Summer Discovery 2026
Registration opens at 12pm on Monday, February 2nd for all current and incoming families of AMS.
If space remains, the greater community may begin registering for the Elementary program on Monday, February 9th. The Toddler and Children's House are not currently open to non-AMS families.
Please allow 1 week to receive a confirmation email following your registration submission.
** A deposit is required in order to complete registration. The deposit is $100 per child, per week. Your child's registration is not complete without the accompanying deposit, which can be made on the payment processing page following your registration.**
The Amherst Montessori School's 2026 Summer Discovery is a community-driven program. Based on three separate-yet-connected age groups, youth are given the time and space to explore their natural surroundings through age-appropriate guided activities as well as through open, mixed-age play. Each week culminates in a "Friday Fest," where everyone comes together to share in each other's delights and creations of the week, engage in a collective dance celebration and enjoy the benefits of being in one shared outdoor space together.
Toddlers aged 8 months - 3 years will enjoy a play-based, nurturing environment designed to create an engaging social atmosphere with ample time for sensory exploration, outdoor play, music, and movement. These young friends will work alongside our Children's House and Elementary students in cultivating our sensorial herb garden and will have the opportunity to utilize the very plants they grow in some of their projects, such as baking or artistic creations.
Children aged 3 - 6 years will engage in various mentally and socially stimulating daily activities. Each morning begins with fun, child-led water play, followed by different nature-based projects: friends will be invited to participate in cultivating our community garden beds; raising and caring for our chickens; identifying and harvesting local flora for later use; environmental exploration; and learning about insects and local fauna in relation to our local habitats.
Elementary children entering grades 1st through 6th spend the Summer participating in a variety of activities around a weekly theme. Some themes from years past include: Theater week, Blast week, Rivers and Creeks week, Lego and STEM week, Monster and Creature week, and so much more! The 2026 weekly themes are available upon request. Email the Director of Summer Discovery, mwiley@amherstmontessori.org, for more information!
Program Sessions:
All summer sessions of Summer Discovery run Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Registration sessions are based on age group; please see below for specifics:
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Toddler Program: Children aged 8 months - 3 years
-
Children's House Program: Children aged 3 - 6 years
-
Elementary Program: Children entering grades 1st - 6th
TODDLER & CHILDREN'S HOUSE
The Toddler and Children's House programs are open to current and incoming students at Amherst Montessori School. These programs are not available to non-AMS students at this time.
Toddlers are suggested to register for a minimum of 6 consistent weeks. We suggest this six-consecutive weeks minimum to ensure your toddler has ample time to acclimate to the program.
Your child must be 3 years old at the start of Discovery to be registered for Children's House. If your child has just recently turned 3 or is on the cusp, enrollment in either Toddler or Children’s House will be considered on an individual basis.
Registration for Toddlers and Children's House students will be per session. There are 4 sessions that run for 2 weeks each:
|
Session |
Dates/Times |
Tuition |
Age groups |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Session 1 |
June 8, 2026- June 18, 2026 |
$800 |
Children's House (3 - 6 years) |
|
Session 2 |
June 22, 2026 - July 2, 2026 |
$800 |
Children's House (3 - 6 years) |
|
Session 3 |
July 6, 2026 - July 17, 2026 |
$800 |
Children's House (3 - 6 years) |
|
Session 4 |
July 20, 2026 - July 31, 2026 |
$800 |
Children's House (3 - 6 years) |
Please note:
In Session 1, the school is closed on June 19th in observance of Juneteenth. In Session 2, the school will be closed on July 3rd in observance of Independence Day.
The last day of Session 4, July 31st, is a half-day dismissal.
ELEMENTARY
The Elementary program is open to all interested students who will be entering 1st-6th grade in Fall 2026. Registration for Elementary is per week. Weeks do not need to be consecutive for this age group.
Weekly Dates for Elementary Program:
|
|
Dates/Times |
Tuition |
Age groups |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Week 1 |
June 8-12, 2026 | $400 | entering 1st-6th grade |
|
Week 2 |
June 15-18, 2026 | $400 | entering 1st-6th grade |
|
Week 3 |
June 22-26, 2026 | $400 | entering 1st-6th grade |
Week 4 Camp's Got Talent |
June 29 - July 2, 2026 | $400 | entering 1st-6th grade |
Week 5 Fantasy & Imaginary Worlds |
July 6-10, 2026 | $400 | entering 1st-6th grade |
Week 6 Art & Artistic Inspiration |
July 13-17, 2026 | $400 | entering 1st-6th grade |
Week 7 Blast Week |
July 20-24, 2026 | $400 | entering 1st-6th grade |
Week 8 Homesteading |
July 27-July 31, 2026 | $400 | entering 1st-6th grade |
Please note:
In week 2, we will be closed on June 19th in observance of Juneteenth.
In Week 4, the school will be closed on July 3rd in observance of Independence Day.
The last day of Week 8, July 31st, is a half-day dismissal.
Waitlist Guidelines
Once a program is fully enrolled, a waitlist will be created for each age group. If you are interested in being added to the waitlist for any of the three programs, please email Miranda Wiley, our Summer Discovery Director, at mwiley@amherstmontessori.org. In your email, please include the name and birthdate of your child(ren), along with which program and sessions you are interested in. The waitlist will function on a first-come, first-served basis.
Payment
A non-refundable deposit of $100 per child per week is due with registration. After filling out the registration form, you will be directed to our online payment form. A registration form submitted without the deposit will not be accepted. The tuition balance is due on the first day of the Summer Discovery program. You will receive an invoice via email after you submit your registration.