Tiny Sprouts
Our philosophy for caring for infants is child-driven and based solely on each child’s unique and individual needs. Great care is undertaken to assure infants are provided a clean and comfortable location to rest, play and learn. Infants live in a brand-new world, and they are utterly dependent upon the people around them to help them learn and to meet all their needs. At Tiny Sprouts, our loving, experienced teachers welcome you and your baby into a warm, safe, clean environment, and day by day, create a trusting relationship with parents and infants alike.
Our teachers’ one-on-one interactions with infants are natural and spontaneous, with an understanding that all interactions are opportunities to connect and stimulate your child’s development. Holding, soothing, establishing eye contact, playing, singing, talking and responding vocally all help create an engaging and nurturing experience for your baby.
Our Infant Curriculum…
(yes infants have a curriculum too!)
Language Development
Our teachers:
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Speak to your baby clearly and calmly;
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Refer to your child by name;
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Repeat sounds your child makes;
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Name objects your infant sees or picks up;
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Acknowledge your child’s feelings or sounds; and
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Introduce and regularly use American Sign Language [ASL]. Research shows that children as young as six months can begin making signs to communicate needs, and that signing enhances verbal language acquisition
Physical Development
Our play areas provide:
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Clean, comfortable, open floor space for wiggling, turning and rolling;
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A variety of textured toys made especially for tiny hands, to help with dexterity, eye-hand coordination, grasping and sensory stimulation;
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Plenty of safe structures for crawling, pulling up and standing, climbing or walking;
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Many opportunities for independent exploration, encouraged through praise and gentle practice; and Soothing music and lots of singing.
Social/Emotional Development
Our teachers:
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Respect and support your child’s expression of feelings;
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Nurture your baby with genuinely cheerful smiles and comforting hugs; and
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Care for every child with prompt, personal and sensitive responses to their needs, feelings and discoveries.
Cognitive Development
We nurture the natural curiosity that helps build your child’s brain with:
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Highly trained teachers who know how to engage your baby’s mind
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A variety of cause-and-effect toys; many opportunities to explore sights, sounds, textures and emotions, and
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Encouragement of discovery through verbal praise.
Because understanding of language and motor skills develop much faster than the ability to speak, Tiny Sprouts utilizes baby sign language as part of the infant curriculum. Signing allows infants to communicate their needs. Doing so helps to reduce the frustration they feel with not having their needs and wants fulfilled.
Babies grow and change quickly, so consistent and frequent communication with parents is key. Teachers prepare daily detailed reports with your child’s eating, sleeping, diapering and developmental activities. Effective communication works both ways – your child’s teachers welcome your feedback and are happy to offer insight into whatever concerns you might have.
Open communication between staff and parents is key to creating a positive experience for your child each and every day. Teachers are always eager to talk with parents about their child. Conferences will be held twice a year to discuss your child’s progress and development and to address any specific questions or concerns. Each day parents/guardians will receive live reports of what your child does while at school. They document feedings, diapering, naps, and activities.