Babies at Atelier: Nurturing Our Youngest Learners

Accompanying Episode 12 of the Atelier Podcast

At Atelier, we view babies as competent, capable learners, with ideas, preferences, and a natural drive to connect with others. With many new babies starting at Atelier during the Autumn term, it’s important for us as educators to reflect on the principles and practices that surround our youngest of children.

The Power of Attachment

Strong relationships are the foundation of everything we do in our Baby Nest. For babies, a secure attachment to their key person provides the emotional safety they need to explore and engage with the world. This attachment is nurtured through consistent, sensitive care from feeding and nappy changing to playing, singing, and simply spending unhurried time together.

Creating Calm, Safe Spaces: The Baby Nest

Our Baby Nest is designed to feel like a home-from-home, with soft furnishings, warm lighting, and a gentle pace that respects each child’s individual rhythm. We avoid overstimulation, instead offering a carefully curated selection of sensory experiences that promote curiosity without overwhelming.

Respecting Routines and Individual Needs

We work closely with parents to understand feeding times, sleep patterns, and comfort strategies, and we adapt our care to reflect each child’s needs. Settling is gradual, and led by the baby’s cues  we never rush separation, and we encourage parents to be actively involved in those first days and weeks.

Babies as Part of the Wider Community

Although our youngest children have their own dedicated space, they are still very much part of the Atelier community. When ready, they are invited into shared spaces to observe and engage with older children, benefiting from the rich language, movement, and play that comes from a multi-age environment.

At Atelier, our work with babies is rooted in respect; respect for their capabilities, their emotions, and their role as active participants in their own learning journey. We believe that when babies are given the right environment, care, and relationships, they flourish not only as learners, but as confident and connected members of our nursery community.