I was just sitting here wondering what everyone's daily routine is like. From arrival to departure. I'm wondering if mine is typical and would like any suggestions on making it better. What do you do differently?

Mine is:
7:00 a.m.- 9:00 a.m. Arrival - Free playtime

9:00 a.m. -9:15 a.m. - Snack time

9:15 a.m.-9:30 a.m.-Story or Music Circle Time

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.- Learning Activities, Craft time, or Computer play.

10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.-Exercise/Outside Playtime

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.-Free Playtime

12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.- Lunch time

1:00p.m.-1:15 p.m.- Story Circle Time

1:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Quiet Time

3:15-3:30-Wake up/Juice time

3:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Snack Time for infants/toddlers/kindergartners.

3:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Free Play Time, Outside Play, Game Time, and Pick-up Time.

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7:00-8:30 Arrival/Breakfast/Teeth Brushing/Free Play

8:30-9:30 Clean-Up/Free Play

9:30-9:45 Circle Time

9:45-10:30 Planned Small Group Activities/Free Play

10:30-11:30 Outdoors/Weather Permitting

11:30-12:00 Lunch/Clean-Up

12:00-12:30 Video/Free Play/Nap prep

12:30-3:00 Naptime/Quiet Activities for early risers

3:00-3:30 Snack/Clean-Up/Outdoors

3:30-3:45 Circle Time

3:45 -5:00 Table Activities/Outdoors/Free Play

5:00-6:00 Video/Free Play/Clean-Up

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PLease note that while my schedule does include video time, that the children have a choice between the video and free play activities. Also, all videos we watch are educational and are based on current "classroom" activities.

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7:30 – 8:00 am Breakfast
8:00 – 8:45am Dressing, Brush Hair/Teeth
8:45 – 9:00 am Story
9:00 – 9:15am Language Development
9:15 – 9:45am Center Time
9:45 – 10:00am Clean-Up Time
10:00 – 10:15am Snack
10:15 – 11:15am Outside Free-Play
11:15 – 12:00pm Movement/Music
12:00 – 12:30pm Lunch
12:30 – 1:45pm Outdoor Play
1:45 – 2:00pm Story Time
2:00 – 3:30pm Nap/Quiet Time
4:00 – 4:15pm Snack
4:15 – 4:30pm Clean-Up Time
4:30 – 4:45pm Math/Science Activity
4:45 – Closing Free Play

A little about my schedule: I notice that my schedule looks really busy but I like to keep my littles busy with activities. I ONLY serve breakfast to littles arriving before 7:30. After that time if they arrive hungry they get fruit as a snack and another snack at snack time.

I am one of those providers that doesn't mind when parent's bring their littles in undressed. I use this time to let them dress themselves, brush their own hair and teeth and then I assist the really little ones and finish up for the older ones.

I believe that literacy is important so I do two read-a-louds a day. And spend time with them practicing their first and last names, addresses and so on.

Center time for us is a lot like free play but they only get to play with our center materials like sand area, water area, computer, blocks, playhouse, puzzles and books.

Clean up for us are done throughout the day so they don't get overwhelmed when they clean up. All of the kids clean up even my 15 month old. We play the clean up song and dance while we all do it.

I think movement is important so I have two times for outside play.

I think Math and Science are one of the kids favorite activities. We planted a vegetable and herb garden last month (each child has his/her own vegetable and herb to take care of) and last week we hatched chicks from eggs.

I think I have as much fun as they do!!

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Thanks! This helps a lot! I appreciate you sharing!

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P.S. MarinaVanessa....how did you go about hatching the chicks? The supplies and equipment...this sounds so fun but way out of my budget! I'm already planning on doing the grass heads in styrofoam cups next week but an herb garden is a great idea!

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Marina Vanessa--It sounds like you have a lot of fun things going on. Do you have a blog or website with pictures? I love checking out other daycare sites!

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7:00-9:00 Arrival, Quiet Boxes, Breakfast
9:00-9:30 Circle Time/Storytime
9:30-10:30 Morning Activities (Playdough, easel art, craft projects,
Sensory, puzzles, special toys geared toward math/science
like magnets, pattern blocks)
10:30-11:30 Outside Playtime (when it is nice) OR Free Playtime inside
11:30-12:00 Music and Movement (They dance and sing to music
with instruments, pompoms, scarves etc...while I prepare lunch)
12:00-12:30 Lunch (Outside at picnic tables whenever possible during
nice weather)
12:30-1:00 Clean up, potty time, books on tape while getting nap stuff out
1:00-3:00 Nap Time (I also do the bulk of my homeschool teaching for
my own kids during this time)
3:00-3:30 Put Nap stuff away, Snack, Potty
3:30-5:30 Outside Playtime (The whole time in nice weather) or
Inside Free Play, Depature

In nice weather, I will give the kids up to 3 hours outside per day. Spending time outside in nature is an important part of my program.
I occasionally put on movies for the kids during a transition or just for fun.

