Nestled in its own leafy surroundings, Le Petit Jardin is the new Montessori School in Sandymount providing children from two and a half to five years with a challenging programme in a very warm and cosy atmosphere. Mary Coyne who runs the playschool is no stranger to caring for children. She has been running ‘Tir Na nÓg’ on Sandymount Green for the last four years.

Mary believes a busy child is a contented child and with the Montessori equipment, arts and crafts and drama and French which Mary incorporates into the child’s day there’s no time to get bored. Having just finished colouring by numbers in French, the children were heading out to the garden for some fresh air when I visited them.

The hours at present are 9-12am Monday to Friday with a view to having an all-day facility in the near future, which will be the first service of its kind in Sandymount. ‘Tir Na nÓg’ Playschool on Sandymount Green also provides an after-school club for school-going children where they are collected from school and provided with a hot snack. For more information you can reach Mary at 6678606 or 087 9114482, or by email: tirnanog63@hotmail.com

The children from both Le Petit Jardin and ‘Tir Na nÓg’ will perform their nativity play at Mount Tabor on Sandymount Green on Friday 17th December at 10 am.