The Nido Community
Lawrence Montessori School offers a premier infant program in Lawrence. The Montessori Nido (“nest” in Italian) environment is a clean, bright, cozy, and safe environment designed specifically for infants three months to age and up to one year old and walking independently. Infancy is a time of accelerated physical and cognitive development and our teachers are careful to attend to the individual needs of each infant. Each child is lovingly cared for as our staff provides many opportunities throughout the day for motor, language and cognitive development. Per state guidelines, all our teachers are safe sleep and pediatric CPR and first aid certified.
At Lawrence Montessori School, we observe, guide and nurture each infant lovingly and communicate with the parents daily on the child’s growth and development. Each child follows an individualized schedule. Some children nap while others are awake and happily engaged in activities. There is no “by the clock” activity, nap or eating routine for our infants except what is requested by the parents. Each child is nurtured at her/his pace of development as we follow the child. We also have an attached outdoor play space exclusively for infant use.
- The Nido movement area is where children engage in various activities for their rapidly developing motor skills. Rugs on the floor, soft climbing equipment and floor mats along with spotlessly clean floors allow children the freedom to explore the entire room. Ample opportunities to develop the rapidly growing motor skills allow babies to crawl, walk and explore the various activities in the room. The environment is displayed with specifically designed manipulative materials for hand development.
- Our teachers enjoy interacting with babies in simple conversation and sign language. Sign language is an important in our Nido environment. All babies learn to sign basic words to communicate with their teachers – the first step in communicating wants and needs.
- Our sleeping area is a quiet comfortable space cordoned off for napping children. Each child is lovingly rocked to sleep by our dedicated teachers who are all safe sleep certified.
- The eating area is designed to aid independence in babies who are beginning to eat solid foods. By encouraging them to sit at specially designed child sized tables and safe, low chairs, infants are encouraged to explore and eat solid foods. They are taught to drink from open cups and use utensils as they learn to eat.
Our Nido environment is especially designed to meet the needs of growing infants. We have created a cozy and inviting environment to support the developmentof the infant by providing ample opportunities for movement, language, independence and cognition in a social setting.
