Infant Childcare Program
8 weeks to 18 Months
Your distinctly-unique child has arrived and you’re completely torn about the possibility of Infant Day Care. We get that. Because at Danbury’s Hudson Country Montessori School we accept whole families into our community, not just their children.
Our Danbury, CT Infant Program was established 27 years ago. The current Head Teacher has been with us for 25+ years, and most other caregivers for at least 10. Child care providers in our program are passionate, committed, knowledgeable, and experienced.
We follow the Montessori Method. You will find many notable differences in our Infant Room design and programming from traditional Day Care settings.
One surprising program differences is our emphasis on independence, from the get-go.
"Many people are shocked that our daughter sits down by herself at a little table, tries to use a fork and spoon, puts her toys away, throws garbage in the basket, knows to put shoes on the mat and clothes in the hamper, and can find her food in the refrigerator. All before she’s 18 months. We blame it all on Hudson.”
– Jon Dupree, Infant parent
As part of our Montessori philosophy, communication between caregivers, parents, and administration is paramount. We maintain an “open-door policy” and remain committed to detailed, daily correspondence.
Because we understand the dizzying demands of today’s family arena, we accept infants from 8 weeks old through 18 months and are open 7am to 5:30pm.
Full & Half Day Child Care Programs
We offer an Early Session from 7 to 9am, a half day program (9am to 12pm), a full day program (9am to 3pm), and late sessions from 3 to 5pm and from 5 to 5:30pm. Our prices are broken out by session to closer match your budget to your needs.
Infant Daycare Frequently Asked Questions
Hudson Country boasts a programming ratio of 3 to 1. We keep our ratio low so that teachers are free to go the extra mile caring for your infant.
You will find our increased staff assures no infant need wait for care. Tuition pays for extra caregivers.
Without exception babies are held during feeding. If an infant feeds for 45 minutes, its not an issue there is no rush.
Each caregiver holds First Aid and CPR certification complete with required updates.
Breast feeding is encouraged and welcome. Our Infant Program maintains an Open-Door Policy. Mothers may come anytime to breast feed their child.
Without exception infants sleep on their backs in adherence with SIDS guidelines. Back sleeping is a requirement.
You will see no high chairs or playpens in our Infant Room. Montessori believes movement is pivotal to the development of intelligence in children under 3. Our program fosters a child’s independence from the get-go. As soon as infants can sit independently they are no longer placed in cribs. Our babies wash their own hands, put their activities away, and independently choose what to use in their play environment.
Infants must be fever and symptom free for 24 hours before they can return to school, without the use of medication. Staff will only give life-threatening medication while infants are in their care. All medication will be accepted with proper permission and documentation from your pediatrician.
Testimonial from an Infant's Program Graduate
Below is a letter Ms. Carmela received from one of our Infant Childcare Program families. We love to hear from our families, and we love to share them as well. Thank you ladies for taking care of our infants so well, and loving them and their families.
September 11th 2015
Renee, Sarah, Annetta, Sharon, Marie & Rose,
Although this letter will be filled with words, there truly are no words that describe our gratitude. We consider ourselves beyond blessed that you amazing ladies have been the ones caring for, loving, teaching and nurturing our daughter for the past year. We picked Hudson because we knew it was a fantastic program. We hoped our daughter would feel comfortable with you and knew it was vital for us to trust you. What we did not account for was the amount of LOVE we would ALL feel. We truly love each of you, and your love for Maddie is abundantly evident. You are more than just Maddie’s teachers, you are our extended family.
You have helped to lay a remarkable foundation and have provided Maddie with a solid platform to grow from. You have touched our hearts and have forever changed each of us. We know there is so much that lies ahead for our little peanut, so many things we can’t even imagine yet. There will be countless individuals that come into her life, our life, that we know will have an impact. However, we have no doubt that you ladies will forever hold a special place in our hearts. We will always look back at her time at Hudson fondly and know that when we show her photos, tell her stories and remind her of the love she was given, she too will look back fondly and be thankful.
It never feels natural to leave your child in the care of others…no matter who it may be. Thank you for making it a seamless process, each and every day, and for allowing us to feel at ease, even when our hearts ached and we missed her dearly. The comfort and reassurance you constantly provided us is rare and priceless.
The upcoming weeks and months will be difficult for us. There will no doubt be a huge void. Every time we sing the peanut song, listen to Taylor Swift and Bob Marley, or hear a train pass, we will think of you incredible ladies and smile (and likely shed a tear or two).
So, although “Thank you” doesn’t quite suffice…..
Thank you, for helping Maddie grow. We will miss you more than you know!
With love,
Kate, Matt & Madeline Schiff
Bold Prediction: At the end of the day, once checklists have been completed and research dutifully studied, there’s still no better decision-making indicator than good old-fashioned “gut feeling”. Schedule a Tour or come to an Open House. Check out the overall quality of interaction between staff, children, and families. We predict that you will not only leave HCMS with a notable feeling of connectedness, but once your infant is enrolled in our child care program, your family will continue to enjoy the benefits of belonging within our school community for many years to come.
Ready to Move Up: Montessori Progression Toddler to Primary
We understand that between the ages of 2 ½ to 3 ½ years, your child will be ready for more challenging work in our multi-age Primary classroom. We’ll discuss this transition in detail during your parent-teacher conferences. However, if you’re curious and eager to learn more about your child’s next step, feel free to click the box for the Primary Level below. We’re here to support you and your child’s journey every step of the way!
