When is the ideal age to begin school? Age 3. Three-year-olds are ready to spend time away from their nuclear family, to begin turning toward the world and interacting in a larger community.

Like no other time in their lives, the young child of this age pays close attention to detail, order and precision. He is able to absorb information from his environment that is only possible at these special times. They are called the sensitive periods and they are critical to the child’s self development.

The child ages birth to 6 will pass through three significant sensitive periods – those for order, movement and language. This is a time of conscious work for the child as he refines his newly acquired skills.

During the sensitive period for order, the young child needs ritual, or temporal order. If his life has a predictable rhythm and his routine is maintained, he begins to trust the environment. If his needs for food, sleep and bodily comfort are predictably met as they arise, he uses this satisfaction as the basis to feel secure and to explore his world. The 3-year-old is at the height of his ritualistic order; he still needs routines and yet can begin to create his own order. This is the perfect time to model that activities have a beginning, a middle and an end. Choosing to do the same thing at the same time or in the same way is quite a comfort to this child.

The sensitive period for movement allows the child to develop his coordination and fine motor skills. Allowing your child safe yet challenging movement without interference develops this skill and his self confidence. During the sensitive period for language, the child can hear the individual sounds in words as he learns vocabulary, hence an ideal time to begin learning the sounds of letters.

The young child’s school environment should coordinate with the sensitive periods. When the education of children is based on and organized around the sensitive periods, children work with an enthusiasm and sustained interest that is truly amazing. Their development is strong and steady.

Your child’s internal fires of development literally use an external activity to promote and facilitate its development and expansion. Learning that takes place during the sensitive periods is powerful and long lasting.

Kari Headington is the head of school at Hollis Montessori School. She can be reached at 465-2735 or info@HollisMontessori.org. For more information visit www.hollismontessori.org.