Introducing the Infant Daycare Program
At Montessori Academy, infant daycare goes beyond the basics. Our Infant Program provides a carefully prepared, nurturing setting filled with developmentally aligned materials that inspire learning, discovery, and confident growth throughout the first two years of life.
During this stage of development, infants move through sensitive periods for movement, hand-eye coordination, language, order, small objects, and toilet training. The design of the infant classroom, and the educational materials within in, reflect these interests and provide rich opportunities for learning.
Similarly, the infant daily routine reflects this age group’s need for consistency and repetition, while embracing children’s individual needs, interests, stage of development, and learning styles.
Once children complete the Infant Program, they progress to the Montessori Toddler Program, where they gain a formal introduction to all five areas of the Montessori Curriculum.
Stages Of The Infant Program
The program itself is separated into three key stages, including: 0-9 months, 9-15 months, and 15-24 months. Each stage reflects the phenomenal physical, emotional, and intellectual development of the child as they absorb all aspects of their environment, language and culture.
| 0-9 Months | 9-15 Months | 15-24 Months |
| The first stage of the Infant Program lays the foundation for future learning by developing a broad range of skills that foster independence, concentration, muscular strength and sensory awareness. The core focus of the 0-9 Month Infant Program is to provide infants with opportunities to freely explore their environment, practice moving, and establish positive relationships with their teachers and peers. Montessori materials used during this portion of the program include grasping and reaching mobiles, rattles, sensory boards, treasure baskets, sound bottles, and the shapes board. |
From 9-15 months, the infant’s development is remarkable, as they gain greater control over how they think, communicate, and move. The materials introduced to this age group assist children in reaching their developmental milestones by helping them develop their psychomotor skills, hand-eye coordination, muscular strength, social and language skills, and visual and sensory discrimination. Typical Montessori materials for this age group include object permanence boxes, discs on a dowel, colour sorting, imbucare boxes, language cards, counting activities, matching activities, shape sorting, stacking blocks, nesting cups and puzzles. |
The third and final stage of the Infant Program prepares the young child to transition to the Prepared Environment where they will participate in the structured Montessori Toddler and Preschool Programs. The Montessori materials for this age group introduce children to practical life activities, such as spooning and pouring, and provide students with extensions opportunities to further refine the skills explored in the earlier programs. The core focus for children aged 15-24 months is to introduce them to the concept of order, expand their vocabulary, and assist them in developing their ability to concentrate, communicate, work independently, and understand simple sequences. |
Infant Learning Goals
Achieving physical development milestones such as crawling, walking, climbing and jumping
Demonstrates independence skills such as self-feeding
Beginning to use one to two word phrases
Knows the names of body parts, colours, and shapes
Plays alongside others
Chooses an activity and packs it away
Explores objects in different ways
Uses simple gestures to communicate
Achieving physical development milestones such as crawling, walking, climbing and jumping
Achieving physical development milestones such as crawling, walking, climbing, and jumping is supported by providing infants with freedom to move in unobstructed spaces and engaging them in outdoor and music & movement programs, offering opportunities for exploration and practice of gross motor skills in a safe and stimulating environment, promoting physical development and motor coordination from an early age.
Demonstrates independence skills such as self-feeding
Demonstrating independence skills such as self-feeding is encouraged in infant learning through opportunities to practice these skills during the daily routine and practical life activities, such as spooning, where infants are given freedom to explore and develop self-feeding abilities, fostering autonomy and self-sufficiency from an early age.
Beginning to use one to two word phrases
Infants begin to use one to two-word phrases through exposure to the Montessori Language Curriculum and the encouragement of freedom of expression, providing opportunities for infants to engage in meaningful communication and language exploration, fostering early language development and the expression of simple thoughts and needs.
Knows the names of body parts, colours, and shapes
Knowing the names of body parts, colours, and shapes is facilitated through the use of Language Cards in infant learning, providing visual and auditory stimulation to support early language development and cognitive understanding, fostering the recognition and naming of basic concepts essential for communication and cognitive growth.
Plays alongside others
Encouraging parallel play and social exploration, infants engage in playing alongside others through freedom of interaction and movement, with open-ended play activities such as building blocks, playdough, craft, and outdoor games provided to develop motor skills and creativity in a supportive and stimulating environment.
Chooses an activity and packs it away
Facilitating independence in infants, the ability to choose an activity and pack it away is nurtured through Montessori presentations, where adults role model the process, providing visual demonstrations and guidance on selecting and tidying up materials, fostering autonomy and responsibility in daily routines.
Explores objects in different ways
Infants explore objects in various ways through the freedom to work with activities and the opportunity for repetition, allowing them to manipulate objects, experiment with different movements, and engage in sensory exploration, fostering curiosity and sensorimotor development in a supportive and unrestricted learning environment.
Uses simple gestures to communicate
Encouraging communication development in infants involves incorporating simple gestures into their interactions, facilitated by the Montessori Language Curriculum, which supports non-verbal communication through activities such as sign language or pointing, providing infants with tools to express their needs, desires, and emotions before they develop verbal language skills.
