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Our Programs |
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4 weeks - 18+ months |
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Infants are unique and have their own patterns for play, feeding and sleeping. While we do try to get infants into a daily routine, ultimately infants receive all their care “on demand”. Our staff is but their humble servants throughout the day.
As your child grows into a toddler we gradually introduce them to a more structured day with stimulating activities, group interaction and the chance to be inquisitive as he or she begins to walk, talk and explore the world around them. |
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Our goal is to provide a safe, secure “home away from home” where your little one can learn, play and grow under the close guidance and supervision of their teachers.
One side of our room is devoted to our newborns and young infants that aren’t very mobile yet (ie: not crawling, pulling themselves up, or trying to walk). Here Baby Bears spend a lot of time being rocked, fed, snuggled and cuddled.
As your child gets older and more active, they will transition to the other side of our classroom which has much more room for exploring, sensory play and large muscle and cognitive development. |
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Infants under 12 months of age enrolled at our center do not participate in the USDA Food Program.
By not participating in the program, parents are allowed greater flexibility in offering commercially prepared baby food, such as combination dinners, which aren’t accepted by the CACFP. It also allows parents to have more control over the introduction of new food items to their child. This enables parents and staff to more easily track the source of adverse food reactions.
In the month before your child’s first birthday we will work with parents to start integrating our regular menu into their diet. Once they’ve turned one, we will spend the next month transitioning them from formula to whole milk. By the beginning of their 13th month, they should be fully participating in our center’s regular menu cycle.
For more information the USDA Food Program see the Food Program section in our Parent Handbook. |
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Please keep in mind, that while we may not claim children under 12 months on the CACFP, our staff still uses their guidelines for meal size, frequency and preparation. If parents do not wish for us to follow CACFP guidelines, they must complete and sign an alternate meal schedule form and return it to their child’s teacher. This form can be obtained from the main office.
Baby Bear staff will also follow the guidelines established by the DEL (WAC 170-295-4010 thru 4070) when feeding an infant under 1 year. These guidelines include, but are not limited to:
· Formulas and breast milk must be in clean and sanitized bottles with nipples (provided by the parent) and labeled with the child’s name.
· If the bottle has been sitting at room temperature for an hour or more, we must throw away the contents.
· To prevent choking, infants will be held during feedings unless they are eight months of age or over and want to hold their own bottles, then they may be placed in a highchair within eyesight of a staff member.
· Bottles are to be taken away from the child when they are done feeding or when the bottle is empty.
· Juice may be offered from a cup starting at 8 months of age.
Baby Bears 12 months and older will be fed at the following times:
Breakfast 7:45am - 8:30am Morning Snack 10:00am - 10:15am Lunch 11:30am - 12:00pm Afternoon Snack 3:00pm - 3:15pm
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12103 E Valleyway Avenue, Spokane Valley WA 99206 phone: (509) 928-4034 fax: (509) 928-0559 |
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Please note: Since the DEL mandates that we follow individual sleep schedules for children under 30 months of age, occasionally someone will sleep through a meal.
When it is possible to safely save a meal or snack until the child awakes we will. Otherwise, if the next scheduled meal time is more than 30-minutes away we will serve a nutritionally comparable substitute. |
