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gumdrops 12:26 PM 02-28-2018
In my area, 95% of children go to 1/2 day preschool any where from 2-4 days/week. There is not even an option to go to daycare and preschool at the same location and it is not expected by parents for it to be done at in-home daycares. Most providers do a craft here and there, etc, but nothing based on overall Kindergarten readiness...if that makes sense?

I have followed this site as well as preschool groups on Facebook and I think it would be awesome to run my daycare more like a preschool. I have a Bachelor's degree in business, so I don't have any experience with education and as much as I'd love to go back to school, it's just not an option right now. I'm pretty confident that all the parents will still pull their kids out for 3 hours/day and send them to preschool even if I changed how I did things here and ran it like a preschool. It's just the "norm" for our area. Because of this, is it worth it? Will kids behave better? What do you do with babies? Is it more work or does it make things easier? Right now it's just free play all day and I think the kids get bored which leads to running, yelling, and me losing my mind! I know I won't get paid more for it, so I'm wondering if it's worth investing in extra supplies. Sorry, these questions might not be possible to answer because most of you have been running your business with a preschool base for years, so you may not have anything to compare to.
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Michael 12:56 PM 02-28-2018
Welcome to the forum. Here is a previous thread that may give you some insight: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68768p
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happymom 12:59 PM 02-28-2018
The daycare center my kids go to is like this!

They have different "classrooms" for different age groups and they have a curriculum they focus on for part of the day every day (except for the infants) -- but even the 1 year olds they do circle time and have coloring pages and little art projects that go with the lessons.

NOTHING that comes home is pinterest quality, mostly everything is made from paperplates and recycled material but the kids to mostly allll of the putting together of the projects.

I don't work there or plan these things, but I have had children in every single classroom at one time or another =)
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Blackcat31 01:37 PM 02-28-2018
Originally Posted by gumdrops:

Because of this, is it worth it?
Depending on what you purchase it could be very much worth it. Educational toys and supplies for educational activities are always worth it even if educating the kids isn't always your goal.

Originally Posted by gumdrops:
Will kids behave better?
Like parents, the children behave in the manner you expect them to. You have to lay the ground rules down, have a basic daily routine and consequences for negative and/or unwanted behaviors.

Both for the children and the parents.

So yes and no, curriculum doesn't always guarantee better behavior. Eliminating boredom is the key to creating better or positive behaviors.

Originally Posted by gumdrops:
What do you do with babies?
Mixing babies into mixed aged group care IS tough. Most providers seem to find their groove on how to do that but there is no one right or wrong answer.
Some do academic activities only when baby is napping and some set baby up to play independently while they do academic type things with the older kids.
Some providers just hold baby or just let them be part of the "preschool experience too".
Some providers limit enrollment age to preschool only.

It's whatever works for you.

Originally Posted by gumdrops:
Is it more work or does it make things easier?
Again, this is dependent on you and your program. Some providers (and kids) seem to do much better with a strict daily routine whereas some wing it and do what ever they do when they feel like it. It depends on your organizational and time management skills.


Originally Posted by gumdrops:
Right now it's just free play all day and I think the kids get bored which leads to running, yelling, and me losing my mind! I know I won't get paid more for it, so I'm wondering if it's worth investing in extra supplies. Sorry, these questions might not be possible to answer because most of you have been running your business with a preschool base for years, so you may not have anything to compare to.

Negative or unwanted behaviors like that are almost always due to boredom. I would do what you can to set up your furniture and large toys ad shelves to eliminate open spaces that invite running.

Set up some ground rules for what the kids can and can't do in the house. Some providers allow the kids to engage in a lot of large motor activities. Some do not and reserve that type of thing for outdoors only. Again it's dependent on the amount of space you have and you (what you can/can't deal with inside).

I am more or less play based. Which is a fancy way of saying "free play". HOWEVER, the difference between what many view "free play" as isn't what I view "free play" as.

I don't just flip open the lid of the toy box and let the kids play all day. I spend a ton of time BEFORE the kids arrive for the day setting up my environment so that the kids can just come in and go play. Some days, I have the science center set up, some days the reading center is set up and some days the housekeeping area is open for play.

Depending on the theme or topic or season the items in the centers that are set up all relate to that. For example in the writing center this next week will be different stencils for the letter and number we are working on, green and white paper, the shamrock and/or clover shapes, rainbow colored pens and pencils and other items related to St Patricks Day.

The week after the same center will have items relating to the next theme or topic we are working on. Make sense?

So basically I set the environment up for them to learn WHILE playing.

I don't get involved in their play and don't participate. I am here only to set up and then facilitate and intervene when required.

That was the Cliff Note's version of my definition of play based and how I run my show. Hope that helps!
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gumdrops 09:49 AM 03-01-2018
Do you have circle time to introduce the theme/letters/colors, etc. for the week? What else do you do during circle time? How long does it last?
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Blackcat31 09:57 AM 03-01-2018
Originally Posted by gumdrops:
Do you have circle time to introduce the theme/letters/colors, etc. for the week? What else do you do during circle time? How long does it last?
My "circle time" isn't traditional circle time.

My circle time is morning snack.
We discuss what theme or topic we are working on as well as the other daily discussions that happen during circle.
What day it is, what the weather is like, who is the line leader etc...

During morning snack works well for me because I have everyone's attention.
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