Our Infant Daycare Curriculum
Example Materials
- Treasure baskets
- Fabric matching
- Spooning
- Pegging
- Nesting objects
Example materials and activities include:
- Imbucare object permanence boxes
- Three discs on the vertical dowel
- 3D object fitting exercise
- Sensory balls
- Puzzles
Example materials and activities include:
- Tummy time
- Visual mobiles
- Stair climbing
- Bead maze
- Pull toy and rolling toy
Example materials and activities include:
- Colour and object matching cards
- Object picture matching
- Reading
- Puppets
- Music and songs
- Each child’s individual eating and sleeping schedule can be accommodated
- Breastfeeding and supplying expressed breastmilk is welcome
- Cloth nappies can be accommodated
- Families are supported and invited to contribute to the program
The Montessori Curriculum and the Australian Government’s Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF): Belonging, Being & Becoming work together to nurture children’s potential. The EYLF incorporates five outcomes:
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- Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity
- Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world
- Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
- Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners
- Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators
Daily Routine Overview
The infant routine outlines the typical daily flow for children aged six weeks to two years in the Montessori infant community. The infant’s daily routine provides a consistent pattern of activities for learning time, meals, rest, and outdoor play. The predictability of the routine helps children to feel secure and positively influences their emotional, cognitive, and social development.
| 7:30am - 9am Morning | 9am- 11:30am Mid Morning | 11:30am - 12pm Lunch time | 12pm- 2pm Sleep or rest | 2pm-4:30pm Afternoon | 4:30pm-6pm Evening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre Opens | Morning tea | Lunch time | Sleep time | Afternoon tea | Indoor activities |
| Morning Greeting | Outdoor Play | Socialising | Rest time | Outdoor play | Late afternoon snack |
| Montessori Work Cycle | Group time | Clean up | Quiet activity | Pack up time | Centre closes |
The Montessori Academy Difference
At Montessori Academy, we believe every child learns in their own unique way. Our classrooms are hands-on, engaging, and tailored to each child’s interests and developmental stage. Children explore, problem-solve, and connect learning to the real world—all while building a strong foundation for both academic success and well-being.
Other Programs
0-2
Infant Program
The Infant Program is designed to meet the developmental needs and interests of children aged 0-2. Children learn through movement and exploration.
2-3
Toddler Program
The Montessori Toddler Program is active, self-paced, and involves learning using all five senses. Children are introduced to the five areas of the Montessori Curriculum.
3-6
Preschool Program
The Montessori Preschool Program is a structured academics and wellbeing program that prepares children for their transition to school.
4-6
School Readiness
Our School Readiness and Kinder Preparation Program combines school-styled workbooks with practical school readiness skills.
0-2
Infant Program
The Infant Program is designed to meet the developmental needs and interests of children aged 0-2. Children learn through movement and exploration.
2-3
Toddler Program
The Montessori Toddler Program is active, self-paced, and involves learning using all five senses. Children are introduced to the five areas of the Montessori Curriculum.
3-6
Preschool Program
The Montessori Preschool Program is a structured academics and wellbeing program that prepares children for their transition to school.
4-6
School Readiness
Our School Readiness and Kinder Preparation Program combines school-styled workbooks with practical school readiness skills.
Montessori Materials for Infants
Dressing Frames introduce children to buttons, zippers, velcro and ribbon tying. They are used to develop hand-eye coordination, concentration and independence.
The Three Shapes Puzzle introduces the circle, triangle and square as well as the primary colours. It assists in the development of visual discrimination, the pincer grip, and fine motor skills.
The Imbucare Peg Box is a tray with 6 pegs to develop hand-eye coordination. This material also teaches colour sorting.
Treasure baskets introduce children to different objects and textures. They aid in the development of sensory perception, coordination, concentration and fine motor skills.
The Coloured Discs on a Dowel introduces infants to discs that vary in size and colour. This materials helps develop visual discrimination, a sense of order, and introduces simple counting.
Imbucare Boxes help children recognise two shapes in the same size. It supports the development of visual discrimination, hand-eye coordination, and introduces the concept of object permanence.
Dressing Frames introduce children to buttons, zippers, velcro and ribbon tying. They are used to develop hand-eye coordination, concentration and independence.
The Three Shapes Puzzle introduces the circle, triangle and square as well as the primary colours. It assists in the development of visual discrimination, the pincer grip, and fine motor skills.
The Imbucare Peg Box is a tray with 6 pegs to develop hand-eye coordination. This material also teaches colour sorting.
Treasure baskets introduce children to different objects and textures. They aid in the development of sensory perception, coordination, concentration and fine motor skills.
The Coloured Discs on a Dowel introduces infants to discs that vary in size and colour. This materials helps develop visual discrimination, a sense of order, and introduces simple counting.
Imbucare Boxes help children recognise two shapes in the same size. It supports the development of visual discrimination, hand-eye coordination, and introduces the concept of object permanence.