Gentle Beginnings — Infant & Toddler Daycare in Ann Arbor, MI
Little Fern cares for babies and toddlers only — which means calm rooms, a 1:3 infant ratio, and caregivers whose whole craft is the first thousand days.
One Caregiver Who Truly Knows Your Baby
Every baby at Little Fern is assigned a primary caregiver — one warm, consistent person who learns their cues, holds them for bottles, and greets them by name every single morning. Research is clear that this is how babies build secure attachment outside the home; we simply refuse to do it any other way.
Because we only take children under two and a half, our whole nursery is built for them: low light in the infant room, floor time instead of containers, and a pace that follows each baby's rhythm — not a schedule on a wall.
- ✓Primary-caregiver model, every child
- ✓1:3 infant ratio — better than Michigan requires
- ✓No screens, ever — held, talked to, sung to
- ✓Feed-and-nap updates after every single one
Four Rooms for the First Thousand Days
Small moves between rooms, always with a familiar face along.
The Nest (6 wks - 6 mos)
Four babies, one caregiver each morning — quiet, dim, and entirely about attachment.
Crawlers (6 - 12 mos)
Safe floors to explore, pulling up, first words — and naps that finally find a rhythm.
Young Toddlers (12 - 18 mos)
First steps, first friends, and sensory play that's worth every bit of the laundry.
Toddlers (18 mos - 2.5 yrs)
Big feelings, big words, and gentle routines that make preschool feel easy when it comes.
Built Calm on Purpose
The Standards Behind the Softness
Calm doesn't mean casual. Every Little Fern caregiver is infant-CPR certified and safe-sleep trained; every crib meets current CPSC standards with nothing in it but your baby; and our building runs on coded entry with camera-monitored doors.
Michigan licensing inspects us, but our own bar is higher — because the parents in our hallway aren't inspecting paperwork, they're handing us their whole world.
- ✓Infant CPR & first aid, every caregiver
- ✓Safe-sleep practice, every nap, no exceptions
- ✓Coded entry & camera-monitored doors
- ✓Daily cleaning + toy sanitizing rotations
Four Gentle Steps to Your First Drop-Off
We keep enrollment as calm as our infant room.
Visit Us
Come during a real morning — see the rooms, meet the caregivers, bring the baby.
Hold Your Spot
Infant spots book early — we'll be honest about timing and hold yours while you decide.
Settling Visits
Two short stays with you nearby, so your baby's first full day already smells familiar.
First Day, With Photos
You'll get an update before you're back at your desk. We promise they're okay. We'll show you.
Come Meet Us Before the Waitlist Does
Infant spots in Ann Arbor go fast. Visit the nursery, meet your baby's future caregiver, and see what calm feels like.
Asked at Every Visit
What is your infant ratio, really?
One caregiver for every three infants — better than Michigan's required 1:4 — with a maximum of nine babies in The Nest. When someone is out, we staff up; the ratio holds on real days, not just paper.
How do you handle breastmilk and bottle feeding?
To the letter of your instructions — labeled storage, warmed gently, fed on your baby's cues and always held, never propped. We log every feed with time and amount in your app.
What does safe sleep mean at Little Fern?
Every nap happens on the back, in a bare CPSC-compliant crib, with a caregiver in the room — no blankets, no positioners, no exceptions. Our whole team recertifies in safe-sleep practice annually.
Will my baby have the same caregiver every day?
Yes — that's the heart of our model. Your baby's primary caregiver handles most of their feeds, naps, and comfort, and knows their cues like family. Babies do best with one consistent, loving adult.
How do transitions between rooms work?
Slowly and with a familiar face. When your child is ready to move up, their caregiver accompanies them on visits to the next room over a week or two, until it feels like theirs.
Is there a waitlist for infant spots?
Usually, yes — Ann Arbor infant care books 4-8 months ahead. Visit as early as you can (expecting parents welcome!) and we'll be straight with you about timing for your dates.
Visit Little Fern
Tell us your little one's age (or due date — expecting parents tour all the time) and we'll set up a visit within the week.