Embers
Age 6-9 years
Small Flames. Big Energy.
The Embers stage is where the fire starts to burn stronger.
Children at this age are ready for deeper challenge. Their curiosity sharpens, their independence strengthens, and their energy becomes more directed. They’re learning how to collaborate, solve real problems, and follow through on what excites them.
The Embers Program is designed to carry forward the deep focus and independence built in the early years, while adding new layers of collaboration, project work, and the intentional introduction of technology as a tool for creation, not consumption.
FAQs
Children in this phase are ready for:
- Greater autonomy and creative decision-making
- Peer collaboration and project-based learning
- Purposeful tech use
- Developing grit, flexibility, and real-world thinking
At this stage, the fire glows steady and strong. Embers are past the spark phase, they're reliable, capable, and building up the energy to fuel bigger things. They don’t need constant tending but they still need the right structure, challenge, and support to burn brighter.
As children move into the Embers years, curiosity meets capability. These are the builders, inventors, and collaborators ready to take on bigger questions, longer projects, and deeper thinking.
At this stage, our goal is to help each child grow from learning through exploration to learning through purpose.
Blending Montessori & Project-Based Learning:
Embers begin each day with a focused Foundations block- reading, writing, and math taught through individualized, hands-on lessons. The rest of the day expands into Expeditions, where academic skills come alive through real-world projects that integrate science, design, and storytelling.
The Kindling Learning Cycle:
Every project follows our discovery process — Discover → Design → Build → Share → Reflect — helping students think like creators and problem-solvers.
From Independence to Interdependence:
Embers learn to collaborate, debate, and co-create. They begin using shared language around inquiry, iteration, and growth, learning to ask better questions, give feedback, and take ownership of their work.
Balanced Use of Technology:
Carefully introduced digital tools allow children to research, create, and share ideas, never replacing hands-on learning, only amplifying it.
Expeditions with Real Impact:
Whether it’s designing a class market, creating a compost system, or building a pollinator garden, Embers see how their ideas can make a difference in their world.
The Embers years are where imagination gains structure, where children move from “I can do it myself” to “We can make it happen.”
While both programs may include 6-year-olds, the right placement depends on your child’s developmental stage, not just their age.
Children who are still building foundational skills, like early reading and writing, managing transitions, or navigating group dynamics, will likely be best served in our Kindlers program (ages 3–6). This environment is ideal for children who benefit from extra support with routines, emotional regulation, or who are newer to school settings.
Children who are ready for more independence, who can follow multi-step directions, self-regulate, collaborate with peers, and are beginning to read and write, may be ready for Embers (ages 6–9). This program builds on Montessori foundations and introduces more complex projects, research, and leadership opportunities.
If you’re unsure, just let us know in your application. We’re happy to guide you based on your child’s personality and needs.