Some Key Facts to Know about Infant Care Standards in Idaho
In Idaho, all children under 24 months are considered “infants”.
Idaho state regulations allow a maximum teacher-to-student ratio of 1:6 for children under 24 months.
Most daycares have one infant room, mixing children 6 weeks to 23 months, which mixes small newborns with walking older infants.
We divide children under 24 months old into three separate groups. That way, your baby is grouped with children at a similar developmental stage. We call these groups: Newborns, Crawlers, and Wobblers. This ensures:
environments and activities that are specifically tailored to each stage of development,
safety of the youngest newborns while providing the proper space for motor skill development of wobblers, and that
every infant at every stage receives the proper care and attention they need.
What We Do Differently
Newborns
Your baby’s first home away from home
In our Newborn room, our primary focus is creating a calm, nurturing environment where your baby feels safe and loved. We want you to feel complete confidence and comfort in the care your infant is receiving. To achieve this, we have a comprehensive onboarding experience for parents (Ask us for a copy of our Infant Room Experience Guide!) as well as proactive ongoing communication throughout the first year.
Introductory Meeting — When you enroll, part of your detailed onboarding experience will consist of an in-person meeting with a detailed agenda about your baby’s feeding schedule, nap routines, your preferences, etc. We take meticulous notes on your baby and show you how we keep track of it on our communication app, Brightwheel. Our Infant Room Experience Guide has a complete list of what to expect day 1 through your first 12 months.
Ongoing Regular Communication — Because we are committed to honoring your specific preferences for daily routines, all items like feeding, diapering, and naps are tracked and communicated to you in real-time via our app, ensuring you always have up-to-the-minute updates. Want to ask your Teacher a question? She’s just a quick DM away! Want some reassurance she ate well before naptime? Peek at the logged updates!
With soft, sensory-rich materials and soothing spaces, we gently encourage early movement and exploration. Our goal is to build a foundation of security and confidence, while introducing early experiences that spark curiosity, communication, and healthy development during this vital first year of life.
At Strive Academy, we understand that the transition to preschool can be a big adjustment for both parents and babies, so we aim to make it as smooth and stress-free as possible. This guidebook will cover everything from what to bring on your first day to how we communicate with parents on a daily and weekly basis.
Crawlers
Exploration begins
While your little one is gaining independence, they will continue to receive the same attentive, one-on-one care they enjoyed in the Newborn room. Our experienced teachers build on the trusting relationship established earlier, offering close supervision, encouragement for their milestones, and plenty of loving support as they learn to navigate their new space.
We remain committed to partnering with you on daily needs. We still meticulously track feeding, sleep, and diapering routines, providing real-time updates directly to you through our app.
Our goal in the Crawlers room is to build motor skills and critical thinking through play, instill a lifelong joy of learning and discovery, and support the growing confidence of both you and your child.
Wobblers
Developing Independence and Community
The Wobblers room is the launchpad for your child's toddler years. Designed for our advanced infants who are starting to walk, "wobble", or are already confidently moving on their own, this classroom is focused on building greater independence, refining motor skills, and introducing foundational social skills.
Skills for the Future: In this stimulating, bright environment, activities are carefully planned to prepare them for the two-year-old classroom. They will engage with an abundance of age-appropriate puzzles, imaginative play, sensory exploration, and early art activities. Our curriculum also places a strong emphasis on practical life skills and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). Teachers actively guide children through crucial SEL skills like: sharing and taking turns during play, practice using child-sized silverware at lunch time, drinking from a regular cup, and gently transitioning away from bottles or pacifiers.
Nurturing Growth: Story time becomes a focused, interactive experience that supports early language development. While your child is becoming a confident explorer, they still receive the nurturing support and individualized attention that defines our infant program.
We continue to support your transition goals by tracking important diaper, meal, and sleep routines, providing real-time updates through our app. Our goal is to ensure a smooth, confident transition to the 2’s room while celebrating the amazing growth they achieve in their final "infant" phase!
