The International Montessori Council has commented on why attending Montessori school a full 5 days per week is so important. We think their answer is worth taking to heart:

“Often we are asked why, Montessori schools almost always ask children from age three to attend five-days a week. The answer is that young children thrive on consistency, and only regular attendance provide both the continuity that they need and helps to create the culture of empowerment and order that defines a true community of children.

“Children who come one day, miss the next, and then come again, commonly find it much more difficult to adapt to the class routine than children who attend five-days a week. For them, and for the others in the same class, the benefits of a Montessori program are reduced.

“As the months go by, the difference between the children whose attendance is consistent and those who come for two or three days a week becomes more
pronounced. Full-time students normally make much more progress academically and socially in comparison with those children who attend a few days a week.

“While we recognize parents’ right to make such choices, the collective experience of excellent Montessori schools around the world leads us to recommend that Montessori schools offer only five-day programs from age three and beyond.

“At the infant and toddler levels, we encourage five-day programs, but recognize that neither all children, nor their parents, are ready. To achieve the most consistent and positive experience for these young children, we recommend that at the infant and toddler level, children attend at least three consecutive days in a row.”