Infant Child Care: What Can Montessori Do For Your Child?
You want the best for your child. And that care starts in infancy. Instead of just any infant child care environment, you're looking for a daycare that supports your baby's development in a holistic way. This means fostering independence, encouraging exploration and giving your child every chance to grow into a curious, creative learner.
How can you nurture your child's ever-growing need to learn and make their own discoveries? Montessori education is one way to help your child do this — and much more. If you're going through an exploration process of your own (in trying to find the "just right" daycare for your child), take a look at the benefits that a Montessori educational program can provide infants and young toddlers.
Independence and Growth
Caring for your infant doesn't requiring sacrificing their independence. A child who is constantly carried around or placed in restrictive types of furniture may not have the opportunity to explore and development their own sense of independence.
Instead of always "doing" for the child, Montessori programs provide plenty of chances for infants and young children to make their own discoveries and use everyday objects as they see fit. From the classroom setup (including the furniture and play item choices) to the teacher's role in the daycare day, infants and young toddlers are able to create their own framework for developing independence in age-appropriate and safe ways.
Continuity through Development
Having to move from teacher to teacher (and classroom to classroom) every school year isn't always easy for the young child. Infants, toddlers and preschoolers build a bond with their caregivers, creating a sense of trust and love. Having to constantly switch caregivers/rooms can disrupt this, impacting the child's sense of comfort and routine.
Unlike other daycare centers, Montessori schools use a multi-age room approach. This allows children to stay with their primary teacher/caregiver for more than a few months. Along with creating a bond, this can also assist in social and emotional development.
Motor Movements
Movement is a major feature of the Montessori classroom. Even though your infant may not be a master of movement (at least, not yet), they'll get plenty of opportunities. Again, the classroom set-up and materials used help infants and toddlers to develop independence. This plays into motor growth, by providing the young children with the chance to crawl, roll, scoot, walk or toddle through their environments.
Infant child care is not all the same. Each daycare center has their own way of caring for and teaching young children. When it comes to Montessori, this includes a caring approach that fosters independence along with the development of key social, emotional, cognitive and movement skills.