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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Entertaining the Kids All Day?
thelearningtreetx 04:50 AM 08-07-2018
I am a new provider and I'm curious about whether or not you entertain the kids all day?
I only have two right now (plus my own two) and I feel this (imaginary) pressure to be on the floor with them all day.
So my question is, do you play with the kids all day? Are you ever on your computer when children are present? Do you constantly have them engaged in something or do they sometimes just play while you do things around the room/house?
I don't want to put this immense pressure on myself that isn't necessary. Part of the reason I wanted to be home was to be able to get things done around the house (laundry, dishes etc) and yet I find myself saving all of that until the end of the day and then taking another hour or so to tidy up the house.
TIA!
I only have two right now (plus my own two) and I feel this (imaginary) pressure to be on the floor with them all day.
So my question is, do you play with the kids all day? Are you ever on your computer when children are present? Do you constantly have them engaged in something or do they sometimes just play while you do things around the room/house?
I don't want to put this immense pressure on myself that isn't necessary. Part of the reason I wanted to be home was to be able to get things done around the house (laundry, dishes etc) and yet I find myself saving all of that until the end of the day and then taking another hour or so to tidy up the house.
TIA!
Cat Herder 05:56 AM 08-07-2018
I set up centers that correlate to our theme before arrival. After breakfast is circle time then they are off to centers for free play.
I supervise from my desk (like right now) but do not interfere unless there is a safety issue. I purposely look busy (computer, book or writing) so they won't seek my constant praise, assistance or approval (a real problem sometimes with so much learned helplessness and praise for expected behavior).
I want them to think, create and build independently.
They play freely until time to clean up, have snack and go outside. Repeat after nap.
I supervise from my desk (like right now) but do not interfere unless there is a safety issue. I purposely look busy (computer, book or writing) so they won't seek my constant praise, assistance or approval (a real problem sometimes with so much learned helplessness and praise for expected behavior).
I want them to think, create and build independently.
They play freely until time to clean up, have snack and go outside. Repeat after nap.
Blackcat31 06:14 AM 08-07-2018
Other threads on the same topic https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.p...ying+with+kids
And of course an oldie but a goodie:
https://www.daycare.com/forum/showth...ht=grandmother
And of course an oldie but a goodie:
https://www.daycare.com/forum/showth...ht=grandmother
MarinaVanessa 07:04 AM 08-07-2018
I interact a lot with the kids while they're here. I'm not "entertaining" them but we do play a lot together and do things. I guess for you it depends on what you want to do in your own daycare and what you offered your clients. Is it more like "grandma care" where you keep the kids safe, supervised and offer them a place to play or do you want to offer a more hands-on approach with activities, lessons etc. Lots of different ways to run your daycare.
thelearningtreetx 07:37 AM 08-07-2018
Thank you for the responses and for posting other threads.
I do offer preschool lessons and we do circle time, but I don't want to be on the floor all day with the kids. I guess I offer both that were mentioned above. The kids get plenty of free time to play, but we also do fine motor activities, circle time, curriculum, art etc. almost everyday.
I do offer preschool lessons and we do circle time, but I don't want to be on the floor all day with the kids. I guess I offer both that were mentioned above. The kids get plenty of free time to play, but we also do fine motor activities, circle time, curriculum, art etc. almost everyday.
Cat Herder 07:45 AM 08-07-2018
Originally Posted by thelearningtreetx:
Thank you for the responses and for posting other threads.
I do offer preschool lessons and we do circle time, but I don't want to be on the floor all day with the kids. I guess I offer both that were mentioned above. The kids get plenty of free time to play, but we also do fine motor activities, circle time, curriculum, art etc. almost everyday.
Sounds like a great mix to me. Thank you for the responses and for posting other threads.
I do offer preschool lessons and we do circle time, but I don't want to be on the floor all day with the kids. I guess I offer both that were mentioned above. The kids get plenty of free time to play, but we also do fine motor activities, circle time, curriculum, art etc. almost everyday.
MarinaVanessa 07:46 AM 08-07-2018
Originally Posted by thelearningtreetx:
Thank you for the responses and for posting other threads.
I do offer preschool lessons and we do circle time, but I don't want to be on the floor all day with the kids. I guess I offer both that were mentioned above. The kids get plenty of free time to play, but we also do fine motor activities, circle time, curriculum, art etc. almost everyday.
Sounds like a great balance to me. It's also important that the kids learn to play on their own and also for you to maintain a clean space. Thank you for the responses and for posting other threads.
I do offer preschool lessons and we do circle time, but I don't want to be on the floor all day with the kids. I guess I offer both that were mentioned above. The kids get plenty of free time to play, but we also do fine motor activities, circle time, curriculum, art etc. almost everyday.
Georgiads 02:55 PM 08-09-2018
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
I set up centers that correlate to our theme before arrival. After breakfast is circle time then they are off to centers for free play.
I supervise from my desk (like right now) but do not interfere unless there is a safety issue. I purposely look busy (computer, book or writing) so they won't seek my constant praise, assistance or approval (a real problem sometimes with so much learned helplessness and praise for expected behavior).
