Nido // Infants (6 weeks – 17 months)

Little children, from the moment they are weaned, are making their way towards independence.

Dr. Maria Montessori

The Nido Program is designed to meet the developmental needs of infants ages 6 weeks to 17 months.

Dr. Montessori first described the infant environment as Nido (meaning Nest in Italian). The classroom environment is cozy, loving, secure, attentive and comforting – just like at home. The environment is intentionally designed to facilitate movement, develop language, and realize independence.

Our Infant classes are intentionally small with lots of floor space to crawl and explore. We follow each infant’s regular schedule in sleeping, eating, and diaper-changing in order to maintain a secure and trusting environment.

 

Learning Goals

We have several goals in the Nido Infant environment that ultimately facilitate independence and the ability to move freely for the acquisition of knowledge:

Free Movement The Nido Infant environment is designed to maximize movement. We avoid activities and equipment (like bouncers) that restrict a baby’s natural movement and desire to explore.

Communication We enrich our Nido Infant classroom through song, music, and spoken language to provide a lively communication environment. Our Montessori Guides describe the classroom environment and daily actions in order to help babies effectively communicate with their teachers, parents, and loved ones. Sometimes we use sign language. 

Developing Independence As our infants prepare to transition to the Toddler environment (18 months – 2 ½ years), we encourage children to care for themselves. They learn to stand confidently, sit comfortably, grip strongly, and even hold a cup. Montessori materials in the Nido environment are curated to develop coordinated, precise movements.

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Our older infants (ages 12 months) participate in a morning group lesson. These lessons are short, designed to help children learn how to focus and express themselves in a group setting. 
 
Programs & Timings

Programs are full-time, offered five days from 7:00 – 6:00 PM.

Locations

North Cypress

Schedule a Visit

Drop us a note and say hi.