School Info
We offer Infant Community (14 months and above) and Montessori Programs (3-6 years).
Montessori Program:
9:30 am-12:30/1:30/2:30 pm
Infant Community Program:
Option 1: 9:30 am-12:30 pm
Option 2: 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Extended Hours and After School:
Upto 5:30pm, max 6:00 pm
Bumblbees Casa dei Bambini programs are for children of fourteen months through six years of age. We believe that young children need freedom to move, socialize and to grow up spontaneously. It is a House of Children that helps children learn to develop the sense of community and responsibility. The Montessori Curriculum developed by Dr. Montessori when used in whole as a philosophy works hand in hand, in beautiful unfolding of the child's true potential. Enrollment priority is given on first come basis. We limit the number of admissions to ensure the right balance.
We are open Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturdays - 1st and 3rd Saturdays - 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. We are closed on all public holidays and Sundays.
We follow original Montessori practices of
1. Mixed Age Groups
2. Montessori Trained Adults
3. Enriching Prepared Environment
4. Children learning through Freedom and encouraging self discipline
5. Supporting Independence
Nido - 16 months - 4 years (9:30 am to 12:30 pm or 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm)
Infant Community is for toddlers who are stepping out for the first time into a new environment and meeting new people. The admission is open for all families. Our community is caring and ensures that it aids natural development. We prepare the environment as an extension of a home environment. The environment and people enrich, engage and help toddlers progress to our Montessori environment. Activities offered encourage co-ordination of movements, language and independence. Children are free to move and talk, choose to play/choose activities/eat/relax at their own pace. We do not allow disposable diapers and encourage children to use the toilets. We request families to work along with us to potty train children who are yet to be potty trained. Our Infant Community is for children who will progress to our Montessori Environment. Parents who wish to admit their children in conventional schools, are requested to transfer the child after this program. Please refer the Infant Community webpage for further details.
Afternoon sessions have been opened this year as many infants take a nap in the morning and this timings seem to suit the needs of young children who have a morning and late evening nap routine.
Montessori (3 - 6 years) - ( 9:30 am to 12:30/1:30/2:30 pm)
The Montessori Program is a three year Program and we prefer only children from families who are keen on Montessori way of learning for children of ages three to six years. Given the freedom of choice and freedom to move, children learn individually and independently; from each other and together with their friends older and younger. The curriculum is incredibly enriching and many of the materials that they use are autodidactic. We observe the child's development and interests and engage them in activities that help them further refine their senses, explore and discover. An individual Work Plan and Development Report is maintained and shared with Parents periodically. Parents are welcome to meet the directress to discuss the child's progress at on any of the Saturdays with an appointment. Montessori Method does not involve direct teaching but indirect preparations and spontaneous natural development in the child. Please use the Parent-Child corner which will be updated on a timely basis to understand your child better and the variety of activities that you can do to engage your child productively. Also please share your ideas and your discoveries with us to help grow a more responsible child friendly community. We do not impose children with homework but children who show eagerness to take work back home are assigned work that they will complete independently without the Parents direct help. This helps them stay engaged purposefully and creatively even back at home.
One very important component of a strong program is the 3-year cycle of children. Each child remains in the same classroom with the same few children of their age group for 3 years. Each year a few new 3 year old's come into the program and each age group moves up into the next cycle of the program until a child has spent 3 years in the classroom. It's essentially giving them the experience of being the youngest, middle, and oldest of the classroom and the responsibilities that come along.
Class Hours- 9:30 am to 12:30/1:30/2:30 pm
Work Cycle of the day
9:30 Drop off
9:30 - 12:30 Children are given individual presentation of age appropriate activities in a progressive process with just enough challenge to keep the curiosity and confidence growing in the child. They choose purposeful activities, play, learn to be independent, join songs, stories, book reading, art & craft, gardening, group games, so on. Children are initially guided on how to take care of themselves, others and the environment and they eventually become independent and responsible young ones enjoying their time in their House of children. Children work both individually and in small groups. It's a free environment for children to move, play, eat, socialize and work at their own at their own pace and choice.
