Crèche offers iPad class to its pre-schoolers

A Dublin playschool is now offering an iPad Montessori class so that children aged three to five “can achieve success in the smart economy”.

The class will combine traditional Montessori teaching with iPad apps that reinforce Montessori-based teaching methods.

For instance, if children at Little Rainbow’s Crèche in Donaghmede were learning about the life cycle of a frog they will still draw pictures of the spawn, tadpole, and frog before moving to watch a YouTube video on the iPad showing how the spawn changes over time.

Crèche owner Monica Campbell says the children will work on the latest Junior iPad tablets.

However, as it would be difficult to control 20 children each with their own iPad, the 15-20 children will share four tablets.

She said: “Technology plays an integral role in modern life and will feature greatly in the future of these children. The Montessori way of teaching lends itself to incorporating such digital media devices. The devices can be used in a measured way to enhance a child’s learning experience.”

Ms Campbell says there will still be the same emphasis on traditional Montessori teaching and that the iPad will be an “extension” of the traditional methods.

The three-hour class will be made up of 70% standard Montessori-based learning and 30% iPad-based activities.

“And we’re not charging any extra for the iPad in the 3-4 age group. And children aged 4-5 who are availing of the free pre-school year will also be able to avail of the iPads during their three-hour morning session.”

Ms Campbell had tried out using PCs in her pre-school classroom but found that overzealous children wreaked havoc on the hard drive.

“The touch and swipe nature of the iPad is much better suited to young children,” she said.

A daily three-hour Montessori session at the crèche costs €90 a week. It is free for those availing of the Early Childhood Care and Education year.

Little Rainbow’s Crèche also has an iPad After-School Club running from 3pm to 6pm daily.