Parent Portal

Infant

Joyful Learning

 

Our Infant/Toddler Level is a full-time, full-day, early childhood learning center that embraces the Reggio Emilia philosophy.  We provide care that meets the basic needs of a child. Our children engage in music, art, cooking, and dance, outside play, reading, and imaginative play every day. Twice a week our music teacher comes into the classroom to sing with the children and play guitar.

 

Every day children have an opportunity to experience art through different age-appropriate materials using their fingers, brushes, sponges, items from nature, and more. We encourage children to get messy and explore all forms of materials at their own pace. We are a family environment where infants and toddlers have the chance to learn from each other. It is our responsibility as caregivers to facilitate this learning and create opportunities for growth and development, not just physically, but also socially and emotionally.

 

We welcome children as young as eight weeks. These children stay with this program until they are ready for our preschool program, usually around two years old.

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Best Time To Enroll

Our Infant class is limited to a combined total of 16. We have six teachers, and our caregiver-to-child ratio is 1:3.2.

Enrollment occurs on a rolling basis, and is open year-round. While we are currently full, we encourage you to join our wait pool. The best time to contact us would be when you are aware that you are expecting. This will help start the conversation about either the best time to enroll, or allow us to add your child to the wait pool.

Hours of Operation

Monday – Thursday: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Closed on major Jewish and federal holidays.

Experience Our Environment

Play Room

The Infant Level has a playroom with a see-through divider that creates age-appropriate areas for both infants and toddlers to interact safely and developmentally. All of our children come together for circle time, reading, music, and playground.

As the children grow, the older children, with the help of a caregiver, begin to “help” look after the younger children. They practice sharing and nurturing skills, provide comfort, and “read” books to them!

In the play room, all of the children are exposed to creative and expressive experiences. Children as young as four months are given paint while on tummy time, giving them the chance to get messy and truly feel the paint and see, up close, what they create. As they grow and develop their strength and skills, the experiences change. They will go from painting while on tummy time to having access to different creative materials like brushes, sponges, and paint wells. This allows the children to experience a familiar material in a new way.

Kitchen

Children are competent and capable individuals with likes and dislikes of their very own. Through getting to know them, we are able to create individualized experiences that allow children to slowly break through their comfort zones and experience something new. This is most evident in our “kitchen.”

Depending on each child’s individual development, they have lunch at a tiny table, or at a small communal table. We give spoons to children as young as six months and encourage them to participate in eating.

Children are offered cooking experiences once a week. Whether they make applesauce or challah dough, children participate as much as they want to or can. During kitchen time, children are encouraged to join in every aspect of the process: with safe cooking utensils, our little “chefs” cut apples, mix ingredients, knead dough, and use a mixer.

Sleep Space

Our napping space is aesthetically designed for cozy comfort. Each child has their own crib or cot. We keep the room as quiet and peaceful using black out shade and a sound machine while still being mindful that the children need to be able to differentiate between day-time and night-time sleeping. If children are not ready to sleep, we support them and help them to relax and rest so their bodies and spirits can recharge.

Studio Hall Space

The hallway connecting both areas is specifically set as a sensory and creative expression area. Along the wall is an easel where children can paint, draw, and color. When the easel is not in use, we offer sensory bins designed for children to be exposed to wet, dry, and textured materials.

Outdoor Play

The children spend part of their day on our front playground. This area is specially designed for young children to safely run, jump, climb, and slide. We bring out additional materials to encourage structure building, ball play, and imaginative play. We have a large shaded area and cold drinking water.

Weather permitting, children over one year in age spend 30 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the  afternoon playing and exploring outside. Children under one year of age are brought outside for shorter time periods. Depending upon their development, these children will use the swing, our moveable climbing structure, or sit in chairs so that they can experience the sun and wind on their faces. Children also experience water play on the playground, where they get to splash, jump, dump, and enjoy getting wet!

We Love Our Educators!

MEET THE INFANT TEAM
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