The only Montessori Academy campus that accepts infants. Downey only — 1:4 ratio, MAOF subsidies accepted, meals included, and three languages from the first day. 7 AM–6 PM year-round.
Most people think of Montessori as a preschool method. In fact, Maria Montessori developed her approach beginning at birth, with the Nido (Italian for "nest") — an infant environment designed around the child's biological need for movement, sensory exploration, and language immersion from the earliest weeks of life.
In a conventional infant daycare, babies are often placed in bouncers, swings, or bouncy seats for long periods. In a Montessori Nido, infants spend time on low, flat mats that allow freedom of movement — rolling, reaching, pushing up — because physical development and neurological development are deeply interconnected at this stage.
Montessori infant teachers are trained to follow the child’s lead. They narrate what they’re doing in language, respond to cues deliberately, and offer age-appropriate materials that support each developmental milestone without rushing it.
The result is not a faster baby. It’s a more confident, more communicative, and more securely attached child by the time they enter the toddler room. Learn more about the Montessori method →
Infant Program — Downey
Infant Development
Montessori infant care is not custodial. Every element of the Nido environment is designed to support a specific aspect of the infant’s development.
Low floor mats and open space allow infants to roll, push up, reach, and eventually pull to stand on their own timeline. Montessori does not place infants in positions they cannot reach independently — sitting, standing, and walking are achieved, not staged.
Age-appropriate Montessori materials — rattles, grasping toys, treasure baskets with natural objects — support hand-eye coordination and intentional grasping. Materials change as the infant develops, always at the edge of their current capability.
The Nido is calm and predictable — not silent, but not chaotic. Infants hear rich, narrated language throughout the day. Songs in Spanish, French, and Tagalog expose the brain to phonemic diversity during its peak language acquisition window.
Montessori infant teachers narrate every interaction — diapering, feeding, transitions. They respond to coos and babbles with intentional language. This back-and-forth serves call. Research shows it is the strongest predictor of language development outcomes.
Each infant is assigned a primary caregiver (their “key teacher”). This consistency builds secure attachment — the neurological foundation for emotional regulation, trust, and social development that will persist throughout childhood.
The infant sensitive period for order begins before 12 months. A Montessori Nido maintains a predictable daily rhythm — same routines, same spaces, same caregivers. This creates the internal order that becomes executive function in later years.
A Day in the Infant Room
Infant schedules follow the child’s biological rhythm — not a fixed clock. This is a representative structure; every infant’s day adapts to their individual needs.
Parent-to-teacher handoff is done calmly and consistently. The primary caregiver greets the infant and narrates the transition in English and one of the daily languages. Brief communication of overnight notes (feeding, sleep) happens at drop-off.
Morning feeding — breast milk, formula, or first foods depending on age and stage. All feeding is narrated and treated as a significant relational interaction, not a task to complete. Diapering, dressing, and comfort routines follow the same narrated approach.
Low floor mat time with age-appropriate Montessori materials. Grasping toys, object permanence boxes, treasure baskets, and visual tracking materials. Teachers observe and interact without directing — following the infant’s lead and narrating in three languages.
Sleep follows the infant’s own rhythm. Nap schedules are not imposed — we follow each baby’s cues. All sleep is on firm, flat surfaces following safe sleep guidelines. Morning nap snack follows for older infants.
Songs in Spanish, French, and Tagalog. High-contrast visual materials, sensory exploration with natural objects, and face-to-face narration. This is the peak language input period — structured immersion woven into play, not formal instruction.
Lunch (included) is served age-appropriately. Older infants begin to participate in mealtime routines — self-feeding, cup introduction — as developmental readiness emerges. Afternoon nap follows, again on the infant’s own schedule.
Afternoon snack (included). Weather-permitting outdoor time in a safe, shaded area. Afternoon floor time with different materials from the morning session, maintaining novelty and stimulation without overstimulation.
Quieter activities as the afternoon closes. Teacher-to-parent handoff mirrors drop-off — the caregiver gives a verbal summary of the day: feeding amounts, nap times, mood, any notable developmental moments. Written daily log also provided.
Language from Birth
The language sensitive period begins at birth. By the time most preschools introduce a second language, the window is already narrowing. At Montessori Academy Downey, language immersion begins in the infant room.
The most widely spoken language in the Downey community. Daily songs, routines, and narration in Spanish from 6 weeks. Infants who hear Spanish daily develop phonemic sensitivity that formal instruction at age 7 cannot replicate.
A UNESCO world language spoken by 300+ million people. French phonemics are among the most distinct from English — early exposure builds the auditory discrimination that makes later French acquisition dramatically easier.
The primary language of the Filipino community — one of the largest communities in Southern California and the Downey area. Tagalog instruction honors the cultural heritage of many Downey families directly.
Culver City and West Adams campuses teach Mandarin and Spanish. Language offerings by campus reflect community demographics.
From Infant to 3rd Grade
Most Montessori schools start at age 2. At Montessori Academy Downey, a child who starts in the infant room can continue all the way to 3rd grade without changing schools — one community, one set of relationships, one method.
Gross motor freedom, secure attachment, sensory exploration, language immersion from birth
Practical life, language explosion, toilet learning, independence, mixed-age community (18m–3yr)
Three-hour work cycle, math materials, phonics, bilingual literacy, mixed-age classroom (3–6yr)
Advanced math, writing, research projects, community service, continuation of multilingual program
Meals Included
Meals are included at our Downey campus for all enrolled children, including infants transitioning to first foods. This is unique to the Downey location — our Culver City and West Adams campuses do not include meals.
For working parents, not having to prepare and pack a separate bag of food is a meaningful practical benefit. For infants, meals are provided in coordination with the family’s feeding plan — breast milk and formula supplied by families; first foods and solid meals provided by the campus.
Subsidies Accepted
Infant care can be expensive. Qualifying families in LA County can use MAOF childcare subsidies to cover most or all of the cost of our infant program. We handle MAOF enrollments regularly — call us first and we’ll walk you through the process.
Common Questions
Open Enrollment · No Waitlist
Come see the Nido in action. Meet the teachers, see the environment, and bring your questions. Tours are free, 30 minutes, and available Monday through Friday.