Redwood Montessori Nursery Unveils Its Newest Branch in Al Marina, Abu Dhabi

Ribbon cutting ceremony with Kamil Najjar, CEO and Founder of Kids First Group and His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan

Abu Dhabi, Kids First Group is happy to announce the opening of the latest state- of-the-art Redwood Montessori Nursery branch in the U.A.E.’s capital, adding Al Marina to its list of locations in Abu Dhabi. The bilingual nursery has built a strong reputation thanks to the visionary mindset behind its creators, who brought together the world reknown Montessori teaching method, excellent educators, curated spaces and high-quality materials and resources, making Redwood a family favorite in the whole country. The new branch in Al Marina in particular, will focus on inclusivity and individualized support with the unique availability of an in-house therapist.

Redwood Montessori Nursery was originally ideated and developed by Kids First Group, a Dubai-based early education group founded by current CEO, Kamil Najjar. The group operates 33 nurseries across the U.A.E. and Doha, with 7 other locations in Abu Dhabi including Saadiyat Island, Yas island, Khalifa City, Shams Boutik, Al Mushrif, Reem island, Al Bateen and soon to open In Al Nahyan.

“We are delighted to extend our Montessori nursery to Al Marina in Abu Dhabi, allowing even more families to access high standard early education in the capital city. Montessori learning is dear to my heart as it’s the first one I chose for my own children. At the time, I didn’t really know or understand the importance of their first 6 years in this world, nor the essential soft skills they develop. From birth to age 3, strong human connections, responsive relationships, and a warm environment matter more than anything, and this is what I’m striving to preserve across all Redwood nurseries in the U.A.E.” reflected Kamil Najjar, CEO and founder of Kids First Group.

Kids First Group truly understands the need for an inclusive environment to fully integrate children into the nursery community and promote a sense of belonging. This is why they build child-focused and child sized spaces that are warm, welcoming and creative, promoting independence and engagement. Everything is within reach for the children enabling them to initiate activities on their own.

Ensuring children receive appropriate challenges and opportunities to thrive, Redwood Montessori nursery uses a strength-based approach to learning. Instead of dwelling on areas where children struggle, the emphasis is on building upon their strengths to boost confidence and motivation. Their main ethos is that children excel when they have the freedom to navigate their own learning, rather than sitting still and memorizing information. There’s a lot of focus on practical life skills, such as cleaning and organization, food preparation, gardening and even time management a crucial skill needed in adulthood. Uninterrupted work periods in their classrooms facilitate open-ended exploration and concentration, cultivating a love for learning. Teachers and caregivers observe and identify a child’s interests and strengths, whether it’s creativity, problem-solving, social skills, or physical abilities. Rather than group lessons, often children receive 1:1 attention, as they are all at different levels, and have different learning styles and needs. Their educators, or ‘guides,’ have a deep understanding of how to apply the Montessori philosophy to early child development and continuously receive training on the latest research and best practice.

“Positive experiences in early childhood build a strong base for educational achievement, economic productivity, and emotional intelligence. This makes choosing the right nursery, even more important than choosing a university,” concluded Kamil Najjar, CEO and Founder of Kids First Group. Over 5000 parents have entrusted KFG with their child’s early learning and development, affirming the impact of the first 6 years of life on their destiny.