End of the Day Activities

[turtletchr]

Hi! I'm a first year toddler teacher of 20 mos old children. We have a sensory table that I use for various activities. We have a 3 hour period before the end of the day where we are in the classroom. Does anyone have any ideas for fun things we can do during that time? So far we've played with shaving cream, water bottle, read (but that only lasts for 10 min LOL), and sing/dance. I'd love to do some things with them to keep them happy for the parents at pick up.

Thanks in advance.

[heyhun77]

I am a home provider but my dck are infant/toddler and then school age. I am open until 5:30 and most parents pick up about 5:15. We have free play from after snack until 4:50 and then clean up everything and I bring out a group activity that everyone does together for the last 30 minutes so clean up at the end of the day is simple. If the weather is nice we are likely still outside but lately the weather has been extremely cold (-30's and colder) so inside at the end of the day we will have dance parties, bring out large blocks and build (because the toddlers love knocking it down and the building again), use a small parachute and cotton balls to make it snow and then have a snowball fight with them, have the big kids read to the younger kids, draw at the table or bring out the big roll of paper and work together on a large picture. I usually don't try to have too much chaos going on during pick up times but I also want the kids engaged right until pick up time. If it was me, I would schedule free play with a teacher-led station that they can come and go to during that time.

[turtletchr]

Thanks for the ideas!! I especially love "making it snow". My kiddos would get a kick out of that.

[blandino]

We close at 5:30, and normally around 5:00 - we get all shoes on, do a final diaper check, and then get everyone to the table to sit and do an activity. Today they each got to bring a toy, but yesterday they colored, and sometimes we do puzzles or sensory activities. This makes pickups easier for me, and I can clean the room while they are there, and the toys stay put away.

We normally have 11 sets of parents come between 5:00 and 5:30, so keeping them at the table and making pickups swift really helps keep it organized.

[blandino]

We close at 5:30, and normally around 5:00 - we get all shoes on, do a final diaper check, and then get everyone to the table to sit and do an activity. Today they each got to bring a toy, but yesterday they colored, and sometimes we do puzzles or sensory activities. This makes pickups easier for me, and I can clean the room while they are there, and the toys stay put away.

We normally have 11 sets of parents come between 5:00 and 5:30, so keeping them at the table and making pickups swift really helps keep it organized.