A Cozy Home Away From Home for Infants

(2-18 months)

The infant care program at Wunderkind.

At Wunderkind our infant classrooms are designed to be peaceful and loving spaces. Our teachers speak in gentle tones, the daily pace is unhurried, and the décor is understated and homelike. Each child in our care is an individual to be nurtured with affection and respect.

The age range for our infant program is from 6 weeks to 18 months. After the age of 18 months a child may begin his transition to the toddler program. Move-up ages may vary by several months depending on the individual needs of the child.

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The Infant Environment

Each of our Infant rooms supports the child’s development of the movement, independence, and capacity for active exploration. Because an infant’s brain is wired for language acquisition, our environments offer rich opportunities for babies to learn through plenty of reading, singing, sign language and a running dialogue as your child’s caregivers explain the events of your child’s day.

In our Infant environment, there are special mobiles and images to stimulate brain development, as well as a variety of tactile objects for children to explore. Because this is the period when infants learn to roll over, sit, scoot, crawl and potentially walk, the room has many opportunities for movement.

There are striking differences between a Reggio Emilia Infant environment and other, more traditional daycare settings: our babies do not spend their active hours in playpens, jumpers, walkers or other containers. Instead, in our Infant rooms you will see: 

  • Many soft floor mats and bolsters on which babies can move freely and develop gross motor skills.
  • Mirrors positioned close to the floor to stimulate tummy time and self-discovery.
  • Low bars mounted to the wall and soft furniture for children to pull themselves up.
  • Interesting mobiles, grasping objects and rattles within reach.

For the older infants, where crawling and newly walking babies have their hands free for exploration, you will see… 

  • Low shelving with materials for fine-motor development and cause/effect, such as puzzles, rings on a post, and containers to open and close.
  • Opportunities for purposeful water play.
  • Pull and push toys to promote gross motor movement.
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Schedule & Daily Routines
Most infants follow a routine, though not necessarily a strict schedule, that allows for feeding, active time, and nap. This routine repeats itself throughout the day and provides important predictability for young children. In our Infant environments, we maintain a consistent rhythm outlined by parents that respond to each child’s needs and complements what parents do at home.

Ratios

Fully established Infant environments have a maximum of 12 infants and 3-4 adults, one of whom is also the Room Leader. While we strive to maintain a 3:1 ratio throughout the day, there are moments when we will need to provide care at a 4:1 ratio to allow for teacher breaks. Though your child will interact with all teachers in the classroom on a daily basis, the classroom’s Lead Guide will be the main point of contact for parent communication regarding your child.

Feeding

We are your partners in guiding and supporting you during the many changes in feeding routines that you will experience as your child grows. All bottles and food for infants are supplied from home. With fridges, freezers, warmers, and microwaves in each Infant environment, we are set up to safely and hygienically accommodate both breastfed and formula-fed babies, finger foods, jarred meals, homemade purees, etc. .

Sleeping

Our classrooms provide each child a dedicated crib for younger infants or a low cot for older infants in a designated, peaceful area where noise is minimized and tranquility is heightened. We work with parents to replicate techniques that work best at home for your child’s sleep patterns while sharing tips from our experts for optimizing your child’s sleep.

Communication

It is our priority to have close parent communication because we are all partners in caring for your child. When your child begins in our Infant program, we will ask parents for detailed information on your baby’s sleep preferences (e.g. pacifier use), routine, feeding needs, temperament, etc. We strive to complement the home environment to ensure a sense of security and a smooth transition for your child.