Building Blocks Learning Center and Child Care

Our Infant Room has plenty of space for infants not crawling or walking yet, providing a place for the babies to
explore their world and develop their mobility skills of crawling in a safe and protected environment.

There’s also space for the infants who are beginning to explore their world on a more mobile level. We have toys for
the babies to pull themselves up on, stand-behind push toys to help them master the art of walking, and
plenty of open space for them to crawl and run around safely.

Our staff offers extra nurturing care that promotes each child’s social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development.

Each day we offer our infants:

• Story time – while being read to throughout the day, there is also time set aside to read new stories to the group of infants in a “circle time” fashion (although at this stage in their development they are not expected to sit through entire books). This gets them familiarized with the concept of circle time in the Toddler Room. Flash cards and puppets are also a favorite to accompany the stories.
• Sensory exploration – done under close supervision with non-toxic materials that are not choking hazards. Examples: pudding, JELLO, cooked noodles, (edible) play dough, water play.
• Music time – age appropriate music will be played throughout the day, with teachers singing and dancing along with the infants. Singing is also a huge part of our Infant Room throughout the day – teachers will sing songs with the children during diaper changes, feeding times, and rest time.
• Outdoor time (weather permitting) – we try to get the infants outside for some fresh air as much as the weather will allow. We have a play yard that we set up to the north of our Infant Room in the grassy area. We also have a large outdoor umbrella to protect them from the sun, comfy blankets to put down for our non-mobile infants, and outdoor toys for the mobile infants to play with. We also have strollers that we take the infants for walks in to enjoy some fresh air!
• Tummy time – We have colorful mats, child-safe mirrors, and light-up/music toys for the infants to look at while lying on their tummies. The teachers are always right next to the infants while enjoying their tummy time, encouraging them and ensuring they are away from other mobile infants.
• Art activities – art projects at this age aren’t planned to look like anything in particular. We use “Process-Oriented Art”, meaning open-ended art. For example, infants may be given a blank piece of paper and crayons to draw freely. Or paint inside of a Ziploc bag on card stock for no-mess painting! Frozen colored water to “draw” with, is also a favorite.
• Conversations – infants are talked to all day long! This is the best way to teach and encourage infants to begin cooing and babbling! This includes finger plays and running commentary (ex: I’m going to take a spoonful of cereal and bring it to your mouth like an airplane! Zoom! Yummy! Is that cereal
  good? Here comes another bite….”)
• Building, dramatic play, fine motor activities during free play throughout the day.
• Rest time and plenty of cuddling and responsive care.

A schedule of activities is posted in the infant room. Please keep in mind that this is just a basic guideline and is meant to be very flexible.

Our infant room follows each child’s own schedule for eating, diapering, playing and sleeping. Each infant is fed when hungry, sleeps in their own crib when tired, and has their diaper changed when it is wet or soiled (diapers are checked at least every hour, changed every 2 hours, and always changed as needed). With adult help, infants begin to develop their own patterns for sleeping, eating, and other basic needs. In our Infant Room, there are as many schedules as there are infants.

A lesson plan for the week’s activities is posted in the Infant Room to keep parents informed. A daily note will also be given to the parents each day (cuddlegrams). On this you will find what and when the child ate, when they napped, diaper changes, and any other special occurrences in their day. There’s also a spot to let you know when your infant is running low on diapers, wipes, or clothing.

Important Practices:

Handwashing – Staff wash their hands:

• Immediately when entering the room
• After putting on/taking off socks/shoes
• Before and after preparing/feeding food
• Before preparing bottles
• Before and after preparing or giving medicine
• Before and after treating or bandaging a wound
• After using the toilet
• Before and after diapering
• After removing gloves while handling soiled items – including bodily fluids or wastes
• After coughing, sneezing, or blowing noses/child’s nose
• After playing outside
• Before and after using sensory or art materials
• After using the phone or walkie talkie
• Throughout the day
  

Bottles:

• Each infant’s meal chart will be followed.
• Formula bottles should be discarded after 1 hour of being made.
• Bottles will never be heated in the microwave! Water will be heated in the microwave to set the bottle in until it’s at the desired temp.
  Bottles will be labeled with the child’s first and last name.
• When making a bottle with breast milk
  –Breast milk will be stored in the freezer unless parents specify otherwise.
  –Breast milk will be warmed by putting the bag in the container of water heated up from the microwave.
  –Once at desired temperature, breast milk will be poured from the bag into the bottle.
  –Discarded after 4 hours of sitting out, unless otherwise specified by parents.
  –Bottles are sent down to the dish room to be washed after each use.

Cleaning:

• There are baskets of toys labeled for each day of the week, taken out only on that day. These toys are cleaned in the sink, sanitized, and put away at the end of the day.
• Big toys, bouncers, jumpers, etc. are cleaned during downtime during the day and/or at the beginning/end of the day.
• The floors are swept, mopped, and vacuumed daily.
• Diapers and garbage are taken out twice daily.
• Garbage and diaper pails are cleaned daily.
• High chairs and feeding table are scrubbed and cleaned thoroughly after each feeding time.
• Counter and sink are cleaned thoroughly after each use.
• Cupboards are always organized and labeled.
• Soft toys, bedding, and blankets are washed weekly – cribs are scrubbed and sanitized while the bedding is being washed.

Diapering:

• Diapers are checked every hour and changed as needed or no less than every two hours, whichever comes first.
• Each infant has a spot labeled with their first and last name next to the changing table where diapers, wipes, creams – labeled with their first and last name – are stored.
• All supplies needed for diapering are gathered prior and placed within reach.
• The diapering surface is covered with single-use paper the length of the child.
• The child is placed on the diapering surface. Children are never unattended during the diapering process.
• Gloves are put on and the soiled diaper is removed, folded soiled surface inward.
• Child’s clothes are changed if wet or soiled. Soiled or wet clothing is placed in a labeled plastic bag to be returned to parents at the end of the day.
• Skin is cleaned thoroughly to remove soil with a baby wipe by wiping front to back.
• Bottom is allowed to air dry and gloves are replaced, if soiled.
• Skin care products are applied as needed if supplied by parents and permission has been signed.
• A clean diaper and clothing (if needed) are put on.
• The child’s hands are washed with a baby wipe.
• Child is removed from diapering area and returned to the play area.
• Changing surface is cleaned with soapy water and then sprayed with disinfectant solution.
• Staff’s hands are washed thoroughly.
• Abnormal skin or stool conditions will be reported to parents. (Rash, unusual stool consistency, color, odor, or frequency.)
• Diaper change is documented on Cuddlegrams.