Angelfish
Newborns
6 weeks to 8 months
1:4 Teacher-to-Student Ratio
Maximum Class Size of 10
About the Angelfish
Our Angelfish classrooms are designed to provide loving, personalized care for every infant. We recognize that each baby is unique, so we work closely with families to understand their child’s individual routines, preferences, and needs.
When families enroll, we provide a needs and assessment form that helps our teachers learn about each infant’s schedule, feeding patterns, and comfort routines. This allows us to create a nurturing environment that supports each baby’s development while helping them feel safe and cared for throughout the day.
Our teachers stay in close communication with families and will share updates as infants grow and their routines change. Together with families, we also support important developmental milestones, including gently encouraging the introduction of solid foods when infants are developmentally ready and age-appropriate.
Curriculum & Daily Activities
The Angelfish classroom environment is thoughtfully designed to nurture each infant’s growth and encourage them to reach important developmental milestones. In the early months, our teachers focus on building strong, loving connections with each baby by holding, rocking, singing, and talking to them throughout the day. Infants are also given a variety of safe, engaging toys to explore and help stimulate their senses.
As babies grow stronger, we begin incorporating activities such as tummy time and supported sitting to help build their muscles and coordination. Over time, infants gain confidence as they learn to sit independently and begin moving and exploring their surroundings.
We also support early learning by reading books, playing music, and engaging infants in simple sensory experiences. Our teachers provide hands-on activities that encourage curiosity and development, including sensory play and monthly opportunities to explore new foods. Whether infants are tasting or simply touching and experiencing new textures, these experiences help them discover the world around them in a safe and nurturing way.
Environment
At our school, newborns spend most of their day in a separate space within the Angelfish classroom. This allows them to play, rest, and explore in a calm and safe environment without being impacted by more mobile babies. Creating this peaceful area helps ensure that our youngest infants receive the gentle care and attention they need during these early stages of development.
As our Angelfish babies grow and begin to crawl and move more independently, we begin preparing them for a smooth transition into the next infant classroom. This next environment is designed for more mobile infants and provides opportunities for greater exploration and development while still maintaining the nurturing care they are used to. Our teachers work closely with families during this transition to ensure it is comfortable and positive for each child.
Developmental Milestones
By 9 months, babies will:
Show facial expressions (e.g. happiness, surprised)
Look when their names are called
Smile or laugh when playing peek-a-boo
Make different sounds like “mamama” and “bababa”
Lift arms up to be picked up
Look for objects when dropped out of sight (e.g. spoon or toy)
Bang two things together
Get to a sitting position by themselves
Move things from one hand to the other
Use fingers to “rake” food towards themselves
Sit without support
Why Scripps Exploring Academy?
At Scripps Exploring Academy, our newborns have a separate classroom. Being apart from the more busy, mobile babies allows for the newborns to enjoy their learning environment in peace. This also creates a more relaxing work environment for the staff. We strive to have excellent parent communication and build strong relationships with our families so we can partner in your child’s development, education, and care.
