10 weeks-16 months
Gross Motor Skill and Freedom to Move:
Early on in baby's development most of their time and energy is spent on their gross motor skills (holding head up, rolling over, pushing up off ground, sit up, climb, walk etc.) In order for babies to fully develop these skills they need time, space and freedom to move. That is why at The Nido Room you will not find any sort of restraint or mechanism to restrict your babies movement.
Confidence:
Each time your baby practices a new skill, they strengthen their sense of confidence. At The Nido Room we find the right balance between guiding your little one and making them feel safe and loved all while encouraging them to push limits and explore something new and be independent.
Trust:
At the Nido Room we listen to/ observe your baby's natural cycle of feeding, sleep and biological needs and provide for their needs on their own schedule. Doing so allows your baby to learn to trust their own body and encourages a healthy relationship to sleeping, eating and toileting. At a fundamental level they will be provided for until they learn to fulfill those needs on their own, their trust and confidence will flourish too!
Language Skills:
Throughout the day at The Nido Room we are sure to have vibrant and meaningful interactions with your baby. We describe what we/they are doing, what other children are doing, making sure they can see the mouth movements. Doing so will allow them to make connections between language, tone and emotions. Story time and circle songs will also expose your baby to a full range of speech and expression in order to give their developing brain everything needed to master language.
Hand Development- Fine Motor Skills:
Maria Montessori famously observed that "the hand is the instrument of intelligence". Your baby uses their hands to fuel the development of their brain and nervous system. From involuntary and reflex movements to intentional batting, grabbing, then releasing and more refined grasping abilities such as the pincer grip (used for holding a pencil). Your baby is always learning and refining these skills. At The Nido Room we have a specific curated collection of toys and open play items that will allow your baby the time and space to practice these activities.
16 months- 3 years
Language:
Your child will be exposed to real, rich and precise vocabulary and grammar. We will get down to eye level, make eye contact and speak clearly so that they can see the movement of our mouths in order to mimic and practice for themselves. Through songs, stories and poetry with illustrations your toddler will experience less frustration as they learn to express their own ideas and feelings with speech.
Practical Life and Self Confidence:
Toddlers love to do "grown up" tasks all by themselves. At The Nido Room your toddler will be able to practice "practical life" activities throughout their day. Tables, chairs, toys, beds, sinks and toilets are either at your child's height or made to be accessible. Materials and utensils are sized to your child's hand and ability as well as art and mirrors hung to their height. Children are also given tasks during their day to promote responsibility and independence such as watering plants, tidying up, and washing their dishes. The children will also learn about practical self care by wiping their nose and face, toileting and washing hands. Your toddler will learn to be an important contributor to society by being able to complete real world purposeful tasks independently. Practising tasks over and over will achieve mastery, build confidence and self-esteem which will give rise to a naturally self-reinforcing process: the more they try, the more they succeed, the more success they feel the more confident they become!
Problem Solving:
Your toddler will have access to increasingly- sophisticated activities that is matched to each individual child's development. These activities support the toddlers understanding of cause and effect, problem solving, making choices and pursuing goals. Some activities feed a child's development through hand-eye coordination while others address their need to move and grow. Your toddler engages in gross-motor activities indoors through singing, dancing to outdoors while playing and climbing.
Toilet Independence:
One of the most independent skills your child can learn is to use the washroom on their own. By having everything accessible to your toddler and us observing signs your toddler is ready we will be able to motivate them to learn without pressure. A positive to a mixed age class (baby and toddler) is that the toddlers are able to set an example and spark interest in the younger children to pursue new skills.
Socialization:
To learn children imitate the adults around them, establishing patterns of social behaviour that will stay with them throughout their lifetime. At The Nido Room your child is free to move about, interacting with their peers. We role model positive social interactions through specific lessons. Rather than constantly correcting your child's behaviour from a negative perspective, we instead role model/ show them that to do in each situation. Courteous interactions and lessons in grace help you child to learn consideration of others.