Winfield Children’s House is located on the site of an original, small neighborhood schoolhouse, dating back to 1876. It was called the Dunham School and operated as such until 1946 before being turned into a private residence. The building was renovated in 1987, and once again turned into a “house for children”. In keeping with the Montessori philosophy, the school was furnished with low, child-sized facilities which foster independence and subtly reflect to the children that they can master their own environment. Winfield began with one Toddler and one Preschool program.

An expansion in 2000 added a second building, along with a second Preschool program and a Kindergarten classroom. In May of 2007, the Toddler House opened its doors and became the first accredited infant/toddler Montessori school in the state of Maine. Winfield Children’s House is one of the very few antique one-room schoolhouses that continue to serve children and families today.

In 2007, Winfield celebrated its 20th anniversary along with the 100 year anniversary of Montessori education. In 2017, in honor of our 30th anniversary, we debuted our renovated outdoor classroom, Casa Natura. As we close in on our 40th anniversary, we feel so fortunate to be able to continue this long tradition of serving our families!