During Discovery Night, parents have an opportunity to explore the classroom as the children do….actually working with the materials.  In groups of 3 or 4, parents take materials from the shelves, examine them and work with them on their own with no instruction from the teachers.  They attempt to discover how the children would work with the material, the goal of the activity, determine what age would be most attracted to it, and later demonstrate what they’ve found to the larger group.  While every parent has toured the room and understands the five cognitive areas, Discovery Night provides a “hands-on” opportunity to explore the Montessori equipment.  Most parents come away from Discovery Night with a deeper understanding of the environment their children enjoy every day.