Montessori for Infants: A Window Into the Nido at LePort Montessori

- [background music]

- Welcome to the Nido.

We call our Montessori
infant room the Nido.

Which is Italian for Nest,
a warm, nurturing place,

a home away from home.

For babies and young
toddlers, it is a place

where babies can develop
at their own pace,

where they're cared for
by teachers who are loving

and who understand the unique
needs of these young youth.

It's a welcoming place for looking around

and observing, for moving about whichever

way you can for exploring

with all your senses, hearing, touch,

taste, sight, smell

for eating when you are hungry,

and for sleeping when you are tired.

An authentic Montessori
environment is nothing like

a typical daycare setting.

You won't find any containers,
cribs, clay pans, bouncers,

or high chairs here.

Our babies are always free to move.

The environment is set
up to entice movement

to make it joyful and rewarding.

Babies find floor mats to crawl on mirrors

to encourage tummy time
and self-discovery.

Pull up bars to pull to standing

obstacle courses and tunnels for crawling

different size stairs

and ramps to climb up

and down, low furniture

to cruise along and carts to push.

I know we also offer infant
ized outdoor play areas

to explore with balls to throw

and chase, and plenty
of space to run around.

Our teachers love engaging with babies.

We help them communicate with
words or with sign language.

We explain what we do and
encourage them to use words

or signs to express their needs.

We use correct, elaborate
language with them.

This girl is fascinated with the photos,

displayed a child height

and listens eagerly to her
teacher's explanations.

- In fall turn orange and
yellow. Look at the trees.

Trees. There's so many.

The forest, the sun.

The sun is going down. The sun is yellow.

- This child gets to choose his food.

These children are learning
that a teething ring

that fell on the ground
needs to be washed.

- I'm sorry it was on the
ground. Let me wash it off.

Let me wash it off. I will be back.

- And these children enjoy a song

and movement activity outside.

Babies need to explore the
world with all their senses.

Actively explore using the
hand as the tool of the mind.

That's why our Nido offers
a rich, sensorial environment.

Babies have access to
materials of many textures

from soft sheep skins to
cuddle with, to furry balls,

to touch to seasonal items like pumpkins,

to explore at length with little fingers.

They play with a wide
range of toys from balls

and interestingly textured baskets

- To
- A wide range of wooden toys to handle

from trackers, to explore

to wooden objects, to band

saw songs and instruments like shakers are

integrated into the day.

Children benefit from the time

and space to really enjoy the taste

and texture of their foods.

They love outside play.

From playing with bubbles

to exploring the sand,

and of course, grass to run on.

They go on stroller outings
every day to observe nature,

to look at birds, trees,

- Flowers,
- And the

Montessori infant program.

We want to help your
child take his first steps

toward independence.

This principle is key behind
some of the differences

between our educational
approach and typical daycare.

We never do anything for the child

that she can do for herself.

We don't feed children,
assembly line and high chairs.

Instead, as soon as children can sit,

we offer them a place
at a low weaning table.

We give them finger foods

or their own spoons to
participate in feeding

with careful support.

Children just over a year

are surprisingly capable self feeders.

We engage children in toileting.

We explain to them what is happening?

Oh, your diaper is wet.
Let's go change it.

We wait for a response.

A five months old lifting
his arms to be picked up.

A 10 month old calling toward an onto

the low changing table.

We ask children to help to
lift up their legs, to sit down

and pull off their pants.

For those who can stand,

we change their diapers standing up.

Newly mobile babies like

that a lot better than
being forced to lie down.

We also invite them to use the toilet.

And of course, wash hands.

Toilet learning in Montessori

is just another natural
step toward independence.

While it is convenient for the
adults in a daycare setting

to have everybody eat

or nap at the same time, it
is not optimal for the babies.

In a Montessori environment,
we always follow the child.

We maintain a consistent routine.

When children wake up, they
can leave the sleeping area.

As soon as they feel ready,

the teacher will have food ready for them.

As most likely, they will be hungry.

They eat again at their own pace,

so they can self feed.

Then it is time for
activities for exploration.

When a child shows us she is tired,

we help her get settled for a nap,

and then she can sleep until she's done.

No waking up a sleeping baby. Here,

children need space and time to explore.

All Montessori guides act
as guides, as facilitators,

more than as teachers or entertainers.

They guide the child toward independence.

They've put him in a position to succeed.

They remove obstacles
rather than doing things

for the child, they provide words

to identify to the child what he's doing.

They are the destination
the child can walk

to under his own power, rather
than holding the child's hand

and making her walk before she's ready.

Because a Montessori infant room, a Nido,

is carefully prepared for
the child with low furniture.

I need toilets, little tables to eat at

'cause our Montessori
guides are trained in child

development and love to work with babies

Cause in the Nido,

babies are loved, respected,

and treated as fully human
Montessori infants are happy,

engaged, learning

and growing every day.

And when babies thrive, parents are happy.

That is the power of Montessori

from the very first steps.