Common Questions

Expect: reading, climbing, eating, chatting, puzzling, sorting, jumping, painting, pouring, flower arranging, singing, reaching, carrying, dusting, drumming, scrubbing, watching, laughing.

Your child will choose the activities that are most interesting each day and work with them for as long as he or she likes, while you observe, chat, and enjoy time learning together.

We finish each class on the rug with a short group time with songs, instruments, conversations, and movement games.

At first, many children feel comfortable with their caregivers nearby throughout class. Over time, you’ll notice that your child will begin exploring even as you stay in one spot.

You may spend some time observing your child as you think about our weekly development topic.

You’ll also have plenty of time to enjoy working with the materials along with your child and to get to know the other adults in the class.

The Montessori method is based on the theories and materials developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori.

A Montessori early childhood classroom is prepared to support children's concentration, coordination, independence, and sense of order using activities designed to meet each child's individual developmental needs.

Montessori classrooms are peaceful, purposeful, and joyful!

Not at all! Our area is lucky to have many wonderful preschool options.

The activities in Montessori parent-child classes can be a delightful stand-alone experience, even if you plan to send your child to a school that follows another early childhood approach.

Each session’s tuition includes:

• your weekly class
• monthly evening parent discussion sessions (some virtual, some in person)
• periodic special events (park walks, gym times, social outings)
• access to parent education & resources via our private instagram group
• session office hours, where you can ask any questions about your child's development, routines at home, or whatever else is on your mind regarding your child
• I’m also very happy to chat with you over the phone or via email regarding specific questions about your child’s development

During the summer session, we take a break from some of these extra activities to make more room on the calendar for park meetups and more, which are open to everyone!

Yes, your child may come to class with any caregiver: parent, grandparent, or nanny. Especially once your child is familiar with the classroom and routines, it’s fine to have someone else attend in place of the usual if needed.

Just one adult per class, please. If you have a special guest visiting, the extra adult (the guest or parent, if the guest attends in place) is welcome to join us at the end of class for our group gathering.

Yes, your baby (under one year as of registration) is welcome at no charge at an older sibling’s crawler/toddler/multi-age/preschooler class.

For two or more children from the same family, consider the multi-age class option.

Reach out to learn more about sibling add-on spaces in preschooler classes (limited to 2 per session).

There's a 10% sibling discount; please email for a discount code.

For space and safety reasons, no older siblings, please. Depending on the ages of the children, the multi-age class could be an option; please email me and we can decide if this would be a good fit.

An open classroom morning is offered each regular (winter, spring, fall) session. This is a great opportunity to show off the classroom to siblings!

You can get a sense of what full session classes are like either during our periodic open house sessions (watch social media or join our email list for details) or at pop-in classes, offered on Saturdays during the school year and all summer long.

Pop-in classes run like a typical multi-age class, and can be:

• an add-on to the current session's classes
• a way for families curious about Clementine to try a single class
• a makeup opportunity for families enrolled in a full session
• a chance for families who aren't able to commit to a full session to enjoy Clementine classes more flexibly

Use code FIRSTPOP for your family's first class.

Questions or issues? Just email me!

Makeups are available in the form of pop-in class credits as follows:

• 5-8 week series: 1 pop-in
• 9+ week series: 2 pop-ins

To keep groups consistent and to avoid crowding the classroom, makeups during other session classes are not available.

Any class canceled by Clementine will either be offered as a whole-group makeup at a later time or can be credited toward a future pop-in.

There are several Saturday pop-in classes scheduled each session and throughout the summer; feel free to sign up either as a makeup for a missed class or as an add-on to the current session. Pop-ins are also available to new families.

I follow the Libertyville D70's closures, so if they cancel school for cold or snow, class is also canceled for that day. I'll email and text as soon as I have confirmation, typically by 7:00a.

If it we can reschedule for a different day off later in the session, I'll offer that as an option. Otherwise, families will receive an additional pop-in for a future Saturday or summer class.

A 10% discount is available for:

• each sibling registered in the same session, whether for the same class or different classes
• multiple weekly classes for the same child

Please email for a discount code.

Class packs are a great way to save on summer classes.

New families can attend a trial class at a discount with code FIRSTPOP.

There may be scholarships available; please email to find out more.

We finalize the schedule based on enrollment. Please confirm dates against your own calendar, review our policies, and ask any questions before you register.

You may request a credit toward a future session for a winter, spring, or fall enrollment up to one week prior to the first class, less a $25 administration fee.

I'm happy to help you understand what Clementine is all about and choose the best-fit class so that you're confident in your decision!

(After the session begins, tuition credit for extenuating--such as medical--circumstances may be available.)

No refunds on pop-ins or summer class packs.

Summer multi-age classes are pop-ins, which means each is reserved individually and there is a new mix of families in each class.

(This is different from our session classes, which are booked for a 5-12 week series with the same families each time.)

Each class is 80 minutes, and includes a simple community snack and a short group gathering with songs and scarves.

Book individually, buy a pack to save per class, and/or use session pop-in makeups.

The summer class schedule is available by early May.

Join us for any (or all!) of our summer special events...everyone is welcome!

A note on makeups: Summer spots are limited, so please try to attend when you’ve registered. If you do need to miss class, please let me know as soon as you can so I can offer your spot to someone from the waiting list.

Pop-in credits are available as follows per session:

• from session makeups / 1-3 classes purchased: 1 pop-in
• 4+ classes purchased: 2 pop-ins

Yes, we offer a limited number of birthday parties each year to enrolled families...please email me!