How Much Free Play Do You Allow Your Littles?

[countrymom]

I believe in free play because when they get to school, thats it, free play and being a kid is done. No more imaginative play.

[AmyLeigh]

I have alot of free play so I copied this that another provider in my area sent to me and posted it and gave a copy to all my parents.




JUST PLAYING
When I'm building in the block room,
Please don't say I'm "Just playing."
For, you see, I'm learning as I play,
About balance, I may be an Architect someday.
When I'm getting all dressed up,
Setting the table, or caring for the babies,
Don't get the idea I'm "Just Playing."
I may be a mother or father someday.
When you see me up to my elbows in paint,
Or standing at an easel,
Or molding and shaping clay,
Please don't let me hear you say,
"He is Just Playing."
For, you see, I"m learning as I play.
I just might be a teacher someday.
When you see me engrossed in a puzzle
Or some "playing" at my school,
Please don't feel the time is wasted in "play."
For, you see, I'm learning as I play.
I'm learning to solve problems and concentrate
I may be in business someday.
When you see me cooking or tasting foods,
Please don't think that because I enjoy it,
It is "Just Play."
I'm learning to follow directions
And see the differences.
I may be a cook someday.
When you see me learning to skip, hop, run,
and move my body,
Please don't say I'm "Just Playing."
For, you see, I'm learning as I play.
I'm learning how my body works.
I may be a doctor, nurse, or athlete someday.
When you ask me what I've done
at school today.
And I say, "I just played."
Please don't misunderstand me.
For, you see, I'm learning as I play.
I'm learnning to enjoy and be successful
in my work.
I'm preparing for tomorrow.
Today, I am a child and my work is play.
~~~Author unknown~~~

Love, love, love it!!!! It's going on my parents' board!

[AmyLeigh]

How much free play do you allow your littles?

Here's my schedule:

6:30-8:30: Free play, TV is on to help out with hectic drop offs (Educational shows only- LeapFrog Phonics, etc)

9:00 Snack
9:15: Craft/Art Project, outdoor project in nice weather
10:00-12:00 Free play
12:00 Lunch
12:45 Songs/Story time
1-3:00 naps
3:00-5:30 Free play

So, as you can see, I have a TON of free play- but I have 2 year olds - 4yrs, and they create the most wonderful games, and keep themselves occupied. They don't hurt eachother, play anything inappropriate, or anything, and I have always throught that creativity and free play was very important. AND, yes, it makes for an easier day when they all occupy each other.

Can you have too much free play?

We have a ton of free play, here, too. As long as everyone is getting along and playing appropriately, I just let them be. Many (here) have observed that once kids get to SA, they lose the creativity to 'just play' because they get used to the structure they have at school.

[saved4always]

My 3 dck's are ages 2 and under so most of thier day is free play. The little girl likes to color (the 2 boys last about 2 seconds) and they all like me to read books although the youngest who is 1 1/2 likes to mess with the pages so we don't always get through it. Play doh is fun for them. We talk about counting and colors, etc. while they are playing. They also have impromtu dancing and singing sessions. But I am not pushing the preschool activities on them since they are all so young. Right now they are having fun playing with each other and learning to share and get along with other children.

[SilverSabre25]

Hey, OP, you seem to be posting a lot for advice. You should register!

[Blackcat31]

Hey, OP, you seem to be posting a lot for advice. You should register!

You beat me to it!! LOL! ::

[SilverSabre25]

You beat me to it!! LOL! ::

You know what they say about great minds

[awestbrook713]

My whole program is pretty much free play at the moment due to a super crazy schedule, I have kids coming and going all day. Its hard to sit and do a project. I keep a schedule for snacks, and lunch time but thats the only real constant. The kids have the option to build with blocks, color, play with toy cars, etc. We also have special activities like playdough, building tracks to roll balls down, reading time. I just try to keep all activities educational and safe. I'm hoping during the summer to be able to keep more of a scheduled day. If the kids are happy and growing I think no amount of free play is too much.

I forgot to add, all the children I watch are in structured programs all day until they get here so instead of hindering them from having some free time to themselves I believe letting them have choices works best.

[Country Kids]

Mine don't handle free play well at all unless we are outside which right now is impossible because of all the rain, flooding, snow, and of course more rain. Mine get way to aggressive, loud and pretty much out of control no matter what we do if there isn't a plan of action for them. My group just isn't good with free play indoors.

[dEHmom]

The best gift a child care provider could give a kindergarten teacher is a child who knows how to wait in line, take turns, dress and undress themself, have good social skills and manners.....NOT children who can write their letters and recite the alphabet in 4 languages.....that will all come in time and naturally on the developmental timeline each kid has.

Worksheets and craft items are fun but are predominately not developmentally appropriate and for a lot of providers it is done to appease the parents who want tangible items from their child (even though 75% of the crafts are completed by the providers..)

My dck's earn how to recognize their names and write them WHILE engaging in freeplay rather than sitdown lesson times. They learn how while playing school, office or cafe. They learn all sorts of things during freeplay and sometimes they don't even know they are learning.

I have had a few kids who actually liked (and had the attention spans) to sit and do pre-printed worksheets but given the choice, most would rather interact with their peers and play. There is ALOT to be said for natural instincts...

Thanks for this!
I just had a child enroll from another daycare in town here (who charges double what I charge and is operating illegally), because it was too expensive. child attended here for 1 week, and then mom brought her back to the other daycare. She wanted the "preschool" verses the daycare.

I do a very similar schedule to the OP and often have wondered if it's too much as well. But I cannot provide a preschool setting. I have kids from 1 yr to 5 yrs here, 3 of them are infants/toddler and cannot do the preschool stuff anyways.

I disagree with forcing a child to learn, they need to discover and explore, and you feed off of their cues to teach them (without them knowing it).

I find kids are expected to learn so much in kindergarten now that we didn't learn until grade 2 or 3. So I'd rather allow kids to be kids, because they are about to spend the next 15 yrs + in school.

I love your post blackcat.

[lovelife]

So I believe this was my first post on this forum and here I thought I was posting some sound advice, . Here everyone else is saying NO FREE PLAY IS THE WAY TO GO.

The past week I have scaled back on my "daily lessons" for the day. I can honestly say that some of you were dead on (black cat) my gut kind of cringed when the parents only took out the daily notes home and no work sheets. Not one parent said anything but the guilt was there.

I think I am mostly pushing so hard to have a "class" in the mornings because with my oldest I never did work sheets and I guess I was the cool mom but never did the important teaching lessons. He struggled in kinder. So now that I have a toddler I am trying to do for him like I never did for my oldest and in return trying to push the daycare kiddos like I never did my son.

All in all I guess I should say thank you! I will do the work sheets here and there (as some really do like them) but overall there will be no you must do this and that. I need to come up with fun interactive games were they can still learn the same things a work sheet can provide (but more fun).

Though I never do them for them I always wondered if the parents were annoyed that I did not correct them writing a letter backwards. Bottom line I am a provider but not a certified preschool teacher.