Infant-Toddler Care

Welcoming Environment: Children are provided with a warm, loving, brain stimulating and nurturing environment that encourages the children to explore.

Activities: Daily activities include: fine motor activities, science, painting, imitating and pretending, enjoying stories, tasting and preparing food, exploring sand and water, having fun with music and movement and going outdoors.

Teacher’s Role: Teachers frequently interact with the children, encouraging the children to explore the environment and planning to meet their individual needs. Observations enable teachers to learn about and plan for each child’s development. Teachers send home a daily infant/ toddler report, monthly newsletters and Quarterly developmental checklist are sent home to inform you of your child’s developmental progress.

Family’s Role: We welcome parents to visit our classrooms at any time while their child is in the program. Parents are also welcome to get involved by donating items to the program, volunteering and many other ways to get involved.

Toileting/Diapering: Diapers are checked within the first hour of arrival and every 2 hours after that. The diaper is changed if soiled. Toileting is handled in a relaxed manner. Children are never forced to use the toilet. Parents and teachers are encouraged to work as a team if the child is potty training. (Toddler forms are sent home daily)

Sleeping and Naptime: Parents must send a clean blanket and a crib sheet for naptime. Parents are encouraged to send a comfort item from home. Naptime is based on the individual sleeping schedule of the children. Soft music is playing to help the children rest and in some cases the teachers may hold or cuddle the child to help him/her fall to

sleep.

Guiding Behavior. To prevent behavior problems the teachers sit close to the children, carefully plan for the day and redirecting behavior as needed, and many other tactics to prevent behavior problems.

Mealtime: Mealtime is a time of learning and a social time. The children are encouraged to feed themselves. Teachers eat with the children and encourage the children to eat their food. Children are never forced to eat their food. We provide formula & Food for young infants. (See Formula Preference form). Toddlers between the ages of 12- 18 months are placed in a high chair, infants are held in a caregivers arm while being fed.

Promoting Children’s Health: We seek to provide a healthy place for children. Toys and equipment are frequently sanitized (daily), diapering practices are sanitary, infants are placed on their backs to sleep, children are provided with appropriate nutrition, hands must be washed upon arrival and children must be checked for contagious illnesses upon arrival.**Sick children will  not be accepted into care.(see handbook)

Ensuring children’s safety: A first aid kit is available, at least one staff member on site has CPR /First Aid Certification, All paint is lead free, furniture is appropriate for children, all visitors must sign in, electrical outlets are covers, choking hazards are removed from the room, pacifier cords are not allowed, No walkers, children are only released to authorized individuals and appropriate child-adult ratio is maintained.

Caring For young infants: Infants are rotated every 30-minutes to an hour while awake. This includes time in the playpen, being held by the caregiver, bouncy seat and/or swing. Older Infants that are able to sit-up, crawl and pull-up are provided with floor time and gross motor time with close supervision.

Take a Peek at our Infant-toddler supply List and Curriculum!