Infants

Infants

Pink Room | Ratio 10:2

Our Classroom: Our infant environment is very unique and designed with the health, safety and education of our youngest learners.

Individualized Cribs

Each baby that joins our infant classroom is assigned his/her own crib. Cribs are sanitized daily, and crib sheets are changed as needed and/or daily.

Emphasis on Active Interaction

Active play is important for developing infants. We encourage lots of tummy time and interaction with caregivers is ongoing throughout the day.

Infants are delighted by simple props that spark their emerging imagination. Small animals, dolls, hats and a variety of play props encourage their language and creativity. As we pretend to talk on the phone, we model important imaginative play.

Infants grow and develop quickly. One day they are grasping for a toy and it seems the next they are turning over. We create the environment and plan activities that support the rapid development of infants. Infants are developing their ability to use their hands and fingers with coordination, control and strength. To exercise their small muscles, we provide them with a variety of materials to hold, grasp, shake, pick up, and pull apart. As these skills develop, we vary the size of what they are grasping. Infants need to move, stretch, wiggle, turn over, push up, pull up, walk, etc.

The role of our teachers is to support, challenge and encourage these emerging large muscle skills. For younger infants, large muscle activities include the following: holding up their head, turning their head, waving arms, and kicking their legs.

Meals & Snacks

Babies have different schedules and our staff work with parents closely to ensure consistency throughout each day. In this room, because each babies’ needs are different, meals are provided by families until children are ready for table food. We provide a daily record of each meal so parents know how much and when their child ate.

Large Motor Activities

We encourage babies to be active! Inside activities include tummy time, rolling, crawling, pulling up, reaching and more.

Music

Music is an important aspect of the environment we create in our infant rooms. The songs and music selected introduce babies to a variety of different types of music and create moods for different times during the day. Our teachers also create music with babies by interacting with a variety of musical toys.

Reading Aloud

We love a good book! It is never too early to start exploring books with children. We make time every day to look at pictures and read aloud to our babies.

Care Routines

Hugs and cuddles are essential to every baby. We promote this closeness by taking time during regular routines to talk, sing and interact. Washing hands and even diaper changes become a special time for close one-on-one interaction. We want every baby to trust their caregivers and know they are loved.

Naptimes

Babies have various nap schedules in our infant room and caregivers communicate closely with families to ensure consistency in their individual nap routine.