10:00 - 11:00 - Open snack time
12:30 - 1:00 - Lunch time for 2nd and 3rd year children; Infant community and Montessori children return home
1:00-2:30 - 2nd year students continue their work cycle and leave at 1:30. 3rd year students continue their work till 2:30 and leave for the day
2:30-5:30 - children who are enrolled in extended hours spend their day continuing to be busy doing things, learning, socializing, playing and caring for oneself, each other and the environment.
1:30 - 4:30 - A new session of mixed ages for children who nap in the mornings
Social skills, self confidence, grace and courtesies, manners and development of concentration are a few of many more qualities that children learn here. A happy child is receptive to learning and discovering his or her true potentials.
Exams and Progress Reports
In a Montessori Environment, we follow the child. Unlike conventional schools where it is single age group and all children taught the same lessons at the same time and tested, in a Montessori, the teacher works one on one. She gives individual presentations to each and every child in her environment for all activities, observes the child's development and maintains individual records regularly. The work is planned every month for every child and the child is introduced to new activities, offered different ways to explore, discover and understand through their own work and experiences. The Record of Work has the list of all activities that are usually offered in a Montessori environment and the the child continues with higher activities accordingly. Parents are welcome to meet the class teacher on every third Saturday of the month to discuss their child's development, the record of work will be shared. They are also welcome to make an appointment and observe the environment and children's work. A Parent meeting is also scheduled every October and March.
Learning is a process, we find it irrelevant and futile to base a child's development based on standard tests and exams in this phase of life. Moreover children do not require validation.
Dress Code
We like our children learning to dress appropriately to school. Instead of spending on uniforms with school logos, please ensure that one stocks up semi formal clothes that are appropriate for school. Learning to dress appropriately to a place and occasion is a cultural adaptation which needs support.
We request Parents to keep a limited number (5-7 sets) of clothes ready in their wardrobe where they can reach them. Allow your child to choose from these sets.
Guidelines:
Clothes that are comfortable for them to use independently. Children are always on the move and they use both indoor and outdoor environment through their day. No diapers, please potty train.
Boys: Shorts, Loose fit pants, track pants, Capris with t-shirts or shirts. Underwear Mandatory.
Girls: Dresses or skirts with mandatory bloomers inside, Capris, shorts, loose fit pants and track pants with tops. Innerwear Mandatory.
Note: Clothes that are inappropriate for school are
1. Party wears
2. Clothes with cartoon characters and heavy prints
3. Home wear clothes
4. Not wearing bloomers under short dresses and skirts
5. Gold jewelry
Food:
Snacks is offered in the Casa as a part of social development. Children learn to cut vegetables, fruits, shell peas, prepare simple snacks and share the same and have it with their friends. Seasonal fruits, a variety sundal, boiled corn, cut vegetables, boiled sweet potatoes and seasonal tubers, sweet and savories occasionally, and many more healthier option are a part of their snack preparation.
One may pack a snack regularly if your child requires the same. Please have conversations (not a question session) with the child to understand what one ate. The box that the child uses for snack must be what the child can independently open and close.
Lunch: Parents may opt for monthly lunch or Adhoc single lunch. Contact office for lunch charges. Lunch is homemade from fresh ingredients and only vegetarian options.
Lunch packed from home: Please use a child size simple small box that the child can open on their own. Pack a napkin along. Only vegetarian food is allowed, eggs in homemade cookies, baking is allowed. Please avoid sending eggs as it begins to smell by afternoon.
What to pack in the bag?
An extra set of change clothes including inner wear, handkerchief, lunch napkin and a hat packed in a plastic bag and a small steel or BPA free reusable water bottle (300 ml). We have refill water (RO purified). All packed in a child size bag (Decathlon 10-20 liter bags are appropriate, please remember to tag the child's name on the bag) that the child can use independently. The bag must be able to hold 2-3 books (Communication book and any books issued by the school) and all the above. Please avoid fancy bags that can't hold the above. Breakfast in steel box if the child has missed breakfast at home.
