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I have ages 13 months to 4 years in my care. I'm having trouble fitting in fun activities in our routine. They are awesome at playing and could keep each other busy all day, but when I try to actually do some art or a circle time, it's just a mess. I just have such a mix of ages that the little ones always poop or need something when I'm trying to give the olders more attention and it ends up not being worth it to me or the olders lose interest. I wouldn't even try if I didn't have the 3 and 4 year olds that I feel need a little "more"... whatever that may be. I guess I've been feeling guilty almost because I feel like they should have something to show for being here all day but I can never fit it in! With this mix in ages, should I be doing more, or do you think it's better that they are happy and safe in our little routine?
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Letting them play is the best thing you can do for them! Observe what they're doing and offer toys/materials to extend their play. See what skills they're working on and plan ways to help develop those skills. (It could be as simple as new markers because they're into drawing and working on writing their names.)
Here's an article by the Ooey Gooey Lady about play as learning - at the end she's got a list of words to use to help describe the learning that occurs during play. -
I worry about this too. I know I do plenty with them, but I always wonder if I should do more? We do a craft probably twice a week, other than that for art they just color or use markers or do a dots, or whatever they choose. The rest of the time they play.
They are happy and play well. No one is bored or acting up
Same trouble though, I have 2 infants and it is hard to coordinate around them because right now they are opposite. When one is content the other is crying or needs changing or hungry. Then I get that one situated and the other one starts crying. Ugh!
All summer I had no infants and I was able to do so much more, even just staying outside longer or an additional time outside in the afternoon. Now it's hard just getting outside for our required daily time.
My issue is that I like to get out more, even just walks or trips to the park can improve my mood. It's hard to go from no infants and doing lots of outdoor activities and field trips to having 2 infants.
I'm sure you are doing plenty!
When I stand back and look at the things that I do get accomplished I know I have nothing to worry about
They learn so much from each other on a daily basis. Remember, playing is learning!Comment
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I end up playing with them and try to give them more learning experiences through their play. Play can be enough, but why not use play, too? If we are playing in the ball pit, we have fun talking about what colors the balls are. I have different sized balls, too, so we talk about larger, smaller, etc. Everything we do, we can talk about some type of learning.
I do a preschool for a few hours in the morning, but I end up doing a lot of work one-on-one. When I pull a child for work, the rest want to come and see what we are doing :-) Then they are excited for their turn.
If they are happy, it sounds like you are doing a great job happyfaceComment
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When I had a wide age range, it was difficult for sure! They were happy playing, but I wanted to "produce" something. So we would do art activities that didn't take a lot of time, like finger painting for a few minutes. Give them the art paper and let them pick their colors. Then YOU put several small drops of paint on the paper and let them go at it. It greatly reduces the mess when you control the amount of paint being used. Or we would do handprint or footprint art. Today we're doing white feet prints which we will make into ghosts. Use black construction paper. Then turn it upside down and put two black dots for eyes on the heel of the foot. And it's a ghost! It takes all of 15 minutes.
Also, take pictures and send them to parents. If the kids are using blocks, that's a pre math skill! If they're lacing beads, that a pre writing skill and builds fine motor development. If they're playing with the dress up clothes or the play dishes, that's dramatic play that fosters the imagination. Send a quick pic with a caption that says "look at soandso working on pre writing skills today!"Comment
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I used to fit it in where I could for the older ones and if it didn't work out then it didn't. You don't have to have everyone do something at the same time. Like if I had one of the older ones either come earlier than the others or leave later, I'd sneak in a short art project for just that child. I'd try to find another time to fit in the other older child. If some are faster eating lunch, you could give them something at the table while the others are still eating. Many times I would just put the babies in their high chairs and give them something to play with like blocks while the 3 and 4 year old were at the dining room table doing something. Also it should be open ended art/crafts, etc. for best results. Something that doesn't take much if any participation from you. Markers and paper, stickers, scissors and paper to cut. they love scotch tape, anything to glue if they are okay with that. I used to put a glob of glue on a paper plate and give them a paintbrush to brush it on with. They can cut pieces of construction paper to stick to it or you can. To be honest, they just liked to smear around the glue. Play dough is great as it takes little help from you. A small chalkboard and chalk is easy.Originally posted by altandra View Post
It is fairly simple to use liquid watercolor (buy it at Discount School supply), put a little in a dish and give them a paintbrush. This works really well with babies in high chair. They just do a little painting and it takes all of 5 minutes and that is going through a couple of pieces of paper each. If you have some magnet refrigerator clips you can clip them on the fridge to dry.
