INFANT PROGRAM
(BIRTH TO 18 MONTHS)
The Infant Program, developed for children from birth to 18 months, is directed by Early Childhood Educators (RECE) certified professionals and staffed by qualified, nurturing support staff. In addition, our staff are trained in the Montessori philosophy and the implementation of its methodology, specifically to the needs of the child. They have undertaken first aid and CPR training specialized for infant care.
We understand that infants need a loving, emotionally nurturing and a clean, healthy, physically beautiful environment. Infants need an environment which will enable them to observe, explore, learn and grow. We strive to provide the children at MindTech Montessori Schools an environment as much like home as possible. The teachers model the gentle, thoughtful, intelligent behaviors that encourage similar socialization skills in the children.
Dr. Montessori spoke of the child before age three years as having “the Absorbent Mind”…absorbing and internalizing every aspect of life around them. The Montessori philosophy provides a basis for natural, individualized learning activities appropriate for children at even the earliest stages of development. Maria Montessori developed a unique concept of education focusing on the child, utilizing a system of manipulative materials based on her observations of how the child interacted with the world. With this “Montessori Method” we view the child as a new being in the process of self-creation.
The Infant Care Program is designed to meet the needs of infants from birth until 18 months. The environment promotes independence and movement of the infant. Infants are encouraged to crawl, as crawling is extremely important for the development of vision and organization of the brain, processing abilities and muscular motor development. In addition to maximum movement, it is very important for the young infant to experience visual discrimination and tactile stimulation.
As the child further develops and begins to walk (approximately 12-17 months of age), the program is flexible to accommodate these new needs and challenges. The walking infant possesses an abundance of energy, which lasts all day long, and they display this independence by insisting on doing everything by themselves. To support the emergence of this independence, the child is allowed to do as much for themselves as possible. All materials are at the child’s level so that the child can discover and explore with minimal assistance.
The curious infant loves to put things together and take them apart, so large piece puzzles with knobs and posting toys are added to the environment. Other developmentally appropriate activities may include stacking toys, push toys, riding toys, books and picture cards.
MindTech values a ‘flexible routine’ approach which carefully monitors and reflects the needs of each infant in terms of feeding, diaper changing and sleep time each day, and at every stage of the infant’s development. MindTech’s ‘flexible routine’ caters to serve each infant’s “UNIQUE” individual needs, in all matters, all day, everyday. The infant care program is a ‘non-structured’ environment, therefore working most effectively around the unique needs of each child. Hence, the daily routine is modified based on the children’s receptiveness and time sensitive needs.
- 7:00 – 9:00am: Breakfast / snack / free play
- 9:00 – 9:30am: Free play / Montessori activities
- 9:30 – 10:30am: Morning walk / outside play (weather permitting)/ Gymnasium playtime (Child must be stable in walking)
- 10:30 – 10:45am: Crafts / sensorial
- 10:45 – 11:15am: Circle / reading / songs
- 11:15 – 12:00pm: Lunch
- 12:00 – 2:30pm: Nap time and quiet play / Montessori activities
- 2:30 – 3:30pm: Afternoon snack
- 3:30 – 4:30pm: Afternoon outside play time / walk (weather permitting)
- 4:30 – 6:00pm: Free play / Montessori activities (evening snack)
*subject to change
Parents will receive an Infant Daily Report everyday providing a detailed account of each infant’s meal times, nap times, diaper changes, supply requests and other useful comments. Our infant care providers hope you will monitor the reports to assist and make you aware of the evolving changes in your infant’s habits and patterns – day to day, week to week, and month to month.
