Infants
6 weeks - 16 months
The infant program at Jack & Jill prides itself on the involvement and communication with its parents to build routines that help the baby grow, thrive, and learn, not only at school, but also at home. We continually request input from our parents so that we can do what is best for each individual child as they move through these crucial milestones and developments.
Older Infant Milestones
Listening and making noises
Learning to walk, crawl, and climb
Introduction to sign language
Imitating sounds and movements
Learning from others around them
Young Infant Milestones
Control intake of food and liquids
Forming bonds with caretakers
Tummy time and building muscle to control limbs
Forming bonds with caretakers
Exploring with hands and fingers
Your Infant’s day
In our infant program, a day consists of the following activities:
Core Learning Time
During core learning time, children begin to work on controlling head movement and developing hand-eye coordination.
Active Play
Active play consists of a teacher playing on the floor with children, and allowing children to work on upper body muscles while doing tummy time, crawling through tunnels, pushing walkers, and visiting the older baby/toddler playground. These activities help build large motor skills and confidence in exploring their surroundings.
Large Group Time
In the infant program, we begin introducing children to groups so they can begin building social skills and grow comfortable around their peers. We use props and visuals during large group time for the children to touch and explore. We begin using key, one-word phrases with infants during this time to encourage them to participate in holding these props.
Meals & Snacks
During meal times, we ensure there is one-on-one time for every baby as they build trust with their teachers. We work very closely with parents of each child to ensure that when the time comes to introduce table and baby food, our teachers follow the guidelines parents have signed off on. Children will begin to build self-help skills and independent eating skills.
Small Group Time
Our small group time focuses on individual skill development for our infants. While at the small group table, the children have time to feel various items with different textures. Examples include water splashing at the table and popping bubble wrap.
Rest Time
Rest time is critical in an infant’s development as it gives each child a chance to comfort themselves and have alone time away from other children. Rest schedules in the infant classrooms are based on the needs of every individual child. Some children will nap multiple times a day initially. However, as they grow, they will begin napping less as needed.