Infant Room
ages 6 weeks-16 months
In the Infant Room, babies are encouraged to explore and learn in a safe, caring, and nurturing environment. Activities that focus on the main areas of development are planned and offered through play experiences. Social/emotional development includes practice expressing and understanding feelings, taking turns, and playing in a group setting. Language/communication development includes the use of sign language, talking, and lots of reading together time. Cognitive development includes exploring such concepts as "in and out", "heavy and light", numbers, colors, problem-solving, and pretend play. Since babies use their whole bodies to learn most things, physical/ motor development activities are abundant in our room, and our equipment is sized and designed for safe movement and exploration. Babies learn as they climb, crawl, roll, explore over and under, around and through the environment. A wide variety of activities are provided to encourage mastery and to offer new challenges that meet the rapidly changing needs of our infants.
Primary care groups are used to provide consistency. We build strong personal relationships that give babies the emotional support needed to learn and grow. Parents and staff work together to develop comfortable routines for our infants that meet their needs both here and at home. Open and ongoing communication between center and home is valued, and parents are welcome to be in the room anytime.
The Infant Room is licensed for 12 infants through the MN Dept. Human Services with a ratio of 1 staff person to 3 children.
Infant Room Daily Schedule
- 7:15-7:30 Room Set-up
- 8:00 Breakfast
- 7:30-10:45 Free exploration of the room, walks inside and outside, outside play, block plan activities as appropriate.
- 10:45 Lunch
- Between 11:30-12:30 change toys and books in the room.
- 11:30-5:30 Continue exploration, block plan activities, feedings, naps, diaper change routine.
- 1:30 Afternoon Snack
- 5:10-5:30 Clean-up and sanitizing
Diapers are checked/changed every hour during the day, when they wake up from naps, and as needed.
Bottles are fed as needed throughout the day.
Record keeping is done throughout the day.
Sanitation is done throughout the day.
All infants are on their own individualized schedule.
