The Older Infant program at Small World Country Day School is a year round, full day program with the option to bring your child 2 to 5 days per week. Child to teacher ratios are 5:1 - with a maximum class size of ten to provide for optimum social interaction, while allowing the teachers much one on one time with each child. As in the Infant room, we allow the children to move freely without restricting them through the use of walkers, indoor swings or constant carrying. This free range of motion enhances their physical and mental development. Our Older Infants are on the verge of so many changes both physically and emotionally and our program is designed to help them through these transitions.

Our nursery program is based on the RIE (Resources For Infant Educators) philosophy that allows our children to grow and develop at their own pace. RIE helps raise children to be confident, aware, focused, cooperative and resourceful. This philosophy is firmly based on respect and individuality. Some of the goals of the RIE philosophy are:

• Safety - to provide an environment for the child that is physically safe, cognitively challenging and emotionally nurturing
  
• Involvement - to provide the child involvement in all care activities (allowing them to be an active participant rather than a passive recipient)
  
  
• Interaction - basic trust in the child to be an initiator, explorer and self-learner
  
  
• Consistency - clearly defined limits and expectations to develop discipline
  
  
• Freedom - to explore and interact with other infants and have time for uninterrupted play
  
  
• Communication - the beginning of language development and the building block for security, trust and attachment

For more information about the RIE philosophy, please visit the website at www.rie.org.

We respond to the children whenever they need us but do not interrupt their play when they are busy if we can help it. We respect their play as an important step in their development. By allowing them lots of time for uninterrupted play, we allow them to explore and experience things at their own pace. We feel that children know best what they need to "work on", so we set up an appropriate environment and act as facilitators to help them on their way. Classroom activities are designed to encourage their physical and social development. Large and small muscle activities are planned within a safe and warm environment where children can "practice" being independent. Children are also encouraged to feed themselves as part of their development. Some features of the Older Infant program are:

• Activities include painting, singing, story time, and dress up
  
  
• Our teachers sit on the floor with the children to encourage and facilitate interaction on an eye-level basis
  
  

  

• All the floors in the Infant and Toddler Wing are heated as this is where our growth & learning take place
  
  
• Older Infants are allowed free range of motion in our program - no walkers or swings are used
  
• 2 nutritious meals and 3 yummy snacks daily are provided daily
  
  
• Flexible schedules - choose 2, 3, 4 or 5 days a week to attend (full days only)
  
  
• Every Wednesday, toddlers participate in a music class in addition to their classroom activities
  
  
• Daily use of our well-planned, interesting and developmentally-appropriate infant/toddler playground