Separate lunch bag with lunch box, cutlery and a napkin. Please pack only how much the child can eat on their own. One may opt for school lunch at an additional charge, please reach out to the coordinator.
Lunch Menu: Chapati, one variety rice (dal rice, sambar rice, lemon rice, pudina pulav, veg pulav and so on), curd rice and vegetable fry or poriyal or salad. Fridays - Pasta or sandwich or noodles or so with curd rice and vegetables. Food is prepared in-house and hygienically, children are encouraged to eat as much as they want.
What not to pack:
Toys
Watch
Jewelry, key chains and so on
Personal Stationery or books other than what the school has issued
Packaged, processed food and non-vegetarian food
Celebrations
Festivals at Bumblbees are celebrated without disturbing the work cycle of children. It is to give the children an awareness of the cultural diversity. There will be no religious aspects and we are happy to welcome any Parent to volunteer and be a part of the celebration. We help children explore art, food, songs, stories, clothes and any non-religious aspect of every festival.
As far as inviting children home for birthdays, festivals so on are encouraged but we request that you invite all the children. Bumblbees is a small community of only around 25-30 children of mixed ages 3 - 6 years and Nido of 15-20 children. We wish not to disappoint or make any child feel left out.
Celebrating birthdays at school - Child can bring along any home made sweet including muffins, cakes, so on and share it with all the children. Kindly check the number of children before sending the same. Candies, chocolates, store bought drinks, snacks, gifts and so on are not preferred.
Competition and Cultural Performances
The best of us comes out when we enjoy what we do and go beyond or without limitation. Very often, children grow because they enjoy doing things. We'd like children to develop self esteem and confidence without being compared and nurtured working collaboratively. It is a part of education to use time productively, creatively for the well being of self and everyone. We encourage every child to run steadily and fast without having to say, jump high, paint beautifully, sing and dance merrily, enjoying the joy of doing it with no one to judge that (beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder).
Parent Volunteering
Children need inspirations and a strong community to grow in. Every Parent in the community can inspire them. We heartily welcome Parents to spend 15 minutes to 1 hour sharing what they like to do. Come, play a violin or sing a song or read your favourite poem or narrate a story or play a game, be yourself at Bumblbees. Be a part of their childhood by sharing your time doing what you like with the ones who'd like to join you. Volunteers may email or WhatsApp to plan your visit. This helps us to be prepared with the changes in the day's schedule. It is scheduled on Fridays.
Extended Hours(After School Day Care):
For children who require extended hours, we have an extended hour program. Extended hours are available between 8:30 am to 6 pm. Please contact office for details.
Usual work cycle:
1:00 - 3: 00 - (For Extended Hours) activities and nap (Sometimes, some children do fine without a routine nap, we follow the child's interest, most children up to age 3, need an afternoon nap especially the early birds)
3:00 - 6.oo pm - Personal hygiene, snack and child chosen activities or play
Activities: English Enrichment of Language, practical math work, sensorial activities to connect with their environment, practical life skills, art and craft, outdoor play, nature walks, gardening (growing their own food, cooking, music, sewing, weaving, clay craft, life skills and group games.
Transportation:
For young children below ages three, we suggest that Parents drop them and pick them up. For children above three, transportation arrangements will be worked upon on request. The charges are in addition to the fees payable depending on the distance of the residence from school.
Library:
Books open a world of knowledge for children. Young children who are given age appropriate books, grow up enjoying and discovering the joy of reading. Parents are encouraged to read to their children. You are welcome to visit the library after class hours till 5.00 p.m on weekdays and from 10.00 a.m - 12 noon on Saturdays. Please call in advance to ensure that the library is open.
If you'd like to pass on your child's gently used or new books age appropriate books, Montessori materials if any that you may be using at home and your child has outgrown, we'd happy to add it to our Library.