Nido Program

La Bella Vita Montessori School offers an exceptional setting for infants ages 6 weeks through 18 months.

Our Montessori Nido program is a calm, cozy, home like environment for babies. “Nido”, which means “nest” in Italian, captures the idea of warmth and security. Maria Montessori used this word to describe the infant classroom, where little people feel cared for and loved, so that they will feel safe to explore and grow. With the introduction of our Montessori Nido Program accepting children beginning at 6 weeks of age, we are providing one of the most unique, high quality programs available anywhere. As they grow, your child can then participate in our toddler, early-childhood, and elementary programs to ensure the important Montessori principles that we teach are instilled in them as they pursue their lifelong learning.

A peaceful, loving environment for your infant to thrive

At La Bella Vita Montessori, the Nido program accommodates both non-mobile, crawling and walking infants in a peaceful environment. Our classroom gives children the freedom to safely explore and learn through discovery under the presence of loving caregivers. The classroom setting is calm, inviting, and homelike, with soft rugs, rocking chairs, and muted colors inside the classroom to create a peaceful atmosphere. The infant classroom also contains low shelves that are easily accessible to children and toys in baskets to create a space that is organized, clean and uncluttered. The environment includes developmentally appropriate furniture and materials. Safety is of upmost importance to us, but equipment that limits a child’s freedom of movement is avoided. Instead, specially designed furniture supports your child’s growing independence, including bars for pulling up, mirrors to reflect body movement, and a sleeping area with individual floor beds/mats, and child-sized tables and chairs rather than high chairs. Child-sized furniture, utensils, and other tools enable children to make independent choices and complete activities, which builds self-confidence, concentration, and critical thinking skills.

The classroom setting is calm, inviting and homelike, with soft rugs, rocking chairs, and muted colors inside the classroom to create a peaceful atmosphere. The infant classroom also contains low shelves that are easily accessible to children and toys in baskets to create a space that is organized, clean and uncluttered. The environment includes developmentally appropriate furniture and materials. Safety is of upmost importance to us, but equipment that limits a child’s freedom of movement is avoided. Instead, specially designed furniture supports your child’s growing independence, including bars for pulling up, mirrors to reflect body movement, and a sleeping area with individual floor beds/mats, and child-sized tables and chairs rather than high chairs. Child-sized furniture, utensils, and other tools enable children to make independent choices and complete activities, which builds self-confidence, concentration, and critical thinking skills.

Individualized care from loving, highly-trained and experienced caregivers

At La Bella Vita Montessori, our experienced and highly trained Infant/Toddler Montessori Certified Directresses provide personalized and loving care for every child. We maintain a low teacher-to-student ratio. Our Nido Directresses are consistently calm, gentle, soft-spoken, patient and trusting. They demonstrate respect and compassion by using eye contact, kneeling to the level of the child, addressing your child byname, and speaking before touching or moving them. The result of these intentional interactions is a calm, soothing atmosphere in which consistent caregivers create an emotionally safe space for the children. Our authentic Montessori experience provides a loving and caring setting where children learn to share and care for one another from a young age.

Directly incorporating the philosophies developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, all based on the cultivation of a respectful and responsive relationship between child and adult. Through their training, our directresses are trained to meet the needs of infants through sensitive and careful observation. When an infant’s needs are met, they become confident and better able to problem solve. During these first formative years, we never lose sight of the infant’s need for individual care and attention. We know that through the quality of holding, feeding, and communicating, children acquire a strong and positive sense of self. While children are encouraged to be active, inquisitive learners, sensitive adults are always near to direct their exploration, to assist, or to gently comfort. Communications, both verbal and non-verbal, are also a vital part of the infant program. Our Nido class is a rich environment for developing language. The vocabulary of objects, activity, and feelings pervades every aspect of our program.

Opportunities for independence and exploration

At La Bella Vita Montessori School, we provide individualized learning activities that are appropriate for even the earliest stages of a child’s development. Our materials are provocative yet simple, and each is carefully designed to appeal to children at a given level of early development. Our children flourish in carefully prepared, familiar environments that respect, support, and respond to their basic needs for independence, exploration, and movement. Materials are displayed on low, open shelves and on floor mats, all within easy reach of even the youngest.

Developmentally appropriate, engaging materials

You may be wondering, how exactly do infants learn? Infants learn by touching and responding to gentle touch, and by moving freely as they interact with their surroundings. The freedom to move and explore is essential to any infant’s development. Whether they are enthusiastically manipulating an interesting toy, quietly exploring the secrets of a mirror, scurrying about, or calmly enjoying a song, infants grow and learn emotional and intellectual independence through movement. Learning materials are all easily accessible and are designed to foster concentration, problem solving, and a sense of achievement. Children select the material that interests them, uses it for as long as they would like, cleans it up (with as much assistance as needed), and makes another choice. Equipment that supports gross and fine motor skills, such as low ladders with railings for children who are just learning to walk, are available for toddlers to try. A predictable sequence of activities and routines helps the infant feel very much at home. Our infants, no matter how old, activate their senses and their awareness of the world around them with daily experiences outdoors. Directresses often take the children out of the wagons to explore grassy areas of the playground in nice weather. Once older infants are walking steadily, teachers encourage them to walk around the playground, developing their gross motor skills and stamina.

It is our priority to have close parent communication because we are all partners in caring for your child.

We believe parents are the ones who best know their child’s routine, personality, and unique comfort level. We strive to maintain a constant dialogue and close relationship with a child’s family. In fact, our goal is to partner with families in shepherding the infant’s total development. Infants bring special joy and need special care as they go about their very important and unique work of physical, emotional, and cognitive development.

Our job is to provide an atmosphere that communicates unconditional love and acceptance; in turn, our quality care permits you to feel secure as you attend to your own daily activities. Parents are invited to visit during the day, call at anytime to “check-in” and we also leave you with a daily report sheet that records feedings, naps, changes and highlights from the day. Throughout the year, we also encourage you to attend our parent education events to learn more about child development and the Montessori approach to responding to your child’s needs. Our goal is to aid your child’s development by providing you with clear and helpful information as you journey through the infant years.

At La Bella Vita Montessori, we are also committed and support any parents natural way of living. We support the breast-feeding of our infants and encourage mothers to come to the school at any time they wish to feed their infant. We also are happy to have our infants use cloth or disposable diapers. When children begin to eat sold food they will be provided with high quality organic and non-GMO foods along with Organic Vitamin D Milk after they are 12 months old.

Omaha Montessori Childcare, Omaha NE Preschool