Babies can be enrolled in Learn and Grow when they’re as young as six weeks and stay in the infant section until they’re 16 months old. These age limits are actually proscribed by state guidelines. But if either the teachers or the parents feel the baby needs to stay longer, we can apply for a waiver to keep the child in the infant area up to 18 months.

Babies need a lot of personal attention, mandating a high caregiver to child ratio: one teacher for every three to four babies.

The infant’s day has no structure. Each baby has their feeding and napping schedule, and teachers give each child a lot of one-to-one time.

As they get older and learn to crawl, and then to walk, the infants are able to play with one another. They’re given as much floor time as possible.

Teachers are always tuned in to what a child needs, but don’t have to rely entirely on the usual cues (crying, facial expressions). From the time they’re able to control their hands, babies in our infant section are taught sign language (yes it really works). They learn to let the teachers know with gestures if they’re hungry or thirsty or want to be picked up.

They continue using the signs when they move into the toddler section until they’re able to use words to express themselves.