Infant Montessori Program in Eden Prairie, MN
In our “Nido” room here at , we create a comfortable and natural environment for infants that promotes social, cognitive and motor development. Our highly trained staff believe that infant child care should involve an environment that leaves children feeling content while promoting well-rounded development.
“Nido” means “nest” in Italian and that is a perfect name for the environment we try to emulate. Through soft music and constant communication with our staff through talking, singing, reading, and playing, your baby will always feel content and at home.
Collaborative Efforts for Optimal Development
Infants 6 weeks to 16 months old have “absorbent minds,” priming them for optimal development when put in carefully prepared environments like those at our infant Montessori program in Eden Prairie. Our attentive team ensures your baby receives proper feedings, diaper changes, and naps through collaboration with you, the parents or caregivers.
We maintain careful records of your baby’s development spanning several key areas, including:
Social-Emotional
Interactions and responses to others.
Communicative
Vocal interaction, repetition, and response to speech.
Cognitive
Copies simple actions, responds to facial expressions, and more.
Self-Help Skills
Feeds self, holds cup, holds arms and legs out during dressing.
Fine Motor Skills
Grasping, manipulating, dropping, picking up, self-feeding.
Gross Motor Skills
Large muscle movements, standing, walking, development of motions from top to bottom.
We use age-appropriate methods and “tools” to help your baby develop. These include infant musical instruments, songs, finger plays, tummy-time, recognition of objects, and interaction with other babies, among others.
What makes our Nido Rooms Stand Out compared to others?
- Loving and attentive staff with longevity.
- Connected to Brightwheel. See your child’s day in real-time, get pictures and communicate with the staff all from your smartphone.
- Breastfeeding friendly! While we do need all babies to be able to take a bottle while in our care, we respect the important bond breastfeeding creates. We have comfortable chairs in a quiet area if you wish to stop in to feed your baby during the day or at drop off and pick up time.
- We have over 25 years of experience! Our staff has been carefully preparing infants with an environment that primes them for future development since we began.
- Both of our locations have a Nido room which includes 12 infants and at least a 1:4 teacher to child ratio. This allows us to pay proper attention to the needs of your baby at all times.
What Our Parents Say
"Great staff and teachers. My child loves goig here. He’s become very independent and come out of his shell."
Alan n.
What does the Nido environment look like?
Our Nido environment is intentionally designed to be peaceful, simple, and beautiful. It features low, open shelving with carefully selected materials that invite exploration, comfortable seating for adults and infants, low mirrors to encourage self-discovery, and purposeful mobiles and visual images placed at the infant's eye level. The space allows freedom of movement while maintaining a sense of security and comfort.
How do you apply Montessori principles to infants?
The Montessori approach for infants centers on respect for the child as a complete human being. We observe each infant's cues and respond promptly and consistently to build trust and security. We provide freedom of movement, allowing infants to develop motor skills at their own pace without restricting devices. We offer simple, beautiful materials that engage the senses and promote concentration. Our Teachers use rich language, describing actions and objects, and we include infants in the care routines that involve them, such as diapering and feeding, treating these moments as opportunities for connection rather than tasks to be completed.
What is the daily rhythm in the Nido program?
Rather than a rigid schedule, our Nido follows the natural rhythms of the infants in our care. We recognize that each infant has unique needs for feeding, sleeping, and activity. Our experienced infant guides observe and respond to these individual rhythms while gradually introducing predictable patterns to the day. Feeding, diapering, napping, and floor time for movement and exploration happen according to each child's needs, with gentle guidance toward a more shared rhythm as children mature.
What is the adult-to-infant ratio in your Nido?
We maintain a low ratio of 1:4 (one adult to four infants) to ensure that each child receives the individual attention and responsive care they need. This allows our infant guides to develop deep, trusting relationships with each child and family.
How do you handle feeding and sleeping in the Nido?
We work closely with families to maintain consistency between home and school routines. For feeding, we support formula, milk, and the introduction of solid foods according to each family's preferences and the child's developmental readiness. Infants are held for bottle feeding to promote connection and security. For sleeping, each child has a designated crib, and we follow safe sleep guidelines while respecting individual sleep patterns.
How do you support developmental milestones?
Our teachers are trained to recognize and support each stage of infant development. We regularly assess milestones and provide activities that encourage growth in all developmental domains. We partner with parents to ensure consistent approaches between home and our school.
Why Choose Eden Prairie Montessori Learning?
01
We’ve been guiding and cultivating children through the Montessori method for over 20 years.
02
2 convenient locations in the North and South sides of Eden Prairie.
03
We care for children from infancy through Kindergarten, preparing students for first grade and beyond..
04
Carefully trained, qualified instructors who have completed Montessori Certification.
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Small class sizes to ensure each child receives the attentive care they need.
