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When you walk into our infant’s room you’ll notice the caregivers aren’t just caring for the children. Rather, they are nurturing the infants and leading each of them to the next new discovery. That’s why we like to describe our infants’ teachers as "caring guides," looking out for the fundamental needs of each child and at the same time providing stimulating and simple activities to help them develop and grow. Our curriculum for infants is structured keeping in mind that the very young child is learning at his or her own pace. That is why our "caring guides" plan individually for each child within their care. And when one of our infant’s teachers sees that a child is ready to take that first step or stand on their own, the teacher will use a variety of activities and materials to guide the child toward mastering that new skill. In addition, our usual day in the infant’s room is structured with center play for infants! This might seem to be an odd concept, but please allow us to explain. Our program for all other ages values center time as a great opportunity for learning. This is done at the infant’s level simply by bringing out only a certain type of toy at one time. For example, at 10:00 a.m., the infants might play with a variety of toys that require the small motor skill of turning an object attached to another object. At 10:30, the teacher might put those toys away and bring out a wide selection of toys that encourage a cause and effect response from the children. This approach provides a greater focus, and a happier group of infants, too! Because we recognize that infants are playing and working at learning new skills, we provide a special one-on-one time. For example, when a child is showing signs of wanting to learn to crawl, the teacher will spend a 10 minute "guiding time" with that infant. The teacher might use a ball that rolls very slowly. The infant will usually push it forward and a little out of reach, and then "crawl" to reach it. This sort of one-on-one focused activity is an important part of our approach to infant development. The infant’s physical classroom is part of the curriculum, too! Our classroom is outfitted so that the very young child not only feels secure and comfortable, but encouraged to develop new skills as well. Have a look at our "pull-up bar" where infants can reach above and pull themselves to a standing position. Of course, we provide a mirror in this area and a generous amount of padding on the floor. This is just one example of the Winwood difference in infant care! Our scope of concept and skill development for infants includes small motor control, language development, understanding cause and effect relationships, developing object permanence and learning about object qualities, just to mention a few.
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