What is a Nido?
Italian for “nesting”, Montessori ONE Academy’s Nido (pronounced nee-doe) is New Mexico’s first authentic Montessori infant learning environment and one of only 16 in the United States. So much more than a traditional infant day care, the Nido provides your child with a beautiful, safe, and nurturing atmosphere while sensorial activities engage them in discovery. Parent-child interaction on-site enhances the Nido experience and parents are welcome to visit as their schedule permits. The Nido program serves infants ranging in age from six weeks through 14 months, at which point they will move through to the Preschool Toddler Program.
Program Overview
As with all Montessori, independence and freedom to explore within age-appropriate limits is important. The Nido program begins the foundation for this by fostering freedom of movement, fine motor development, early socialization, and language development. In an open classroom, infants are provided opportunities for movement and safe exploration while spoken language skills unfold naturally in the social, nurturing environment. Sign language is taught to infants to aid in their self-expression. Spanish is also introduced as groundwork for second language acquisition. To provide consistent structure and reinforce emotional stability, infants follow a feeding, changing, and nap schedule based upon the infant’s needs and the pre-established home routine.
The Environment
Environment plays a vital role in Montessori methodology. Montessori finds that when children are placed in a calm, safe, nurturing environment that is also easily accessible, the natural outcome is confident, inquisitive, independent, and joyful learners. Originally designed for working parents, the Nido carefully replicates a supportive home environment. It features two classrooms with an adjoining door, lots of natural light, infant-sized furniture and easy access to a specially designed outdoor play area. There is also a private room for nursing/expressing. With a low child to adult ratio, the Nido has three assistants in each classroom and a trained Montessori guide overseeing and directing both environments. To see more of the Nido environment, visit our image gallery, watch our virtual tour, or schedule your guided virtual tour.
