Toddlers
Ages (18 months-2.5 years)
Toddler Program (18 Months – 2.5 Years)
The early toddler years are a time of rapid growth, discovery, and increasing independence. At Golden Minds Academy, our program for children aged 18 months to 2.5 years is thoughtfully designed to support this critical stage of development.
Our curriculum focuses on building strong foundations across key developmental areas:
Cognitive Development
Children are introduced to engaging, hands-on activities that support memory, problem-solving, and early thinking skills. Through exploration and repetition, they begin to understand cause and effect, patterns, and simple concepts.
Language & Communication
We foster expressive and receptive language through songs, storytelling, conversations, and guided interactions. Children are encouraged to communicate their needs, thoughts, and emotions with confidence.
Sensory Exploration
Montessori-inspired materials are used to stimulate the senses and encourage tactile learning. Through hands-on discovery, children explore textures, sounds, and visual elements that deepen their understanding of the world around them.
Social & Emotional Development
A strong emphasis is placed on creating a sense of security, routine, and belonging. Through guided interactions, children develop early social skills, emotional awareness, and positive relationships with peers and educators.
Motor Skills Development
We support both gross and fine motor development through activities such as climbing, balancing, grasping, and manipulating objects—helping children build coordination, strength, and confidence in movement.
Music & Movement
Music is integrated into daily routines to enhance rhythm, coordination, and joyful expression. Children are introduced to instruments, songs, and movement-based activities that encourage creativity and engagement.
Our toddler program is designed to nurture independence, curiosity, and confidence—providing children with a strong foundation for their next stage of learning.
Join Golden Minds Academy
Give your child the opportunity to grow in a nurturing, thoughtfully designed environment.
Enroll today to begin a journey of discovery, development, and lifelong learning.
Toddler Program at a Glance
Ages: 18 months to 2.5 years
Educator-to-child ratio: 1 educator for every 5 toddlers, as set by Ontario Regulation 137/15
Fees: Reduced fees for eligible families through the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system
Location: 84 Merton Street, Midtown Toronto, near Yonge Street and Davisville
Guided by Ontario's Early Years Framework
Our toddler room follows Ontario's How Does Learning Happen? pedagogy, built on four foundations: belonging, well-being, engagement and expression. Toddlers learn through play, routine and warm relationships with their educators, while Montessori-inspired materials and a thoughtfully prepared classroom invite them to explore and do things for themselves.
How We Support Every Toddler
Our educators observe and document each child's development and share what they see with families through regular conversations. If a child may benefit from extra support, we share our observations privately with the family, adapt classroom strategies and, with the family's consent, connect them with community specialists such as speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists.
Starting in the Toddler Program
Book a tour. Visit our classrooms at 84 Merton Street and meet our educators.
Submit an enquiry. Share your child's age and preferred start date, and we will confirm availability.
Complete registration. Families complete the registration package, including the health, immunization and emergency contact information required for licensed child care in Ontario.
Gradual entry. We plan a gentle transition with each family so your toddler builds trust with their educators and settles in confidently.
Questions Parents Ask
Is the toddler program Montessori?
Golden Minds Academy is a licensed early learning academy. Our approach draws on Montessori principles such as independence and prepared classrooms, alongside play-based learning and Ontario's early years framework.
How much does the toddler program cost?
We are enrolled in the CWELCC system, which lowers fees for eligible children. Fee levels are set by government and can change, so please contact us for current rates.
What comes after the toddler program?
From about 2.5 years, children move into our Early Preschoolers program, where the focus grows toward early literacy, numeracy and school readiness.
Learn more about our curriculum, our whole-child approach, admissions and CWELCC or read the parent FAQ. Registration for 2026-27 is open and spaces are limited — book a tour or call 416-265-1401.