Infants (6 weeks to 18 months)
The Setting
The comfortable non-commercial setting of our nursery and older infant room offers a safe and nurturing environment for your child. Classical music plays gently in the background as research has shown it improves the cognitive development of your infant. We provide room for movement and exploration, with activities designed to develop fine and gross motor skills and our quiet and cozy sleeping area provides a peaceful setting for your infant when it is time to rest. Additionally, a comfortable area is provided for our nursing mothers. When it is naptime, each baby has his own crib and cribs are never shared. Bedding is laundered on-site.
Our Safe, Organized and Clean Environment
Our day care strives to maintain a safe, organized and clean environment. Staff always have your child's health and safety on the forefront of their mind.
- Changing stations are cleaned and disinfected after each use.
- All staff wear gloves when diapering, and hand washing takes place often throughout the day.
- Mats and floors are washed daily.
- Floor toys are disinfected daily and mouthed toys are cleaned between uses and disinfected daily
- Refrigeration is available for food, milk and bottle storage.
- Each child has an individual cubby or bin used to store his/her change of clothing, snacks and personal items.
- We maintain an environment that is peanut and treenut aware and are able to accommodate any allergy or food preference your child may have.
Infant Curriculum
At The Day Care Center at Ivy League, the curriculum is reviewed by Ivy League School's Directors. Unlike chain day care centers, Ivy League does not rely on a one size fits all curriculum, because like beautiful snowflakes, no two babies are alike. More than at any another age, the needs of children from birth to eighteen months vary greatly and change constantly. We know how important the first months and years of your infant's life are; full of so many wonderful milestones. Because we believe that these early months for growth and learning are so important, and because we respect your infant's individuality, we provide what your child needs exactly when needed.
Our low child-to-teacher ratio enables us to give special attention to each child's individual growth pattern. With a maximum of only 8 infants in each room, our caregivers and teachers will encourage your baby's social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth. Through keen observation, tender care and gentle guidance, our caregivers are always ready to introduce multi-sensory experiences, learn through play activities, floor time, and the wonders of an outdoor carriage ride, to help stimulate and sustain your child's emerging abilities. With the knowledge gained from research and the wisdom of practice, we provide a balance of security and encourage exploration as your child races towards toddlerhood. Because we pride ourselves on our relationship with you, whether it's playing peek-a-boo, singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, or making a special project, we will always take the time to share with you what your child experienced during the day.
As important milestones are reached, teachers use a variety of materials and experiences to maximize your infant's potential. In Ivy League's Learn-Through-Play environment, we enlist cooperative and creative activities and incorporate manipulative materials, toys, games, music and books to encourage:
Language Development: Many books of different types and textures that our caregivers read aloud, create not only a social bond but plant the seeds for language skills. In addition, the classical music played throughout the day, has been shown to help develop an infant's auditory memory, auditory processing and language development.
Fine Motor Skills: Learning to stack blocks, grasp and pick up a variety of objects and age appropriate art activities all encourage the development of fine motor skills and the concept of cause and effect.
Gross Motor Skills and Social Development: Time spent in musical play, toys that create sound when manipulated, push and pull toys, songs, movement and outdoor play on our beautiful secure playground, help babies to develop gross motor skills and enhance social interaction with others.
Self Confidence – Social growth: Your infant's self-confidence and social interaction with others will naturally grow as we incorporate these important skills into our daily activities.
