Need Advice, 18 mo

[JoseyJo]

Good Morning

This is week 2 with our new DCG (actually day 4, she was out sick Mon, Tues last week). It has been a LONG time since we have taken one so little and I have found myself following her around ALL morning having her pick up toys and I am wearing myself out!


For example- she sees the little people and goes over and pulls them out, examines each one as she takes it out of the basket, plays with them for about 10 seconds then the dolls catch her eye. She gets a doll, goes over and gets a stroller and takes her doll on a walk from playroom 1 through the front room into playroom 2. Then she sees the drums, leaves her doll and goes and gets a drum and plays it. Another child sees her playing and goes to join her. She looks up at the child and the cars catch her eye so she leaves the drum and goes and gets the cars, examines each one as she takes them all out.... etc etc. Suggestions?

We are set up for older toddlers/preschoolers so we have a lot of toy bins (actually a lot of toys in general, and a lot of art supplies as well). The art supplies are up where she cant reach, and she sits in a highchair while we do art so I can just give her appropriate things to work with.

I have been all morning stopping her as she leaves the last toy to find another and having her pick up the old toys. She does it willingly but it doesnt seem to be stopping the cycle and she isn't playing with any one toy for more than about 30 seconds.

Thanks for any advice!!!

[daycare]

Originally Posted by JoseyJo

Good Morning

This is week 2 with our new DCG (actually day 4, she was out side mon,tues last week). It has been a LONG time since we have taken one so little and I have found myself following her around ALL morning having her pick up toys and I am wearing myself out!


For example- she sees the little people and goes over and pulls them out, examines each one as she takes it out of the basket, plays with them for about 10 seconds then the dolls catch her eye. She gets a doll, goes over and gets a stroller and takes her doll on a walk from playroom 1 through the front room into playroom 2. Then she sees the drums, leaves her doll and goes and gets a drum and plays it. Another child sees her playing and goes to join her. She looks up at the child and the cars catch her eye so she leaves the drum and goes and gets the cars, examines each one as she takes them all out.... etc etc. Suggestions?

We are set up for older toddlers/preschoolers so we have a lot of toy bins (actually a lot of toys in general, and a lot of art supplies as well). The art supplies are up where she cant reach, and she sits in a highchair while we do art so I can just give her appropriate things to work with.

I have been all morning stopping her as she leaves the last toy to find another and having her pick up the old toys. She does it willingly but it doesnt seem to be stopping the cycle and she isn't playing with any one toy for more than about 30 seconds.

Thanks for any advice!!!

honestly, it sounds like the wrong environment for her.

I also run a preschool and when I decided to take younger ages this year, I had to revamp my entire place. I now I have split rooms. One room is 100% Preschool and the other is 85% toddler. If I didn't do that, I would have been doing exactly what you are doing.

Is there any way that you can create a small space just for this age group?

[daycarediva]

It MAY get better. I took an 18mo for the first time in over two years of 2+, and she was similar. Everything is new to her, so you can see the appeal "Oh I like this!" "That's new, too!" It took a lot of redirection and a lot of reminders but she got it within a couple of weeks.

I have had to do this with EVERY child in my care in the past few years. They are ALL dumpers and ALL have told me (and/or their parents) that they aren't expected to pick up toys at home.

[JoseyJo]

We are not going to take more than 1 that age (this is a sibling of one we already have here) so I can't really make a space for her age without separating her from the group. I also can't refer her someplace else as she has been waiting since she got pregnant to bring her here! I just need to curb this problem if possible until she grows out of it. Great family and wonderful DCG, listens well, follows directions, sits still for at least 5 min at a time. Just this one issue so far.

She IS really good about picking up, she went to a daycare before us and her parents make her pick up. She doesn't pick up on her own though, has to be told each time.

[daycare]

Originally Posted by JoseyJo

We are not going to take more than 1 that age (this is a sibling of one we already have here) so I can't really make a space for her age without separating her from the group. I also can't refer her someplace else as she has been waiting since she got pregnant to bring her here! I just need to curb this problem if possible until she grows out of it. Great family and wonderful DCG, listens well, follows directions, sits still for at least 5 min at a time. Just this one issue so far.

She IS really good about picking up, she went to a daycare before us and her parents make her pick up. She doesn't pick up on her own though, has to be told each time.

how about getting some buckets with lids? Or maybe placing the ones with several pieces out of her reach?

[JoseyJo]

Originally Posted by daycare

how about getting some buckets with lids? Or maybe placing the ones with several pieces out of her reach?

We may end up doing that, but that would mean most of our playrooms put up.

I talked to my hubby (daycare partner) while we were all eating lunch and he suggested partnering one of the older kids (4 or 5 yos) with her on a rotating basis. They would be her "play partner" and teach her how to play with the toys appropriately and how to put them up before moving on.

We will try it after lunch! I talked to the bigs about it and they are game

[WImom]

Originally Posted by daycare

honestly, it sounds like the wrong environment for her.

I also run a preschool and when I decided to take younger ages this year, I had to revamp my entire place. I now I have split rooms. One room is 100% Preschool and the other is 85% toddler. If I didn't do that, I would have been doing exactly what you are doing.

Is there any way that you can create a small space just for this age group?

