“The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth.”
~ Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind.
Why do we worry about creativity in infants? Infants don’t really do anything except eat, cry and sleep, right? Actually no, to the infant, everything is new. Every smell, sound, sight, taste, and touch. Infants are naturally curious creatures. As Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of “Eat, Pray, Love” & TED Talk, “Your elusive creative genius“, says “All creativity begins with curiosity”. So why do so many adults feel they are not creative?
A leading cause to the death of curiosity is the fear of being wrong. It is easier to maintain the status quo than to risk failure. “If we value innovation and entrepreneurship, we need to be curious. We need to go beyond our own point of view and explore dissimilar perspectives.” ~ The Death of Curiosity.
Every child is born with creative ability just waiting to be tapped. In fact, one of the wonders of creativity is how ageless it is. In order to enhance and heighten an infant’s innate creativity, his environment should include materials that engage and strengthen his senses and she should be encourage to try new things, on their own, in a safe and nurturing environment. When an infant starts to engage in behavior outside their social, emotional or physical levels, they will be redirected to more appropriate activities, not punished or chastised.
While many Infant Care Centers provide some of the materials listed below, Montessori classrooms are unique in providing each of the following:
- Engaging Mobiles
- Mirrors hung at the child’s eye level
- Wooden push toys
- Walker-type wagons
- Object-permanent boxes
- Simple-shape puzzles
- Infant dressing frames
- Child-sized table and chairs
Dr. Montessori believed that the hand is the key to one’s mind. By providing materials that encourage touch and exploration with the freedom to decide on their own, infants form a solid foundation and understanding of the endless creativity in the world around them.
One of the things that new Hudson parents find so interesting is that there are no high chairs – the infants are either held, or they sit at an infant sized table. They are allowed, often encouraged, to try different seats, get up when they want to, be responsible for their own lunch bins, and can choose which activity they want to pursue. We embrace curiosity, redirect rather than scold and encourage independence.
Interested in learning more about our Infant daycare program? Come in for a tour.
