At First Years Academy, our infant rooms are setup for fast-growing and ever-curious babies. Our infant room covers babies ranging from 6 weeks to 18 months old. They are grouped based on their mobility. The ratio of staff to babies in our infant rooms is 1 to 4; with 1 staff member for every four infants.
Parent Communication
We utilize an Infant Communication Sheet to communicate with each parent. We fill them out like clockwork to keep you informed. On this sheet, we log feedings (both bottles and solid foods), naps, changes in diapers, and any supplies needed. We also include a section for specific comments and observations.
Cribs
Each child is assigned a crib in our infant room, and it will exclusively be used for that child. The center provides fresh sheets weekly; however, if the sheets are soiled they will be changed immediately. We utilize Safe Sleep Practices to reduce risk of SIDS by encouraging sleeping in cribs only, placing the babies on their backs while sleeping, and using sleep sacks (provided and washed by the center).
Supplies for the Infant Room
Each infant should be supplied with formula or breast milk, three clean bottles, baby cereal and food (if appropriate), and diapers and ointment. Additionally, an extra change of clothes and a pacifier are highly recommended. Once table food is appropriate for your child, the center will supply it. However, if your baby is on breast milk please bring filled bottles that are ready to use for feedings. Transporting them in a small, cooler-style, insulated bag is the best option.
Feeding
We feed the children in our infant room bottles throughout the day. Upon your request, we will work with you to transition to solid foods over time. Typically, we start with cereal, crackers, and fruits and vegetables. Infants eating solid food enjoy breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack.
Diapering
We change each infant’s diaper every 2 hours. If it is needed more often, it will be done as needed. We set each schedule based on the individual infant’s needs. If a child’s diapering supplies run low, we will communicate with the parents to notify them of the need for more.
Outside Time
We believe activity is crucial to development in our infant room. We take the infants on stroller rides if the weather permits, and even take the older infants out to the playground occasionally. When weather is an issue, we utilize the gym space for play time. We encourage tummy time and utilize jumpers, floor gym time, bouncy seats, and swings. We also incorporate items like books, soft blocks, and a variety of other toys; all educational and age-appropriate.
A typical day for our infants at First Years Academy include play and learn time (exploring the room and toys and developing social skills), gross motor play (learning about the movement of their bodies), fine motor play (encouraging more specific body movements), music and movement time (learning about self-expression and music), and art/sensory time (adding to sensory learning).