Parent and Child Montessori for Infants

Session Guidelines

Program Philosophy

LePort Montessori’s Parent & Child Montessori offers your infant a carefully prepared Montessori environment to explore, one that is ideally suited for children 2 – 17 months. It is a unique opportunity for you to have more than a full hour of uninterrupted time together, under the guidance of an experienced Montessori teacher.

Babies fascinate new parents, but they’re often also confused by the signals they send and the many changes that happen in fast order during the first 18 months of a baby’s life. Beyond your love, proper nutrition and sound sleep, what can you do to help your baby flourish? What activities are best at what ages? Are there any changes you can make at home to optimize your baby’s environment?

In this parent-child program for babies, we will show you in practice what a Montessori infant environment looks like and what activities it offers to support each baby’s development. We’ll provide you with practical guidance on how to implement some of these ideas at home. And, of course, your instructor will be available for all kinds of other questions related to parenting an infant!

In our Parent & Child Montessori program, we give our babies the chance to explore a tranquil, beautiful environment, created just for them. Depending on your child’s age, she may watch fascinating mobiles, explore multi-textured objects, observe herself in the mirror, or climb up a specially designed set of infant stairs. Encourage her to explore and let her be challenged by the new things she encounters in this one-of-a-kind environment!

One of Dr. Montessori’s great discoveries is that a lot happens when caregivers take a step back and observe how a child interacts with the prepared environment around him. Use your Parent & Child time as an opportunity to quietly watch your baby: You may be amazed at what you discover! There’s no need to constantly entertain him with your voice or activities; give him the opportunity to take the new environment in with all his senses.

It’s perfectly natural if your child seems to reject some activities yet really enjoys some others. Young children are individuals, and they all learn at their own pace and in their own way: One 6-month-old may already be able to move about, while an 8-month-old may be content to watch and explore objects within her seated reach. Whenever you respect your baby’s interests and keep encouraging her, you are doing the best for her growth.

A Montessori environment is especially designed with young children in mind. It is fully accessible to them in that everything is the right size and at the right height for a very young child. The room is primarily their space, not ours. You will notice that the adults in the room are not dominant: We speak with soft voices, use slow movements, and handle everything with care because we are constant role models to the children.

Session Details

Saturdays from August 2nd to August 2nd

Instructor Info

@leportschools.com
Read 's bio

Location Info

,

School Email:

School Phone Number:

Program Guidelines

Please review the following guidelines to help our program and your experience run smoothly for everyone. If a caregiver other than yourself brings your child to class, please have him/her review the guidelines as well. Keep in mind that each child attending the Parent & Child class must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver (e.g. twins require two adults). No older siblings are permitted.

Arrival Time

If you arrive before class begins, please wait in the lobby area. We have a shoes-off classroom so kindly remove outdoor footwear before entering the class. Prior to class start time, your session leader is busy preparing for class, so please try not to come into class beforehand. She will be happy to greet you and your child right when the session starts.

Behavior

Our groups will include wide age ranges (2-months-olds to potentially 12-month-old children). As such, there will be many different behaviors on display, all normal for a child’s developmental stage. Very young infants may get hungry or tired and cry. New walkers may bump into other little people or stumble into furniture. Please keep in mind that meltdowns, while unpleasant, are commonplace. We view these behaviors as normal for children in this age range and will work with parent and baby to create an environment where we can guide the child to overcome them.

If an incident between children does arise, LePort Montessori employs positive redirection and conflict resolution techniques rather than isolation. We do not use “time-outs” or “naughty chairs,” and we respectfully request that parents also not use these during their Parent & Child Montessori sessions. Your session leader will model positive discipline strategies to help resolve any conflicts. You might later talk to your teacher about ways to prevent future incidents. Please try to view these incidents as positive learning opportunities.

Toys from home

Please do not bring any toys into our classroom environments, with the exception of teething rings if your child is teething.

Cleaning Up

The activities in our infant rooms all have specific places on the shelves. After you and your child use an activity, please kindly return the activity to its proper spot. If you have an older child who has become a good walker, encourage him to participate in the cleanup process by gently guiding him as he carries an activity back to its location on the shelf.

Clothing

Please ensure your child can move freely in his clothing. Socks with tread, bare feet or indoor shoes best manage slippery floors. Long pants are best for the crawling child, especially for our outdoor environment. Older infants (almost toddler, with walking capabilities) will need sturdy outdoor shoes with flexible soles. We suggest a Robeez type, soft sole slip-on shoe for the crawling child for outdoor play. As always with babies, please come prepared with extra clothing.

Eating

We are unable to provide snack during Infant Parent & Child. If a child’s mealtime falls during class, you are welcome to bring food from home to serve at one of the specially designed low tables and chairs (we do not use highchairs). We have a refrigerator, microwave and a bottle warmer in the classroom. We do not allow Montessori materials to be brought to the table with food, since we allow a child to focus on one task at a time.

Diapers

Please bring your own diapers and wipes. Soiled diapers may be disposed of in the diaper bin directly beside the low changing table. Children who stand up on their own will be encouraged to be diapered while standing. The classroom guide will assist in learning this technique if parents are not familiar with this type of diaper changing. We do not allow Montessori materials to be brought to the diaper table, since we allow a child to focus on one task at a time.

Cell Phones

Please show respect for your child’s Montessori experience by silencing your cell phone and not texting or checking messages during your Parent & Child sessions. If you absolutely must make a call during class time, please step outside to do so. (You may, however, use your phone to unobtrusively take pictures or videos of your child engaging with the Montessori activities.) Please also refrain from allowing your child to use your cell phone during class time, as this distracts your child from the variety of materials available to explore in the classroom and outdoors.

Illness

Please do not bring your child to class if he is sick. While a runny nose is fine if your child is otherwise healthy, excessive coughing and irritability are reasons to keep your child at home. Also, if your child has vomited, has had diarrhea or has had a fever less than 24 hours before class, please keep your child at home.

Facebook

Please join our closed Facebook group! As part of your enrollment, we invite you to join this private group dedicated to families of LePort’s Parent & Child programs. Your child’s session teacher will post pictures, share interesting news on Montessori education, notify you of upcoming events – and you’ll get to connect with other parents in the area who have young children.

Make-Up Classes

If you cannot make it to one class, we cannot guarantee a make-up class will be available, but you are welcome to contact your campus to discuss possible options. If you end up missing a number of classes or need to drop out, unfortunately, we cannot offer a refund or credit.

Administrative Questions

If you have administrative or enrollment questions, please call at or email at .

Program Questions

If you have questions or concerns regarding program content or procedures, please feel free to email at @leportschools.com.