Originally Posted by Preschool/daycare teacher:
Wow...I am so jealous
HOW do you get all your ideas for every theme that quickly? I try to have about 4 centers a day with a new activity in those centers each day. In our area, the schools require a LOT for Kindergarten entrance, so I have to be very careful to get all the important Kindergarten entrance skills planned into it all (and I want them to be hand's on, learn through play). What ages do you have mainly, and how much do your area schools require for Kindergarten entrance? I'm just not very creative, so maybe that's why it takes so long?
Thanks for adding it up and letting me know what you spend on it. You also sound more organized than me
No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to plan a whole week's theme very far in advance. So on weekends I'm planning for the upcoming week. But next year i will have this year's themes and lesson plans to go by, so maybe next year won't be so bad 
As far as the ideas, I take our schedule and just plop theme-related activities into each block of time (sometimes I end up just winging something last-minute, especially when it comes to dramatic play). For example, I will come up with what I think would be fun in a sensory bin for the kids (I only use one theme-based sensory bin for the month since I end up spending some money on the trinkets). I usually will purchase arts and crafts from Oriental Trading to go along with the themes, but I can occasionally come up with something on my own or via this forum. For circle time, we always do the same beginning stuff and then I add a book and activity related to the theme. I sometimes will purchase or throw in some things associated with the theme for free play and/or puzzle time. We do academics here as well that is unrelated to the theme where we address language skills and mathematics, although we review these things throughout the day in books and counting various objects.
I have yet to research exactly what the school readiness indicators are in this state, but have researched nationwide what is expected. The various "free play" and arts and crafts activities I believe covers most social factors and circle time and academics covers the scholastic factors.
The ages I have range from 14 months to 4 years. I have 2 young ones that get into everything, climb on everything and put everything in their mouth so I really can't adequately set up centers (the room is divided into centers, but nothing is out for free use except for the regular toys that are safe for everyone). I usually have everything theme-related tucked away until I can give the children my undivided attention/monitoring (when I am not diapering, preparing meals, cleaning up after meals, and otherwise running around), especially since some of the stuff is small enough to choke on.