Montessori Daily Infant Routine

• The daily routine may be altered to accommodate for seasonal changes, wet weather, and special events
• Spontaneous groups times occur throughout the day
• Educators plan learning experiences for each day (these are displayed on the curriculum planning sheets in your child’s classroom)
• We seek to accommodate each child’s individual eating and sleeping schedule
• All Montessori Academy childcare centres are sun-safe and allergy aware
• A record of your child’s day is communicated to you via our family communication app

Montessori Academy opens at 7:30am. Upon arrival, please remember to sign your child in, and place their bag and belongings in their locker. Children need a labelled water bottle, hat, and spare set of clothes each day. If your child attends a non-catered centre, they will also need a healthy packed lunch.

When you are ready to enter the classroom, please knock on the door, and wait for an educator to greet your child. Older children are encouraged to knock on the door once they have been introduced to the Grace and Courtesy Curriculum.

Once your child enters the classroom they will begin the Montessori Work Cycle. During this time, younger children will interact with their teachers and peers in a small group setting, while older children will choose work from the shelves and work independently.

Educators present lessons to the children, introduce the Montessori materials, and allow them to work with the material at their own pace. Learning is individually paced and based on each child’s developmental needs and interests.

Around 9am, children enjoy a nutritious morning tea from a rotating menu of fresh fruit, muffins, cereal, healthy slices, and sandwiches accompanied by milk or water. Younger children will nap according their sleep routine and daily needs.

The children then head outdoors to play and engage in activities that encourage the development of fundamental movement skills. Children learn how to roll a ball, play in the sandpit, engage in collaborative play, chase bubbles, climb, and participate in games, music, and dancing activities.

After outdoor play, the infants engage in group time activities centred on children’s interests. These planned activities are documented on the Infant Curriculum Planning Sheets. Planned activities may include a group interest project, art and craft, sustainability, culture, or music and movement. Throughout the day children participate in both planned and spontaneous group time experiences.

Around 11:30am, the children settle in for the lunchtime routine. Lunch is a social time, where educators encourage talking about different types of food and table manners. Lunch is also a time to practice skills such as finger feeding and learning how to use a spoon and fork.

After lunch, children sleep or have quiet rest time. The room is darkened and quiet sleep music lulls the children into a restful sleep. Younger children sleep in a cot while older children typically sleep on floor beds. Children who are not yet self-settlers are gently patted to sleep. Each child’s individual sleep routine is accommodated.

Around 2pm children begin to wake up, and afternoon tea is served. Afternoon tea is typically fresh vegetable sticks and dip, sandwiches, cheese and crackers, yoghurt, wraps, fresh fruit, or healthy muffins accompanied by water.

Once children have finished afternoon tea, they proceed outside to play. Children follow their interests, explore the outdoors, and participate in individual and group  experiences that foster the development of social and fundamental movement skills.

In the late afternoon, from around 4:30pm onwards, children return inside and begin winding down for the day. During this time, children participate in open-ended play, and also have a late snack.

At 6pm, all children have returned home with their families. The childcare centre is thoroughly cleaned and prepared for the next day. Throughout the day families will receive updates about their child’s day via our family communication app.