in a park, with some reading and others looking at objects. A scarecrow dressed in plaid and blue clothing leans against a tree on the left, and houses with fall foliage are in the backg
A woman and a young boy sit on the floor, using blue and black alphabet tiles to spell out words on a long white woven rug.
A young child in a beige winter coat and a maroon knit hat sitting on snow, with a red barn and trees in the background.
A group of children and a woman observe chickens inside a chicken coop with a wire mesh front during daytime in a backyard or farm area with green grass and trees.
Children standing outside near a chicken coop, with chickens visible in the background.
Close-up of three children and an adult looking at a detective board game on a table, with a red plastic magnifying glass and a tablet nearby.
A child with curly blonde hair looking up, wearing a light-colored dress with green star patterns, in front of a projected image of white daisies with green centers.
Smiling young boy wearing a tropical print shirt holding a rainbow-colored backpack while standing in an arcade or amusement center. Other children are partially visible around him.
A group of children and adults sitting on the floor in a circle. The focus is on a smiling, blonde boy wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt and colorful socks. The children are engaged in an activity, and the setting appears to be a classroom or playroom.
Children gathered around a large wooden tortoise on the floor, touching it, with an adult assisting, in an indoor setting.
A young boy wearing rain boots, khaki shorts, and a black hoodie standing on grass, holding a flower, at an outdoor gathering with children and adults in the background.
A young girl in a floral dress holding a yellow dahlia flower, standing on a wooden deck outdoors with greenery and a house in the background.
A young boy stands on a wooden path outdoors, holding a bouquet of pink and purple flowers, wearing bright green rain boots, shorts, and a striped shirt. In the background, there are other children and adults, some holding flowers, and a playset with
A woman with blonde hair and a blue dress walking in a grassy backyard with a young boy. The woman is holding a paper with a phone, and the boy has a white flower in his hand. There are plants and a house in the background.