View Single Post
lovemyjob 07:02 PM 01-02-2012
Country gal...we are much alike. I taught elem. school for 7 years before starting a childcare in my home. After so much research of others online....what I learned from people over and over is that you have to do what works for you. (That idea annoyed me and didn't seem helpful to me at all for my first couple years...now I don't fight it. You really do need to do things based on what keeps you sane.) I live in MN...and have 3 babies under 2 years old...making everything more challenging.

Here are a couple ideas of how I have come to do things:

1) Story time. If I try to read a book to the kids it has to be a) while they are all seated at the table in high chairs etc cuz they can't go away...or b) after lunch, they all clear their spots, potty, wash and get their "rest spots" ready. Once that is done, they choose books and can read with a friend, to a baby, stuffed animal, or with a SA if they are home for the day. That give all ages lots of 1 on 1 time and I can clean up and diaper kids.

Every other time I have tried story time....the 3 year olds are interested but fidgit a lot, the 2 yr old and 9 month old fight over who can sit on my lap and be held, the 18 month old wants to eat the book and turn the pages constantly. It is a circus and noone hears anyting. Drove me nuts.

2) I have required "table time" for the preschool age kids when the babes take their morning nap. I have one 3yr old who would prefer never to pick up a pencil or do anything that isn't sword play. However, table time is a required time to sit at the table. I have a simple activity, craft, scissor cutting practice, dry erase boards, playdoh, game, etc to do with me. Then they can choose anything else they would like to do for the rest of the time. The only rule being they have to stay at the table and no toys are allowed. Eventually, my hope is that he will participate due to boredom or through osmosis or something.

3) I play a wonderful singing tape at rest time. It is mellow but all learning songs..which we mimic throughout the day. One song is all the sounds of the alphabet "Apple, apple a,a,a baby, baby b,b,b" etc.

4) I teach sign language (some anyway). Currently am taking classes myself. However, Signing Time video series is wonderful. Hate TV and screen time, so if they are going to get it....it will always be educational in nature SuperWhy, Sid the Science Kid, Backyardigans (singing and dancing) etc. I do this right before lunch so I can prep and feed the baby in relative peace when they are all getting crabby and tired anyway.

5) Kids learn best when having fun. If we all have a piece of paper and trace the letter "a" in 5 of our favorite colors (rainbow style) then perhaps we set out books all over and they have to bring back 3 books that have a letter "a" on the cover. Simple.

6) I use Tupperware cups for my kids and they keep the same cup all day. Each morning I put a piece of painter's tape on them with the first letter of each child's name. Even my 2 year olds know that "H" is for Hannah. they can identify many letters quickly. (can change this up once in a while and make it a game. perhaps write the entire last name, initials, draw a picture of something that begins with their letter etc....keeps them guessing.) My big SA kids now do that job.

7) Make use of the bathroom. The kids spend so much time in there....I use the walls for learning things. Animal pics cut out from a calendar, new signs, days of the week, song lyrics, maps, abcs, colors. When I change a babies diaper....they lay on the changing table and that is where we ask lots of questions and talk all about what they see etc.

8) I have a large calendar that is hanging on my kitchen door. The kind where you move the numbers around for each month. I have started marking days with a certain color when some of my part time kids come, another color when my kindergarteners go to school (every other day) etc. We have daily discussions with all ages about who is coming each day, how many days until Christmas vacation, where the number is for how old they are etc. Part of daily discussion....not work. Usually while at the breakfast table or while walking by to the bathroom.

Essentially, I work the "curriculum" into the day so they hardly know they are learning things. I don't like the idea of a formal curriculum for kids....they need to learn to play with depth and without screen for entertainment. If they leave my home for kindergarten, they will know abc's, counting, and be excited to learn or try new things. They will know that while I have rules, that I always care about them and an interested in them. That is having succeeded in my job. Stability, consistancy, love and fun.

Hope this helps.
Reply