Can you get the older ones either down for nap 15 min. later or up a bit earlier? There is some time. You have to find little pockets of time and not worry if everyone is doing it together or not. If I had one older child do something and couldn't find time for second one then I'd save the first child's to send home the next day when they both had completed it.
Just some ideas....
LaurelComment
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My kids are 10 months to 3 years. I am a play based program, and I do have a circle time, but they don't have to participate, and it usually only lasts 10-20 minutes. We sing, read, do finger plays, count, have a color, letter, and talk about the theme of the week, talk about the weather, what ever we are interested in. I sit down and start singing our day of the week song and who ever wants to come and join me does, the others continue playing. Most of the time, the older kids participate and the younger ones usually do participate too. They may not sit there, but they dance, clap, sing, etc... where ever they are playing. And they are usually listening, even when you don't think that they are. When my ds was younger (about 18 mo.), I didn't think that he gave two hoots about what I did in circle. But then one day, I looked over as I was counting and he was putting his fingers up and was "counting".
Same with art, sensory, etc... I provide the materials for the activity and they choose whether or not they want to participate. The rest can play. For the younger ones, I sit them down and give them the opportunity to do the activity and read their cues to see if they want to participate or not.
I tell parents during interviews that I run my program as a play based program. I tell them from the beginning that I don't do any type of formal preschool, that we learn through play and do have a voluntary circle time where I introduce things and that I do offer different activities, but that most are voluntary, that way they don't expect "more" as they would see it.
I think that you are doing great!Comment
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I've experienced that feeling before. I set impossibly high standards for myself, though, I have realized. Possibly you do as well?
All of the replies above make me realize how awesome all of you ladies are.
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Dress-up= learning to dress themselves too
I have a little 2 1/2 yo who dresses up a lot so she can now dress herself.
We do a lot of sensory play and non messy type play because it can be difficult trying to clean up while the toddlers are running their fingers along the side of the table where paint is or grabbing paint brushes that have been dropped.
When we started doing fall activities I had the kids rip up brown paper and glue onto a background sheet of paper, for a tree trunk. Then I squirted tiny dabs of fall colored pain on the top and covered it completely with wax paper. They squished and squooshed it all around. When it's almost dry peel the wax paper off. Instead of ripping paper for the trunk you can have them paint their hand up to their elbow with brown paint.
Another thing we did was I taped a large piece of contact paper on the kitchen cupboard and fridge, sticky side up. Then I gave them those leaves you can buy in the dollar store and let them fill the sticky paper all up. Or you could use anything that's light. If you ever do those leaves though, don't use the red ones. The color doesn't come out of my kitchen floor.
For snowtime use the sticky paper and cotton balls or sparkly fluff.
I have 4 in diapers some days and we're still trying to get outside a fair amount of time each day. It's not easy fitting in other activities but if you plan ahead, stay flexible, have things at the ready so you can just put them on the table asap, you can find time a couple times a week.
My problem is relating what we're doing into concrete educational terms for dcps but I think the ooeygooey lady link will help me with that.
Personally? I think you're doing way more than you think you are!! If you think about each day and all the stuff it entails, it might not feel like you accomplished much running here and there but believe me, you did!! Social and self-help skills are just as important(if not more so) than sending home an art project every day. Heck, some of my dcps look in their kids' cubbies, see an art project and I can just feel them thinking Oh No, where am I going to put THAT??
