We are excited to have a separate room for our older infants. Specifically, babies must be at least a year old before starting in the one-year-old room. They really enjoy the opportunity to be a little more active, have more space to play and learn, and to start to participate together in learning activities. 
Teachers will work in partnership with families to determine the best time for children to make this transition. Teachers will take into consideration the child’s level of independence before recommending a move to the one-year-old room. In general, before transitioning, it is helpful if kids are: walking independently and are pretty steady on their feet, using a sippy cup and able to feed themselves with some assistance from an adult, and transitioning to one nap per day versus taking two or more naps each day. However, there is flexibility as the staff/child ratio is still 1:5, so teachers are able to make some accommodations if one-year olds have not quite met these milestones. 
 
Transitions to Toddlers: 
Sometime between the ages 16 to 24 months, infants will begin the transition from the one-year-old room to the toddler program. The decision of when transitions begin is based on many factors, including: the individual infant’s development, availability in the program and the age of other infants in the room (we typically like to have infants transition with a buddy so they can feel comfortable when they visit the toddler room). Teachers communicate openly with parents about when they feel it is the appropriate time to start each child’s transition. Ultimately, we encourage parents to express any concerns or questions they may have prior or during the transition to the toddler program. It is a big step as kids move out of the baby room and into the toddler room; at the same time, it is just conveniently right across the hall, just a wave and a “blown kiss” away from the baby room.