il Nido (the Nest)

​​​A child’s early years are a time of great sensitivity to bonding in order to establish trust in the world; as well as language, order, sensorial impressions, and development of coordinated movement, both fine- and gross-motor.​ Our school environment supports the child’s development of movement, independence, and capacity for active exploration. 

​Most infants follow a routine, though not necessarily a strict schedule, that allows for feeding, active time, and nap. This routine repeats itself throughout the day and provides important predictability for young children. In our Infant environment, our Montessori guides maintain a consistent rhythm outlined by parents that responds to each child’s needs and compliments what parents do at home.
All of our environments have several special features that also set them apart from typical day-care settings:
  • We support any parent who wishes to nurse their baby. Our Infant room welcomes parents who would like to breast/bottle feed during midday visits.
  • We use low tables and chairs, instead of highchairs, for snacks and solid meals. We believe this provides young children with a valuable first experience at gaining independence with self-feeding.
  • All of our environments have several special features that also set them apart from typical day-care settings:
  • Our sleep rooms are tranquil spaces, where children rest safely and peacefully, and are constantly monitored. 
  • A beautiful garden designed especially for infants, with soft surfaces and a variety of spaces to explore, plus equipment. 
                                 The Bluebell Room
Our Infant room (the Bluebell Room) supports the child’s development of movement, independence, and capacity for active exploration. Because an infant’s brain is wired for language acquisition, our environments offer rich opportunities for babies to learn through plenty of reading, singing, sign language and a running dialogue as your child’s caregivers explain the events of your child’s day. Our respect for each child shows by how we engage them in each care-giving activity with warm eye-contact and verbal explanations of each step, rather than merely just doing the tasks to the child.

In our Bluebell room you will see …
  • Many soft floor mats and bolsters on which babies can move freely and develop gross motor skills.
  • Mirrors positioned close to the floor to stimulate tummy time and self-discovery.
  • Low bars mounted to the wall and soft furniture for children to pull themselves up.
  • Interesting mobiles, grasping objects, and rattles within reach.
We encourage and support the use of washable cloth nappies at our centre, as well as at home. 
                                 The Daisy Room
Once your child is a steady walker, around 16 to 18 months, they will transition to our Daisy Room. Your toddler has a once in a lifetime opportunity to absorb information from the environment, like a sponge. That’s why Montessori for toddlers is more than just childcare: we provide a toddler with the ideal environment to make the most of this irreplaceable period of time.  Our Nido toddler room is simpler and slower paced than la Casa for two to six year old's, with more individualized attention, and lots of time to explore.
Tables and chairs are smaller and the teacher-child ratio is lower. The atmosphere is supportive and non-competitive with lots of physical movement. The Montessori toddler materials are specifically structured to meet the developmental needs of toddlers and to support their need for purposeful activity. The classroom focuses on two main areas, language development and acquiring skills for independence and social interactions, supplemented by select, simplified Sensorial materials.
In our Daisy Room you will see…
  • Beauty and order to help your child make sense of the world and learn how to do things for themselves. Low shelving with accessible materials for fine-motor development and cause/effect, such as puzzles, rings on a post, and containers to open and close.
  • Opportunities for purposeful water play.
  • Practical Life activities to support care and control of the learning environment.
  • A small group of happy, engaged children who care about each other!
Take a look at our beautiful school......
   ........or better still, come in for a visit and see for yourself !