Oh gosh it doesn't take long!
But I have years of materials that I pull from.

Beginning of the month I put up the nursery rhyme of the month( pre-made set of posters from An early childhood conference)

I change out the calendar

I ready art the morning we do it. I do open-ended art but it does relate to a theme. Tomorrow they are painting strawberries cut out of card stock and painting with water after sprinkling on dry un-sweetened kool-aid. Older kids can cut their own strawberry. It smells great and the color changes before their eyes! Great science fun!

I find my open-ended art is great for toddlers to school age. It's great to see how older kids approach it compared to the younger kids!
We do the same activity.

I change out the math manipulative shelf here and there.

I put out a simple science item every few weeks (like large sea shells and magnifying glasses or a 16 oz soda bottle with cut up pipe cleaners and a few magnet wands). Science stuff sits the long lunch table my husband built. Easy, simple stuff.

I have a sensory table with oatmeal in it. I just switch out the bins/containers seasonally.

I have my books in totes by month. I just get out the bin at the beginning of the month and have it ready.

I have a song board with monthly songs on index cards. The child of the day picks out two/ three songs and we sing them at circle time. Picture on the side facing kids, words on the other.

Music and movement is easy to plan into the day. Many songs are on YouTube now. I love Dr. Jean, Jack Hartman, Hap Palmer, Greg & Steve, Charolette Diamond for action songs. Google The Cool Bear hunt by Dr. Jean!

Partly it's easy because I have so many resources I've made and collected over the years.


I think if you are offering an open-ended art activity a few times per week and a fun circle time each day with stories and music it's fine and plenty!

I love
(or I used too, I have plenty now) to make flannel board stories, flannel board activities, and prop stories but it took me years. That doesn't mean you need to do that.

I like to cook with kids so I add that in. I like making math games.

its like I'm just sharing my interests.

I don't think you have to kill yourself planning. Keep it simple. Read some blogs or websites or Google preschool activities. See if there's anything you'd like to add slowly.

Some good sites are

Happy Hooligans she does family child care

Kiz club has great printable flannel board stories for common stories (it's kiz not kids)

No small potatoes-family child care. I don't think her blog is active any more but there are great ideas

There's more but Pinterest is probably your best bet!

Say I'm doing apples in the fall-

My planning would be

buy apples

Have two/three art activities planned

Have a cooking activity planned-biscuits, apple slices (kids cut up) they spread out biscuit, place on apples sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar, fold over.

Read some apple stories

Do some apple count down poems. You could use flannel Apples, real apples, paper apples

Good luck !!

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