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Young Infants

THE GUPPIES  6 WEEKS - 18 MONTHS

At Riley Crossing Child Care, our young infant classroom provides each infant quality individual time in a small, homey environment. Our caring teachers develop trusting relationships with the infants and are able to understand their different cues and are able to respond to meet their needs. Our enclosed crib room allowing each child opportunities for quiet sleeping on their own schedule.

Riley Crossing provides formula, baby food, diaper wipes, and other daily necessities.

The Guppy Room

We understand that babies thrive in an environment that is responsive to individual needs. Bottle feedings, naptimes and playtime are not scheduled but instead are dictated by the needs of each child.

The classroom is furnished with low shelving to provide a stable way for infants to begin pulling themselves up and easy access for toys to play with. There are toys for stacking, rolling, shaking, listening and snuggling – all for the children to explore using their five senses. Mirrors are found around the room so they can see themselves and discover their own expressions.

Our beautiful infant classrooms are designed with windows at floor level so that babies can see the outdoors and natural light. Riley Crossing’s secure park behind our community is a perfect place for teachers to spread a blanket in the grass and take the babies out to explore and enjoy a beautiful day. A buggy ride on the winding paths around our building is also another way to enjoy the outdoors at Riley Crossing.

The young infant room has an enclosed crib room allowing each child opportunities for quiet sleeping on their own schedule. At Riley Crossing, we follow the back to sleep protocol for safe sleep. Parents may provide a sleep sack for their baby if they wish.

At Riley Crossing Child Care, we used an MN Parent Aware approved curriculum, Funny Daffer. This dynamic, easy-to-use curriculum stimulates and promotes appropriate growth development in children ages newborn to walking.

This playtime is an integral part of every day to help each baby learn and grow. Example activities include music, story books, stacking, sorting, tummy time and sensory activities. Toys are rotated regularly so the infants have the opportunity to explore new and interesting items within their environment.

Riley Crossing Child Care and Riley Crossing Senior Living share a building together and work together to provide a unique intergenerational experience for children. This creates a beautiful opportunity to have interaction between the two communities. In our young infant program, our “Grandfriends” visit at least once a week to do “Rock-a-Bye Baby,” sing and read stories to the infants. While out and about on buggy rides, we often stop to visit with our “Grandfriends.”

Parents of young infants fill out an infant feeding form with directions on when and how their babies eat. Bottle feedings are a time for babies to snuggle in with their teacher in the rocking chair as they are fed. Once a baby is eating baby food or made from scratch food at Riley Crossing, they will eat in a highchair. This is a wonderful socialization time between the babies in their highchairs and the teacher as they are beginning to use a spoon and a sippy cup.

Teachers in the young infant room understand the importance of creating a warm and caring environment that will build trust and security with the babies. You will see teachers singing songs, cuddling, reading stories, engaging in conversation, using sign language and playing with our guppies. They encourage the babies to explore and discover their environment around them. Teachers partner with our parents to meet the unique needs of their children to ensure quality of care.

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Older Infants

THE GOLDFISH  12 MONTHS - 18 MONTHS

Our goldfish room is designed for older infants to explore and develop large muscles during this time of growth in walking, talking and coordination. We focus on play-based learning environment which including dramatic play, music, puzzles, books, blocks, manipulative toys, art and more. Large windows bring in our world, allowing the infant to visually explore the wonderful Minnesota seasons. Once a week, we visit our Grandfriends to develop our new friendships through story times, music times, and art activities. 

The Goldfish Room

Our older infant room creates an environment which allows for this age group to explore and develop their large muscles during this time of growth. There are infant-sized climbers for developing skills such as climbing, crawling, sliding, balancing and going up/down steps.  There are also toys for pushing and pulling. The room is arranged to be a play-based learning environment which includes centers focused around dramatic play, music, puzzles, books, blocks, manipulative toys, art area and large muscle areas.

The Goldfish classroom is designed with floor-level windows, creating an opportunity for the older babies to spend time looking at the beauty and activity happening in our backyard park. Our classroom also has a door directly to the park so that the teachers and children can spend time playing in the grass or using push toys on the patio. They will also go for buggy rides on the meandering paths around our community.

At Riley Crossing Child Care, we used an MN Parent Aware approved curriculum, Funny Daffer. This dynamic, easy-to-use curriculum stimulates and promotes appropriate growth development in children ages newborn to walking.

Once a week, we will visit our “Grandfriends” to develop our new friendships through storytelling times, music, and art activities. We will also visit with our “Grandfriends” when we go on walks or buggy rides to the Riley Crossing Senior Living side of our building along with the backyard park.

At Riley Crossing Child Care, we serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. In the older infant room, the children begin to have scheduled mealtimes. After washing their hands, they sit down in chairs that are just their size at small tables to enjoy a meal prepared on-site by our Child Care Culinary Chef. Mealtime is a time for role modeling how to use utensils and dishes. It is also a time for socializing between the children and teachers.

Older infants are now ready to take only one nap a day. They have also transitioned from sleeping in a crib to sleeping on a cot while listening to soft, relaxing music. Children nap for one to two hours, depending on their needs.

Why Play Matters

Play is more than fun—it’s how infants learn about the world. Through carefully designed activities and responsive interactions, our curriculum helps babies:

  • Develop cognitive skills by exploring shapes, colors, sounds, and textures
  • Strengthening motor skills through gentle movement, grasping, and reaching
  • Build early communication by encouraging babbling, gestures, and listening
  • Foster emotional and social growth through attachment, trust, and secure relationships
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Our Approach

RESPONSIVE CAREGIVING  Our trained caregivers observe and respond to each baby’s unique cues, ensuring comfort and connection.

SENSORY EXPLORATION  We use safe, age-appropriate materials that stimulate sight, touch, hearing, and movement.

DAILY ROUTINES AS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES  Every feeding, diaper change, and nap is an opportunity to connect, communicate, and support development.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT  We partner with parents to extend learning and provide consistent, meaningful experiences at home.

What's Included?

FOOD
When your infant is ready, we will provide infant food made in our kitchen by our own chef.

Once your infant is ready for table food, our chef provides breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack - all made on site and delivered to the classroom. We believe that education includes learning and experiencing a wide range of foods. Our chef provides organic dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. We work hard to provide a monthly menu which is low in sugars and high in healthy proteins, grains, fruits, and vegetables.

WIPES
We provide diaper wipes for each child.

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Interested in Learning More?

Contact Riley Crossing to receive more information about our Chanhassen child care services and to schedule a tour of our campus to experience our carefully-designed classrooms and our unique learning environments.

Contact Us
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