Does Anyone Do A Curriculum?

[Heidi]

If so, is it a canned one, or do you make on up? Does anyone have one mostly appropriate for toddlers? I used to use High Reach Kids years ago, and it was ok. I always feel like it's more for the parents than the kids...but they are the paying customers, and it can't HURT the children, since it's about 15-20 of their day, not all day long.

[JaydensMommy]

I tried mother goose time for a couple months, it was about $80/month for 6 children. I wasn't really crazy about it. So I'm skipping it this next month and trying to create my own.

[erinalexmom]

I make my own. I just pick a theme/color/letter for the month and then go off that for example september is "apples" the color "red" and the letter "A" I keep it REALLY simple though. Read a few books about apples, use alot of red in the art center and we put some letter 'a" stickers on an apple and we have been singing songs about apples at circle time

[boysx5]

I did my own for awhile first preschool has a ton of ideas but I was tried of using my printer and taking the time to print it all out. I now use carol's curriculm and I'm loving it I do it for four kids and its not too bad

[momofsix]

I plan my own. It's lit-based and used mostly right now for my almost 3 year olds. i use a lot of internet sights for help with ideas. I really enjoy writing my own even though it can be a ton of work!

[sharlan]

I bought the Abeka 4K curriculum, but supplement with some books that I bought at Sam's Club - I Can Trace, I Can Cut, I Can Paste, etc.

I've also found a ton of free printables on the internet that I print out and use.

[mom2many]

I make my own. I just pick a theme/color/letter for the month and then go off that for example september is "apples" the color "red" and the letter "A" I keep it REALLY simple though. Read a few books about apples, use alot of red in the art center and we put some letter 'a" stickers on an apple and we have been singing songs about apples at circle time

This is exactly what I do with my 1 -4 yo. Depending on the age, I simplify the activity. For instance, we did an Apple theme at the beginning of September and they all painted on paper plates to make apples. I had the older ones practice writing the letter A and the younger ones simply colored a letter A picture. On another day the older ones made a Johnny Appleseed puppet after we read the story and the younger ones just colored the picture.

Yesterday we started a Farm theme and are learning about the different farm animals. Today the activities and crafts will be centered around chickens. We usually only spend an hour doing projects and the kids all love it and get so excited It helps to break up the morning and it is their favorite time of the day!

I used the Home Preschool Program for many years and it ran $15/per child a month. It was great when I first started out and my own kids were small. Time saving and no planning required, but now I've been enjoying putting together my own curriculum and being able to have more variety. There are so many awesome websites out there with preschool activities and crafts and many of them are free.

[Meeko]

I don't use a set curriculum.

I do a monthly calendar with a weekly theme. This week is "My senses" I do very simple projects to go along with our themes on MTW. TH and Friday are just play days.

I'm not a teacher so I don't teach a structured lesson etc. I don't have circle time. This week we will just talk about taste while we eat lunch. We will talk about smell while we bake some cookies for example. We will talk about touch while we play with different things (are they smooth, rough? etc)

I keep it super simple and the kids think we are just playing and having fun.

In these next few months I will do a little more as I am big kid myself and LOVE the holidays! We will do some Halloween crafts, Thanksgiving projects and lots of fun Christmas activities and decorating.

[JennyBear]

I get my curriculum through www.funshineexpress.com there are a few groups and ages you can purchase for. I use the "Buttercups" curriculum for ages 6-36 months since all of the children I care for are all in this age group. It's actually an American company (I'm Canadian) and the curriculum is American based but I think it's great and really easy. There are a ton of activities they suggest, and they send you with one craft to do a week with the children (for this age group), activity cards, sign language cards to teach the children, quarterly newsletter to give to each family, etc.
I did do it on my own but quickly learned that it was not only very time consuming coming up with ideas and putting everything in place, but the ink and paper for printing everything off was more costly then buying this curriculum.
I like this funshine express curriculum so far.

[melskids]

i plan my own using an emergent curriculum. which basically means if the kids show an interest in snowmen in july, or butterlies and bugs in winter...we go with it.

once i see an interest in something, i build ideas and activities from there.

right now, we are doing apples just because its that time of year, but we also have two other "mini" themes going on...trains and forest animals.

we continue with a theme until they no longer show interest in it. i actually just wrote about it on my blog, if you want to check it out....

http://mountaintopdaycare.blogspot.com/

[MissAnn]

Mother Goose activities are good....but their crafts can get very boring and not much room for self expression.

[TBird]

I tried mother goose time for a couple months, it was about $80/month for 6 children. I wasn't really crazy about it. So I'm skipping it this next month and trying to create my own.

I use Mother Goose Time as well.

Pros

• They tell you exactly what to teach each day if you're not a "certified" teacher
• A million projects to complete
• Good books & "things" included
• Themes every month
• The parents are pleased & impressed

Cons

• SUPER-D-DUPER EXPENSIVE if you ask me!!!
• Too much "stuff"...a lot of it goes to waste
• I don't want to do a project every day...again wasteful
• Some of the work is too "cookie cutter" - the kids barely have to do anything

Right now I'm stock-piled with it. Once it runs out, I am going to try something else. I'd like something "in between" Mother Goose Time and Funshine Express.

[Heidi]

Mountaintop:

OMG I want to BE you! I just spent time on your blog. It makes me want to cry...

The group dynamic I have right now is sooo challenging. It seems like I'm spending a lot more time just getting through the day than I should be. Being that creative right now doesen't even seem possible.

If it's ok with you, I would like to follow your blog, and borrow what ideas I can. Maybe slow is the way to go....

What, if any "rules", do you have with your sensory table? Can you make any recomendations; my group is 14 mo, 14 mo, 18 mo, 3, and 4. 4yo is part time....4 of 5 are sibs...

[tbutler]

I don't use a set curriculum.

I do a monthly calendar with a weekly theme. This week is "My senses" I do very simple projects to go along with our themes on MTW. TH and Friday are just play days.
I'm not a teacher so I don't teach a structured lesson etc. I don't have circle time. This week we will just talk about taste while we eat lunch. We will talk about smell while we bake some cookies for example. We will talk about touch while we play with different things (are they smooth, rough? etc)

I keep it super simple and the kids think we are just playing and having fun.

In these next few months I will do a little more as I am big kid myself and LOVE the holidays! We will do some Halloween crafts, Thanksgiving projects and lots of fun Christmas activities and decorating.

I love the idea of Thursday and Friday being play days. I think I"ll start that this week. I'm having to learn to relax a little and enjoy the kids since I'm not a public school teacher anymore. This should be the first step to doing that.

[tbutler]

i plan my own using an emergent curriculum. which basically means if the kids show an interest in snowmen in july, or butterlies and bugs in winter...we go with it.

once i see an interest in something, i build ideas and activities from there.

right now, we are doing apples just because its that time of year, but we also have two other "mini" themes going on...trains and forest animals.

we continue with a theme until they no longer show interest in it. i actually just wrote about it on my blog, if you want to check it out....

http://mountaintopdaycare.blogspot.com/

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