What Does Free Play Look Like?

[finsup]

Could you narrow it down to one room during free play time and switch it up when needed? That way you can be right in the room with them and stepping in when needed. Then you've only got one room that gets messy too (which is hard, I get it. I like organized and clean . But I just remind myself no one leaves the room until its cleaned up).

[jenboo]

Could you narrow it down to one room during free play time and switch it up when needed? That way you can be right in the room with them and stepping in when needed. Then you've only got one room that gets messy too (which is hard, I get it. I like organized and clean . But I just remind myself no one leaves the room until its cleaned up).

It sounds like you have too much space. I only use one room for daycare. No one is running back and forth... I'm right in the room with them reminding them to clean up etc. Maybe you could rotate rooms? Free play for each day of the week is in a different room?

[Controlled Chaos]

Yea, I can't imagine managing 4 different rooms. I would set some limits. You could either limit what rooms "open" or set a timer, they could play in a certain room till the timer goes off then cleanup and switch.

[spinnymarie]

I agree with narrowing it down. I find that I can often 'control' behaviors simply be arranging the environment to discourage what I want to avoid.
What I'd do in your situation:
1. Pull some toys out. If the best game is just dumping them all out, I'd limit toys and set up a rotation so there are less toys. Possibly pull one room and use it for storage, and limit the play are to the other rooms.
2. Provide some active time before free-play time. In my daycare children play with 'table toys' while kids are arriving, then we do calendar where we sing and dance and move around a lot, then we eat breakfast and then go outside weather permitting. THEN free play can happen. You could have them do some gymnastics or jumping jacks and stretches -- then read a book or do something calm and then let them have free play.
3. I'd make it harder to go between rooms. If there are large doorways, I'd partially block them with furniture. Eliminate any circles they can run around.
4. Make a new rule that you must clean up a room before leaving it. Period.

[mamamanda]

Thank you for the advice! I limited free play time to just one room at a time today & it was soooooo much better. I also implemented the"walking feet" rule. It was a lot of reminding, but they did pretty well for day one. Thanks again!

[Gemma]

I obviously have some rules like no climbing on furniture, walking feet inside, no throwing toys, etc.
I mean free as in I don't control the toys they can play with, who they can play with etc.

I figured that, I just wasn't sure