A NEW playroom that focuses on early childhood development has opened in Carlisle. 

Montessori Playroom, located at 4 West Tower Street, opened its doors on January 8. 

Owned by Anna Jurkiewicz and Marta Reitzig, both mums and educators, the Montessori Playroom stands out from other playrooms due to its focus on Montessori pedagogy. 

The inspiration behind the venture came from their own experiences as mums and teaching together at a nursery. 

"Our place is a bit different from other playrooms," Anna said. 

"In our Montessori playroom, the environment is carefully curated to encourage independence, exploration, and hands-on learning for children.

"There are wooden educational toys that stimulate children's creative thinking and develop their imagination.

"In the background, you can hear calm, soothing music that helps children relax," she said. 

The Montessori Playroom boasts a variety of toys that support the development of fine motor skills, including building blocks, sorters and shapes, puzzles, mosaics, and toys that facilitate daily activities such as lacing toys, numbers, and letters.

The playroom also features a dedicated reading corner, where parents can enjoy the magic of books with their children. 

"The idea for this room emerged some time ago, and we put our hearts into preparing it.

"We still have many ideas in mind and continue to educate ourselves on this topic to improve our place and make it even more interesting.

"You can also organise birthday parties with us; it's a great place, especially for younger children because it's not crowded," Anna said.

The Montessori Playroom is open for children up to seven years old, between Mondays and Saturdays, from 10am to 4.30 pm. 

The playroom has a maximum capacity of 15 children, with a smaller room specifically designed to ensure a comfortable environment without excessive noise.

It also offers hot and cold drinks, snacks, and homemade cakes for purchase. 

"We are very pleased that the children who come to us feel good and don't want to leave," Anna said.

For more information, you can follow Montessori Playroom on Facebook.