I want them to think, create and build independently.
They play freely until time to clean up, have snack and go outside. Repeat after nap.
You perfectly articulated the problem with young children today. “Learned helplessness and praise for expected behavior.”I set up centers that correlate to our theme before arrival. After breakfast is circle time then they are off to centers for free play.
I supervise from my desk (like right now) but do not interfere unless there is a safety issue. I purposely look busy (computer, book or writing) so they won't seek my constant praise, assistance or approval (a real problem sometimes with so much learned helplessness and praise for expected behavior).
I want them to think, create and build independently.
They play freely until time to clean up, have snack and go outside. Repeat after nap.
I have a 3 year old boy who has to announce everything the does and will repeat it until he gets attention. His parents apparently think EVERYTHING he does is amazing. 🙄
Cat Herder 09:51 AM 08-10-2018
Originally Posted by Georgiads:
You perfectly articulated the problem with young children today. “Learned helplessness and praise for expected behavior.”
I have a 3 year old boy who has to announce everything the does and will repeat it until he gets attention. His parents apparently think EVERYTHING he does is amazing. ��
It is a constant battle. I explain to parents that I am preparing them for school (3-6), then life among their peers. Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers have 30 students. They cannot give that level of attention to any child so teaching a child to expect it is doing them a disservice. The child will be the one feeling hurt and ignored with a normal level of individual adult attention and the teacher will grow to tune them out entirely. "boy who called wolf" or "chicken little". You perfectly articulated the problem with young children today. “Learned helplessness and praise for expected behavior.”
I have a 3 year old boy who has to announce everything the does and will repeat it until he gets attention. His parents apparently think EVERYTHING he does is amazing. ��
I have a 1/6 ratio to age 6. That is already way above a normal level in pre-k or kindergarten.I do incorporate individual learning times, for each child, and small group activities daily. I make it work by using the various drop-off and pick-up times to my advantage. Group play and center time is about peer interaction, social emotional growth, problem solving and creative play in a safe, supervised, environment. Not adult playmates.
AmyKidsCo 01:17 PM 08-10-2018
I'm very similar to Cat Herder, I have toys and materials out and they play. I plan and offer 1 structured activity every day and read before nap. I also read to them and play with them if they ask, but most of the time I observe and facilitate.
coloradoprovider 09:08 AM 08-09-2018
The thought that we need to "entertain" children does a disservice to them and to us. Children have enough entertainment with movies, television etc. outside of daycare hours. We need to provide educational opportunities and give them free time to follow their own interests. They need a balance of adult directed and self directed play. Keeping them "entertained" would be exhausting for the adult and damaging to the child's development. I like the article at this website: http://www.screenfreeparenting.com/f...edom-children/
Being bored isn't bad, it's to be welcomed as an opportunity to develop creativity.
Being bored isn't bad, it's to be welcomed as an opportunity to develop creativity.
Josiegirl 04:47 PM 08-11-2018
Originally Posted by Lovisa:
I read to my kiddos, we do crafts a few times a week, but a MAJORITY of the days are spent doing free play. We go outside a lot too and have fun getting dirty! All parents are different with what they want for a daycare for their kids but all my parents over the years have been super happy with my very laid back, non structured setting. We eat and nap at certain times, otherwise we just kinda have fun and do whatever! And I also do things around the house that need to be done while they are playing (always checking on them often, mostly doing stuff in the same general vicinity the kids are in). Being too structured with everything at a certain time every single day would stress me out lol.
That's my style exactly. I read to my kiddos, we do crafts a few times a week, but a MAJORITY of the days are spent doing free play. We go outside a lot too and have fun getting dirty! All parents are different with what they want for a daycare for their kids but all my parents over the years have been super happy with my very laid back, non structured setting. We eat and nap at certain times, otherwise we just kinda have fun and do whatever! And I also do things around the house that need to be done while they are playing (always checking on them often, mostly doing stuff in the same general vicinity the kids are in). Being too structured with everything at a certain time every single day would stress me out lol.
Originally Posted by coloradoprovider:
The thought that we need to "entertain" children does a disservice to them and to us. Children have enough entertainment with movies, television etc. outside of daycare hours. We need to provide educational opportunities and give them free time to follow their own interests. They need a balance of adult directed and self directed play. Keeping them "entertained" would be exhausting for the adult and damaging to the child's development. I like the article at this website: http://www.screenfreeparenting.com/f...edom-children/
Being bored isn't bad, it's to be welcomed as an opportunity to develop creativity.
Thanks for the link; saved for further exploration. The thought that we need to "entertain" children does a disservice to them and to us. Children have enough entertainment with movies, television etc. outside of daycare hours. We need to provide educational opportunities and give them free time to follow their own interests. They need a balance of adult directed and self directed play. Keeping them "entertained" would be exhausting for the adult and damaging to the child's development. I like the article at this website: http://www.screenfreeparenting.com/f...edom-children/
Being bored isn't bad, it's to be welcomed as an opportunity to develop creativity.