One dcm even said to me "Why do you do this to me, make crafts using their hands and feet. I can't throw this away!" Her dh has even shushed me when I've reminded him to check his dd's cubby for her art. I think they're kidding?Comment
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I think we all have felt like this at some point at multiple times.....I find when I feel this way, it is usually because I am bogged down with something on the outside of daycare that is affecting my life which causes me to lose my own self-worth about my job...Does that make sense?.....kinda felt wierd when I put it on paper :Originally posted by altandra View Post
: Anyway, "play" is the key to learning and I am sure your children are learning.....I know many parents want something in the hand but we know that isn't always necessary! 
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I LOVE the wax paper and paint idea!Originally posted by Josiegirl View PostDress-up= learning to dress themselves too
I have a little 2 1/2 yo who dresses up a lot so she can now dress herself.
We do a lot of sensory play and non messy type play because it can be difficult trying to clean up while the toddlers are running their fingers along the side of the table where paint is or grabbing paint brushes that have been dropped.
When we started doing fall activities I had the kids rip up brown paper and glue onto a background sheet of paper, for a tree trunk. Then I squirted tiny dabs of fall colored pain on the top and covered it completely with wax paper. They squished and squooshed it all around. When it's almost dry peel the wax paper off. Instead of ripping paper for the trunk you can have them paint their hand up to their elbow with brown paint.
Another thing we did was I taped a large piece of contact paper on the kitchen cupboard and fridge, sticky side up. Then I gave them those leaves you can buy in the dollar store and let them fill the sticky paper all up. Or you could use anything that's light. If you ever do those leaves though, don't use the red ones. The color doesn't come out of my kitchen floor.
For snowtime use the sticky paper and cotton balls or sparkly fluff.
I have 4 in diapers some days and we're still trying to get outside a fair amount of time each day. It's not easy fitting in other activities but if you plan ahead, stay flexible, have things at the ready so you can just put them on the table asap, you can find time a couple times a week.
My problem is relating what we're doing into concrete educational terms for dcps but I think the ooeygooey lady link will help me with that.
Personally? I think you're doing way more than you think you are!! If you think about each day and all the stuff it entails, it might not feel like you accomplished much running here and there but believe me, you did!! Social and self-help skills are just as important(if not more so) than sending home an art project every day. Heck, some of my dcps look in their kids' cubbies, see an art project and I can just feel them thinking Oh No, where am I going to put THAT??
One dcm even said to me "Why do you do this to me, make crafts using their hands and feet. I can't throw this away!" Her dh has even shushed me when I've reminded him to check his dd's cubby for her art. I think they're kidding?
My parents don't like to take things home either. I have a nylon hanging file folder hanging on my wall and each child had their own folder, that's where I put all artwork, receipts, etc... that need to go home. Usually they get so full that every once in a while, I have to put everything home in a bag and send it home!
When I worked in a center, I once sent home artwork or whatever in a bag and the next day I found one of the bags full, in the garbage.Comment
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I think what you're doing is great! Are you looking for more preschool academics?
A couple of things I do, that I don't have to be involved at all/minimally are:
Hide letters around the room that make up a secret word of the day/week. Word is on the wall of the playroom in sticky tack. The kids find the letter, identify it, then put it up. If they haven't guessed it at the end of the day, I whisper it to them as they go home. I drop hints, and my oldest always start to sound them out and usually guess them.
Letter/number hop. Letters or numbers on paper taped to the floor to HOP out the word or count.
Today we played "feed the monster". I set up a cardboard box with a mouth 'hole' cut out, let the kids all decorate it, then they threw plastic balls with letters written on them into it's mouth.
All ideas where you could just supervise, but they are actively learning. For parents to SEE the learning, just take a picture!!Comment
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You can get a pic of the monster box on Pinterest...cool idea! happyfaceOriginally posted by melilley View PostComment
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I do a staggered nap. The 3 and 4yos go to sleep 15-30min after the littles so we can do a preschool activity. They all do the same art project with different levels of assistance so we can usually choral them all then
But things work in waves for me. This is working great now, but I pretty much gave up on regular crafts and lesson during the summer. The babies had a weird nap schedule and I just couldn't make it work. So I considered it our summer break too. Don't be afraid to just ride out this wave with lots of free play or even sensory activities geared towards 2ish that all ages can enjoy. My 18months old love shaving cream play as much as the 4yo
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