6 weeks to 18 months

Infants learn at a very rapid rate but mostly through the repetition of activities and the consistency of schedule, i.e, knowing “what comes next”. Infants learn amazing things in the first year or so of life—how to eat, how to sit up, how to walk, how to be more independent. It is our job as caregivers to provide the infants with activities to improve their gross motor abilities, their self – help skills, and their overall development.

 

A warm and loving environment

Our infants do NOT spend a great deal of time in their cribs. Generally, they are in their cribs only while napping. During the time that they are awake, they are entertained by the caregivers.

The main focus of the Infant Program is to make the child feel secure with the caregiver, the surroundings and the routine as well as creating a warm, loving environment in which they may grow and learn.

 

Our Infant Program includes activities that:

• Reassure each child that he / she is loved and has a special place in our world

• Encourage a sense of curiosity about their surroundings

• Develop large muscle control which leads to crawling, pulling up, standing, walking, and running

• Develop small muscle control that is used to hold and manipulate things

• Stimulate the use of the five senses

 

Daily Activities

Daily Activities of the Infant Teachers includes:

- feeding – diapering – rocking – encouraging infants to roll over, sit, crawl, stand, walk – responding to cries and needs – smiling – comforting – talking to infants – singing – giving infants room to move around – creating a happy, safe, and developmentally appropriate environment for the infants – playing on the floor – close communication with the parents.

Daily Activities of the Infants includes:

- making new and old sounds – crying – sitting up – pulling up – crawling – learning to walk – growing – loving – exploring – looking – listening – putting things in their mouths – rocking – learning to trust grown-ups – smiling – laughing – teething – getting acquainted with other infants.

 

Parent Communication

** Parent Communication**Infant Daily Activities Sheet ** Parent Communication**

Each infant has a “Daily Activities” sheet that keeps records of all of the following activities: Times of feedings and the amount eaten, all diaper changes and times, awake activities, length of naps as well as general moods. Medication if prescribed by family physician is recorded when given.

At the end of the day the parents are given a copy of the daily activities sheet to take home.