LE NIDO MONTESSORI
Maison d'Assistantes Maternelles Bilingue
OUR COMMITMENTS
healthy snacks
Homemade low in sugar snacks, with seasonal foods, primarily local and organic
ecological awareness
Use of environmentally friendly cleaning products, reduction of waste and plastic, creation of a vegetable garden and compost
health
Use of Eco certified personal hygiene products, bed linen and Oeko Tex certified toiletries, homemade creative arts supplies
A TYPICAL DAY AT THE MAM
Routines are crucial for a young child. It is thanks to these that they can apprehend their environment and feel secure. This is why we pay special attention to maintaining an identical daily routine and secure, unchanged environment, day after day.
It is this routine, sequence of events and more importantly their repetition which allow the children to build their temporal understanding, their sense of time is not yet developed.
The day’s schedule is thus approximate, as we remain flexible as to individual needs and those of the group dynamic.
Young babies have their very own rhythms which we follow, and there is therefore no planned schedule as such.
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8am – 9 am : Children’s arrival
Children are greeted in the entrance area by their assistante maternelle. It is a time and place of transition between the outside world and life at the MAM. The adult accompanying the child helps them to take off their shoes and put on their slippers. The child has a personal space where they can store their things. Over time, the child becomes more and more autonomous in their actions, but they may sometimes still need to do this with their parent to mark the transition. We say hello, we exchange a few words and the relay is made with the referent assistance maternelle.
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9am – 11am : Work cycle / outdoor time
At the MAM, children have the opportunity to freely explore the environment by choosing the activity they would like to do. The assistante maternelle guides the child in making his choices, presents the materials, names the objects, shows their use, indicates their place and then lets the child explore on their own. A child can choose not to do an activity and to observe, this is also an activity in it of itself, and the child absorbs just as much.
An activity with a small group of children can also be organized by one of the assistants maternelles : baking, art, gardening, yoga…
If a child needs to sleep, they are accompanied to sleep in the bedroom, by their referent.
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Around 11 am: Regroupment then preparation followed by mealtime
At the end of the morning, we tidy the space together before proposing a circle time to read stories and sing nursery rhymes. Those who wish to, can set the table with the adult. They set up the tables, arrange the placemats, plates, cutlery, glasses and napkins, fill small pitchers with water, decorate the tables with bouquets prepared by the older ones and make sure everything is in order. Children who need more assistance eat first and then it is the turn of the older ones. It goes without saying that infants are fed on demand, the bottle/meal being given as a priority by his referent assistente maternelle.
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Around 12:30 – 1 pm: nap or quiet time
After the meal, children are invited to go to the changing area to use the bathroom or change their diaper before going to rest in the sleeping area. Children who cannot sleep are still encouraged to relax quietly to recharge their energy. Wake up time is gradual, each child can sleep as long as they need.
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2 pm - 4 pm: Work cycle / outdoor time
Everyone can choose their activity inside, settle where they like and repeat their activity for as long as they would like to. They can also participate in a small group reading or song time or prepare afternoon snack with an adult.
Like in the morning, depending on the weather, we put on shoes, boots or coats to fully enjoy the outdoors. It is an opportunity to observe nature, the passing seasons, to cultivate the vegetable garden, to play a collective game, to refine balance and gross motor skills by climbing, jumping, crawling ...
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Around 4 pm: Afternoon snack
Like lunch, the afternoon snack is served in groups. Again, the children participate in preparing the table and clearing it.
Over time they become more autonomous and take great pleasure in serving others.
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4.30 p.m. - 6.30 p.m .: Activity cycle and departure of the children
When it is time to go home, the assistante maternelle will notify the child and accompany them to the entrance area to find their parent or carer. We exchange a few words about the day and the child leaves their assistante maternelle to join their parent.
The child gets dressed to leave and we say goodbye.