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I guess I was lucky. My mother has a henhouse (she is zoned for this) so I got the eggs from her. The incubator I bought and yes it was rather pricey. I spend around $80 for it from a feed store but I loan it to other providers for a $5 fee so it works out for me. You can get smaller ones that hold about four eggs (look online) for less but not sure exactly how much after shipping and such. It's pretty simple. Get fertilized eggs and draw two faces on each egg with marker (it doesn't harm the embrio), one with eyes open one with eyes closed and write the childs name on it. Each day for about 28 days each childs has to flip their eggs over twice: In the morning they flip it to the open eyes side (wake them up) and in the evening they flip them to the eyes closed side (put them to sleep). It's pretty neat. Other than that just keep the temperature constant and always keep the water reservoir full.

Yes the kids love the garden too. They especially love going out and picking their veggies and herbs so that I can prepare a meal. They're able to pick veggies when they want as a snack, we just wash them first. We give each plant a name and write it on a popsicle stick (we have Valenzuela green beens, Baby Tom Tom Carrots, Carmona oregano etc. It's cute)

It's funny you should ask, Im working on a website now so that I can post our activities. I'll keep you posted when it's up.

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lately my schedule has been ,.. coffee coffee coffee,.. lol

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LOL I feel you on that one only my drug of choice is soda of some kind!

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7:30AM TO 8:00AM ARRIVAL BREAKFAST
8:00AM TO 9:00AM LEARNING TIME
9:00AM TO 11:00AM Free play in or outside
11:00am to 11:30am Lunch
11:30 am to 2:00pm nap time
2:00pm to 2:30 pm snack time
2:30pm t0 3:30 pm homework time for older kids tv time for younger kids
3:30pm to 5:00pm Free play outside or in
5:00pm to 5:30pm clean up and dismassal

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Breakfast 7:15-7:45
School age children on bus at 7:50
8:00- 8:45 free play
9:00-9:45 - craft activities like play doh/painting, coloring/science experiments
10:00 - Story time & circle time games like Duck Duck goose/simon says/sing songs/also outdoor play if it is nice
10:45 - Free play
11:00 - Prep for lunch (this is when I may let kids watch something for about 15-20 min)
11:30 - lunch time
12:00 - story time (I always read 2-3 books before naptime & we sing some lullabies like Twinkle Twinkle & Are you sleepy?)
12:20 - 12:30 toddlers/preschoolers down for rest time
2:30 - 3:00 - depending on when everyone gets up we have snack about this time
3:30 - 4:00 snack & school work for school age kids
4:00 - outdoor play if weather permits/ if not group play in play room until pick up which is normally between 4:30-4:45

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This is what I have hanging on the wall at child's eye level, with pictures next to each one--the kids love looking at the schedule to see what comes next!

Breakfast
Free Play
Snack
Circle
Craft
Centers
Homework
Outdoors
Lunch
Quiet Play
Quiet Time
Snack
Free Play/Outdoors

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Georgia Sample Schedule

Toddler
6:00 – 8:30 Children arrive, greeting; routine care begins (diapering, toileting, feeding). As children arrive, individually selected activities begin.
8:20 – 8:30 Children prepare for breakfast.
8:30 – 9:00 BREAKFAST. Clean – up
9: 00 – 9:10 Morning Songs and movement activities
9:10 – 9: 45 Individual routine care continues (diapering and toileting). Planned experiences and self-selected activities for children begin. Scheduled gross motor room or outdoor time. Other activities include, but are not limited to: fine motor, cooperative play, dramatic play, problem solving and other group activities.
9:45 – 10:00 SNACK/Clean up
10:00 – 10:10 Carpet time (transition)
10:10 – 10:50 Individual routine care continues (diapering and toileting). Planned experiences and self-selected activities for children, including but not limited to: fine motor, cooperative play, dramatic play, problem solving, art, water play, etc.
10:50 – 11:00 Diapering/Toileting – preparation for lunch
11:00 – 11:30 LUNCH
11:30 – 11:45 Story time (transition)
11:45 – 12:00 Diapering/Toileting – preparation for nap
12:00 – 2:00 NAP
2:00 – 2:45 Scattered Awakening. Diapering/Toileting – preparation for snack
2:00 – 3:15 SNACK – as children continue to awaken. Planned experiences and self-selected activities.
3:15 – 3:30 Diapering/Toileting
3:30 – 4:10 Large Motor Room/Outdoor time
4:10 – 4:20 Diapering/Toileting
4:20 – 4:45 Planned experiences and self-selected activities.
4:45 – 5:00 Diapering/Toileting. Preparation for late afternoon snack.
5:00 – 5:30 SNACK/Clean-up
5:30 – 6:00 Quiet activities – books, puzzles, music

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