Infant Programs

  • Infant Programs

    Part time and full time enrollment available

    We specialize in the care and nurturing of these very young children. This is a special time for infants and their families. During this time your child is likely to take their first steps, say their first words and begin to form relationships with other children that may last through preschool and beyond.

    Our Caregivers

    Our experienced caregivers are carefully trained to help your baby feel safe, loved, and well-cared for. They understand the importance of talking with the children, making eye contact, singing silly songs, cuddling, and gently guiding them as they explore their environment. Your child will have a primary caregiver who will perform the majority of the one-on-one caregiving routines (feeding, changing, comforting, etc.) and with whom your child will form a bond of intimacy. Studies on early brain development stress the importance of a single, consistent caregiver for the majority of the day. Your child’s primary caregiver will provide a written daily report electronically detailing your child’s day.

    Infant Environments

    Our infant care environments are safe and inviting. Edges are rounded and softened for safety. Our play spaces are rich in shapes and colors as well as toys which encourage exploration, along with active, interactive, and quiet play.

    Daily Routines and Activities

    Daily routines are developed to meet the needs of your infant and include individual feeding schedules, nap times, hand washing, and diaper changes. Daily activities include story time, music activities, outside time, and lots of opportunities to work on fine and gross motor skills. We have special teachers scheduled to visit the classrooms to present activities and experiences in music, and foreign language exposure.

    Our Infant program is designed to meet your child’s individual needs.  A Daily Schedule is developed based on your infant’s routines at home and is adapted as your child grows and changes.  Feedings, napping, and diaper changes will be done on an individual basis according to the needs of each child.  Ample time is spent on the floor exploring, moving, playing, and practicing new skills.  The rest of the day is filled with cuddles, cooing, singing, snuggling, and special one-on-one moments between the babies and their teachers.  Caregivers are actively engaged in play with the children and assist in language development by narrating the various activities they are participating in (whether caregiving or play) so that children begin to make the connection between language and communication.
     
    Each infant is assigned a Primary Caregiver who is responsible for the basic caregiving tasks (diapering, feeding, etc.). Your child will be able to form a bond with their Primary Caregiver, and you can take comfort knowing that the same person is caring for your child each day.  The consistency of the caregiver along with the predictability and consistency of the schedule enable your child to quickly feel secure in the classroom and begin to form relationships with the other children and teachers in the class.
     
    The curriculum in the Infant program is built around the “Healthy Beginnings” developmental guidelines, which were designed by several workgroups of early childhood professionals to be compatible with the Maryland Model for School Readiness (MMSR) and the Maryland State Curriculum, as well as the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). These guidelines are a resource for caregivers as they are planning developmentally appropriate lessons and serve as the foundation for assessing each child’s development along the continuum of learning.
     
    We offer Full and Part Time schedules.