So do you not let the older kids play in the toddler area or is it just that the toddler's can't play in the preschool area? I'm thinking of doing something like this since I am noticing my just turned two's I've been getting lately just can't handle the space the way I have it set up. I'm just 2y and up but haven't had young two's in a long time.

[WImom]

Originally Posted by JoseyJo

We may end up doing that, but that would mean most of our playrooms put up.

I talked to my hubby (daycare partner) while we were all eating lunch and he suggested partnering one of the older kids (4 or 5 yos) with her on a rotating basis. They would be her "play partner" and teach her how to play with the toys appropriately and how to put them up before moving on.

We will try it after lunch! I talked to the bigs about it and they are game

I tried the partner thing and they did it for a little while but then didn't want to anymore. I'd say it lasted 1/2 the morning.

[JoseyJo]

Originally Posted by daycarediva

It MAY get better. I took an 18mo for the first time in over two years of 2+, and she was similar. Everything is new to her, so you can see the appeal "Oh I like this!" "That's new, too!" It took a lot of redirection and a lot of reminders but she got it within a couple of weeks.

Thanks so much! I am hoping it will get better after some of the "new" wears off. She is really looking at the toys, not just dumping them. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something that would make the problem worse instead of better!

[JoseyJo]

Originally Posted by WImom

I tried the partner thing and they did it for a little while but then didn't want to anymore. I'd say it lasted 1/2 the morning.

Yes, I have a feeling this might happen, but it would give me a little break if they even wanted to do it for 15-20 min daily total

[preschoolteacher]

I have a different opinion on the situation. I think 18-month olds are too young to have a longer attention span, and by their nature, they wander around and look at different toys and dump buckets. She can't really be expected to do anything different.

I think once the newness wears off, and once she grows up a little, that behavior will stop and she'll start playing with toys in a more intentional way. But the wandering and dumping that she's doing now is age-appropriate and how that age learns.

If an older kid was doing the same thing, I'd be more concerned, but not with an 18-month old.

Can you let go of the desire for clean and neat and just have the kids clean up a couple times a day?

[Willow]

I think developmentally it's a bit much to ask for that sort of awareness and responsibility, especially when everything is new and NEEDS investigation

I personally wouldn't push it too hard until at least two for most toddlers because cognitively they won't grasp the concept and it'll be more work for you than it's worth for right now. You don't want to suck the drive to explore out of her by making what'll undoubtedly be seen by her as a negative consequence, overshadow the positive of experiencing the world around her. The result of that is typically withdrawl, and it could hinder her development long term.

[JoseyJo]

Originally Posted by preschoolteacher

Can you let go of the desire for clean and neat and just have the kids clean up a couple times a day?

Sure I could, if licensing here would allow. Unfortunately they do not. We have a provider in our city written up earlier this year for having toys that were not activity being played with on the floor. They said it was a tripping hazard and against regulations. We also cannot allow any toys to be played with near the doors as that is a fire exit hazard...

[JoseyJo]

Originally Posted by Willow

I think developmentally it's a bit much to ask for that sort of awareness and responsibility, especially when everything is new and NEEDS investigation

I personally wouldn't push it too hard until at least two for most toddlers because cognitively they won't grasp the concept and it'll be more work for you than it's worth for right now. You don't want to suck the drive to explore out of her by making what'll undoubtedly be seen by her as a negative consequence, overshadow the positive of experiencing the world around her. The result of that is typically withdrawl, and it could hinder her development long term.

Def would not want to make cleaning up a negative experience. We have very good, happy, willing cleaners here!

I totally agree she is exploring and learning about her new environment, especially because she is examining each toy before dropping it on the floor
I just need her to put them back in the baskets as she is doing it, or after she is done emptying it, or to at least stay with a basket for more than 30 seconds

[daycare]

the kids 2.5 and up can use both rooms. Under 2.5 can only use the toddler room.

In my preschool setting, I have open supplies that the preschoolers can have access to so no toddlers in that area.

My toddler area is bigger than my preschool area, we use it for large motor activities, free play and dancing.

I do have a shelf in the toddler room that they can not reach but the preschoolers can. The preschoolers know that they cannot share these items with our little friends and they must be played with on the community tables which are tables the toddlers cannot get to.

Also in my toddler space I have a few dump stations. This is a small shelf that contains items they can dump. The boxes have lids. I will open one and dump it then fill it up, rinse and repeat. The idea is to teach them the clean up game and the needed vocabulary to understand the words empty the bucket, fill up the bucket.

[JoseyJo]

Originally Posted by daycare

the kids 2.5 and up can use both rooms. Under 2.5 can only use the toddler room.

In my preschool setting, I have open supplies that the preschoolers can have access to so no toddlers in that area.

My toddler area is bigger than my preschool area, we use it for large motor activities, free play and dancing.

I do have a shelf in the toddler room that they can not reach but the preschoolers can. The preschoolers know that they cannot share these items with our little friends and they must be played with on the community tables which are tables the toddlers cannot get to.

Also in my toddler space I have a few dump stations. This is a small shelf that contains items they can dump. The boxes have lids. I will open one and dump it then fill it up, rinse and repeat. The idea is to teach them the clean up game and the needed vocabulary to understand the words empty the bucket, fill up the bucket.

How do your preschoolers get from one playroom to the next but not the toddlers?