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Daycare Worker Running Out of Steam
Hello I work at a daycare where I am a teacher in the 3-year-old room for about 3 to 4 hours a day. This is the closing room in our building so as the night goes on I get 2-year-olds in this room as well. They are very bored with the toys they have and I am running out of things to do with them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. There is myself and one other teacher in the room with about 16 kids usually so it is pretty hectic. Thank you for your help!
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I'm not sure where you are, but I think two teachers to 16 kids is seriously out of ratio. Especially if the youngest is two, as the ratios are usually based on the age of the youngest child in the room...
It may be you are having a hard time specifically because the ratio is so far out of whack. -
I agree 16 of that age group seems like a lot for two people if you are wanting to do activities with them. Kids that age are all over the place by nature. But I would try some circle time type activities.Comment
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Hello, I am in the midwest and the ratio for the three-year-olds at our center is 1 to 8. I was told by our director that the ratio doesn't change just because the two-year olds are in there. I certainly wish it was lower.
Thriftylady could you be more specific? I am only 19 and don't really know many circle time activities as I have never been a permanent teacher in any room.
Thank you for your help!Comment
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Basically all the kids sit in a circle and you can read a story, talk a little about it. Talk about colors (you can use toys and talk about the color of the toys). You can count using any objects you have. Some people use flash cards, but at this age I am not sure I would. Sing little songs and do the hand movements such as itsy bitsy spider, if you're happy and you know it, etc. Keeps the kids busy instead of just running all over. Maybe do two short circle times. Kids usually love circle time. Does your center not have any planned activities for the the kids?Originally posted by Lalala123 View PostComment
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Can you set some toys aside to only bring out at this time of the day so they're "new" to the children? You wouldn't necessarily have to do an activity with them, just put out the "new" toys and let them play. Otherwise play dough is always a hit at my house.Comment
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If the child is under 27 months the ratio is 1:6. Your director is wrong.Originally posted by Lalala123 View PostComment
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The head teacher is supposed to make a lesson plan each week but it is not strictly followed. The afternoon/evening is supposed to be centered play time/free play since kids are leaving. Thank you for your advice!Originally posted by Thriftylady View PostComment
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Free time play can be the worst part of the day if it lasts to long IMO. If young children get bored, they start getting into trouble for something to do. By trouble I only mean finding ways to entertain themselves that drive us crazy. At my house 3 hours of "free play" has always been way to much. Usually an hour or hour and a half is about the max it seems.Originally posted by Lalala123 View PostComment
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I cannot really do that with them, as I am not in there in the morning and if I asked the main teachers in there I know they would not do that unfortunately. I have made some flubber that they liked and play dough is hard because they fight over the colors. I am making some of my own to let them play with currently. Thank you for your help!Originally posted by AmyKidsCo View PostComment
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Please let your director know you are doing this. For two reasons. First if the center doesn't allow it you don't want to get into trouble. Secondly, you want your director to know you are having issues keeping them busy. Oh and I guess third, your director needs to know how hard you are trying to care for the kids!Originally posted by Lalala123 View PostComment
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If they're fighting over playdoh colors, just make one color available.
Do you have things available to use with playdoh, such as cookie cutters, old plastic dishes, or anything? I offer ice cube trays, cookie cutters, plastic animals, even big legos.
Do you have access to music, a CD player, etc.? Offer dress-up and music and they get pretty silly.
That age group(as you well know!) is very active so incorporate that into your activities. Growl like a bear, slither like a snake, hop like a bunny, jump like a kangaroo, you get the idea.
Circle time was mentioned...do movement activities such as Shake your sillies out, If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands.
Does the center have books available for resources such as movement songs or finger plays?
Good luck!! That's my favorite age group but man, you have a lot of them!Comment
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Group games like: Simon Says, Ring Around the Rosy, Red Light/Green Light, Follow the Leader, Duck Duck Goose, etc.
Musical Games: Hokey Pokey, London Bridge (older children form bridge for kids to go under), Hot Potato, Play music and they dance and then stop music periodically and they must freeze, etc.
Story time: Change it up with fingerplays (Where is Thumbkin, This Little Piggy(toe play), etc.
Possible Circle Time Ideas: Pantomime Time (Give them things to pantomine like brushing their hair, bouncing a ball, tying their shoe, petting a dog), Flashlight game (Darken the room and you have a flashlight. They take turns stepping on the light and you move it around the floor. They love this.) Singing (the abc song impresses the heck out of parents). Ball rolling (larger playground ball). Sit in circle and name who you are going to roll it to or assign a child that they must roll it to so everyone gets a turn and it stays calm.
LaurelComment
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