2½ to 6 years
Morning Session
The full three hour work cycle across all five areas, then lunch and recess.
8:45 am to 12:45 pm
Now enrolling, 30 months to 6 years
My child has become independent, confident and capable .
An authentic AMI Montessori preschool in Naperville, for children 30 months to 6 years. Five areas of work, cooking and field trips, and home-cooked vegetarian food provided, in a room where every child is known by name.
$300 off Fall special — enroll in September →
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Mornings 8:45 to 12:45, extended day 8:45 to 3:15, plus care from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
"A stimulating environment for children to learn."
Maulika Shah, Directress
Full day sessions
Home-cooked vegetarian food
Multiple program options
Open teacher parent access
Caring environment
Hands on experience
Full day sessions
Home-cooked vegetarian food
Multiple program options
Open teacher parent access
Caring environment
Hands on experience
Montessori education
Four ideas the school runs on
Montessori is not a curriculum bolted onto a nursery. The room does much of the teaching, the guide watches closely, and the child picks up the work they are ready for. It looks calm from the doorway. It is anything but idle.
01
Independence
An education for independence, preparing children not just for school but for life.
02
Freedom
Free the child's potential and you will free the world.
03
Future
Within the child lies the fate of the future.
04
Success
Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.
Day in a Life
As you walk into our classroom, you'll notice something different.
Rather than rows of desks, you'll find children independently choosing meaningful work from carefully prepared shelves. Some are tracing sandpaper letters, others are building numbers with golden beads, while another child quietly waters a classroom plant.
Teachers move gently throughout the room, observing, guiding, and encouraging each child according to their individual needs.
This peaceful environment allows children to develop confidence, concentration, independence, and a genuine love of learning.
5.0
Rated on Yelp
100%
Recommend us on Facebook
5
Core areas of the classroom
12,500
Teaching hours
Programs
Sessions that fit your week
Small classes, a full three-hour work cycle every morning, and a door that stays open to parents at any hour of the day.
2½ to 6 years
Extended Montessori Program
Morning work cycle, lunch and recess, then an afternoon work cycle or nap time.
8:45 am to 3:15 pm
2½ to 6 years, and elementary children
Before and After Care
Drop off as early as 8:00 am and pick up before 5:00 pm. Also available for elementary children.
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Why families stay
Small enough to know every child
We keep the numbers low on purpose. It means a guide notices the day your child is ready for the next thing, and you hear about it that afternoon.
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Individual attention in a small class setting
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Learning program with after school care
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Field trips and school presentations
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A positive, settled room your child looks forward to
Maulika Shah
Founder & Lead Montessori Guide
Professional highlights
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Two decades of teaching experience
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14 years in authentic Montessori classrooms
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Founder of Lotus Montessori (since 2016)
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AMI Primary (3–6) Diploma – Saint Louis Montessori Training Center
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Bachelor's Degree in Business & Finance – Mumbai, India
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Early Childhood Education (ECE) Credentials
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All staff are CPR & First Aid Certified
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Serving children 2½–6 years of age
Meet the Founder
Welcome to Lotus Montessori!
I am Maulika Shah, the founder and lead Montessori guide at Lotus Montessori. My passion for early childhood education and authentic Montessori philosophy inspired me to establish Lotus Montessori in 2016, creating a warm, nurturing environment where every child is respected, encouraged, and empowered to reach their fullest potential.
I hold an AMI Primary (3–6) Diploma from the Saint Louis Montessori Training Center, one of the world's most respected Montessori teacher education programs. I also earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business and Finance from Mumbai, India, and hold Early Childhood Education (ECE) credentials, blending educational expertise with strong leadership and organizational skills.
Over the past two decades, I have devoted my career to working with young children, including 14 years in Montessori education. Throughout my journey, I have had the privilege of guiding hundreds of children during some of the most important years of their development.
My Philosophy
I believe every child is unique. My role as a Montessori guide is to recognize each child's individual strengths, interests, and potential, then thoughtfully nurture and refine those qualities. In a carefully prepared environment, children develop independence, confidence, self-discipline, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning at their own pace.
I also believe that a child's greatest success comes through a strong partnership between school and family. Together, we create an environment where children feel secure, respected, and inspired to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
Beyond academics, I strive to help children become kind, resilient, and compassionate individuals who are prepared not only for school but for life.
Outside the classroom, I enjoy traveling—both with my family and on solo adventures—practicing yoga, taking peaceful morning walks with music, and baking desserts. These interests keep me grounded, creative, and joyful, qualities I bring into my classroom every day.
I look forward to welcoming your family to Lotus Montessori and partnering with you in your child's educational journey.
Inside the classroom
Five areas of work
Children move freely between all five, plus cooking, field trips and events through the year.
01
Practical Life
Pouring, buttoning, sweeping, cooking. The work that builds care of self and of the room.
02
Sensorial
Materials that sort size, weight, colour and sound, and train the hand and the eye.
03
Language
Sandpaper letters to the moveable alphabet, and the vocabulary that comes with real conversation.
04
Mathematics
Beads, rods and spindles that make quantity something a child can hold.
05
Cultural
Geography, science, music and art, alongside field trips through the year.
What parents say
★★★★★ 5.0 on Yelp, 100% recommend on Facebook★★★★★
Lotus Montessori is so loving and nurturing and caring. The facility is top notch, clean, bright, safe and stimulating.
★★★★★
The tours outside of school are my son's favourites. His vocabulary has expanded a lot since starting here.
★★★★★
Maulika goes above and beyond to address any specific needs. She really understands the Montessori methods and child development.
"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed."
Dr. Maria Montessori
Come and see a morning
Where to find us, and how to reach us
Postal Address
The Lotus Montessori
4324 Fraser Cir
Naperville, IL 60564
Phone and Email
1-952-200-0373
TheLotusMontessori@gmail.com
Business Hours
Monday to Friday
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Closed weekends
Good to Know
Home-cooked vegetarian food served
All staff CPR and First Aid certified
Children 2½ to 6 years
Sessions
Mornings, 8:45 to 12:45
Extended day, 8:45 to 3:15
Care from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Visit during a work cycle
Tours run while the children are working, so you see the real thing. Leave your details and we will find you a morning, or call us directly.
Fall special $300 off when you enroll in September.
Call1-952-200-0373