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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Favorite Thing To Do With DCKS?
DCMomOf3 11:05 AM 02-10-2011
What is your most favorite thing you do with your day care kids? I would love to work a little more variety into our day and would like some tried and true favorite things.

I personally LOVE building with Legos/blocks with them... if only they would keep my creations standing....
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dEHmom 11:06 AM 02-10-2011
mines the dancing! great work outs for all!
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AnythingsPossible 11:20 AM 02-10-2011
Watching them nap

Really, I like playing dolls and restaurant with them. The combo's they come up with of dishes to serve is mind boggling!! There have been times they bring me something to eat and I ask them "would you eat that?" they usually shrug their shoulders and tell me it will be good.....
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daycare 11:26 AM 02-10-2011
zoo phonics.... nothing more exciting than watching the kids repeat the things that you taught them.. I love it and so do they.
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WImom 11:35 AM 02-10-2011
I'd say music and movement time and art time.
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SilverSabre25 11:45 AM 02-10-2011
The other day I pushed everything out of the middle of the room and we all threw a ball around (one of those swirly colorful outside balls you get in the big bins) and ran around (well, they ran; I sat, lol) for about 30 minutes solid in the playroom. They had a blast and wore themselves out; I had a blast watching them, and they got to work on the gross motor skills of throwing and catching.
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dEHmom 11:51 AM 02-10-2011
Originally Posted by daycare:
zoo phonics.... nothing more exciting than watching the kids repeat the things that you taught them.. I love it and so do they.
wow 300 dollars for flash cards?
hahahahaha



Here's something they did with my son in speech therapy. I completely intend on making my own.





I know it'll be easy, the only thing I'm interested in is the fishing rods (nicer than what I can make) and the fishing mat.
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momatheart 12:14 PM 02-10-2011
Inside would be reading to them. Or telling them made up stories. Or singing my made up songs.

Outside I love to throw or kick the ball and have them run after it. Or just sit on the big swing with them and just talk.
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daycare 12:18 PM 02-10-2011
Originally Posted by dEHmom:
wow 300 dollars for flash cards?
hahahahaha



Here's something they did with my son in speech therapy. I completely intend on making my own.





I know it'll be easy, the only thing I'm interested in is the fishing rods (nicer than what I can make) and the fishing mat.
it is an expensive start up cost, but I dont ever have to buy anything else. I have had it for almost 8 years so doing the math it has not cost much. When you see the results its almost priceless.

What is that thing you have posted? Looks like fun....
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Blackcat31 12:19 PM 02-10-2011
I love just hanging out with them. Sometimes we gather all the cushions and pillows and just hang out. We talk and talk and talk. Give them the opportunity to say whatever comes to mind and it is amazing and hilarious what kinds of things will come out! (Reminds me of the coffee shop talk that goes on with old guys)
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heyhun77 12:25 PM 02-10-2011
Active movement and art are my most fun with the kids. Outside time is right up there but we have an outside classroom once the weather is warm enough to be outside all the time.
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ammama 12:26 PM 02-10-2011
My favorite thing is going for nature walks - we do it all year round to the ravine (feels like you're right in the forest, complete with a stream, bunnies etc but with a nice wide dirt trails for the stroller). I love watching them discover nature.

One year we went down to the stream and about a hundred minnows had washed up and were stuck in a puddle on the bank. The kids hand caught each one and returned it to the creek. It was really great
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dEHmom 06:06 AM 02-11-2011
Originally Posted by daycare:
it is an expensive start up cost, but I dont ever have to buy anything else. I have had it for almost 8 years so doing the math it has not cost much. When you see the results its almost priceless.

What is that thing you have posted? Looks like fun....
Very True!

It's a magnetic fishing kit. It's really neat. My kids really loved it.

There are different types of fish, you could focus on colors, verbs, sound blends, words, etc etc.

Basically it's foam fish with a magnet on the back. On the other side there is a picture (as seen in the picture). They fish, bring it up, flip it over, and see it's a...Snowman, so they have to say "snowman" and if they say noman, then you keep saying snowman until they say it. or however you want to do it of course.

This is what the ad says on superduperinc.com


Photo Fish™
Magnetic Language and Articulation Games
by Sharon G. Webber, M.S. & Marilyn McIntyre - Grades PreK-6
1 Review
Main Product Samples Instructions PDF Related Handy Handouts
Are you ready to strap on your overalls and head out to the old fishing hole? Photo Fish magnetic games give you everything you need to take your kids on an enchanting fishing expedition—while teaching those S, R, L, and Blend sounds (or improving language skills) with every catch! Don't forget to try the newest "Catch of the Day" by practicing with Photo Fish!
Here's how to turn your classroom into the best recreational spot in town. Simply place the target fish facedown in the fish pond. Students take turns catching the magnetic fish with a fishing pole, looking at the photos on the fish, and saying aloud the target words. For added fun, have the children catch two fish per turn and try to make fish pairs. If the fish photos match, the students keep the pairs—if not, they throw their fish back into the pond and try again on their next turn.
Each Photo Fish game has:

* 27 magnetic, matching photo-word fish pairs (54 total fish per sound).
* Each fish measures 3 7/8" x 2 3/4".
* S, R, and L have nine initial, nine medial, and nine final position "fish pairs." S/R/L Blends have nine initial position fish per blend.
* S, R, L, and S/R/L Blends each have six bonus "Catch of the Day" fish.
* K has 29 magnetic pairs (total of 58 in all!) with two bonus "Catch of the Day" fish.

* One 36" x 23" fish pond.
* Sturdy 12" x 6" plastic tackle box with a handle and inner tray.
* 2 lightweight plastic fishing rods (11").
* Instructions and game ideas sheet.

So, cast your line for some fishing fun today!

It is a speech therapy tool as I stated originally, but I think ti's great fun for anyone who wants to work on words, letters, animals, etc. I plan to make my own, I just really liked the mat, but I will just get a shower curtain from dollarama that's dolphins or something and cut it smaller.

and for the fishing rods, I'll try find pick up stix or something similar, and then I'll cap it with rubber or something so they are not sharp.
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SilverSabre25 06:23 AM 02-11-2011
Play with fresh, warm, homemade playdough. No tools, no toys, just dough and imagination!

I see a lot of this in my near future, because a) it's playing I don't mind b) it's a great sensory experience and c) my one 15 mo who I tried to get to play with it this morning made me almost cry because she refused to touch it; she kept hitting the back of her hand and shaking her head no . That tells me more about her parenting at home than a thousand reports could.
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Sunny Day 09:32 AM 02-11-2011
In the summer we go outside and play in the rain! Also, we have parties for just about everything you can imagine....we like parties! They get so excited for the simplest little things, like having a "Colour Day" Party.
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DCMom 09:42 AM 02-11-2011
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Play with fresh, warm, homemade playdough. No tools, no toys, just dough and imagination!

I see a lot of this in my near future, because a) it's playing I don't mind b) it's a great sensory experience and c) my one 15 mo who I tried to get to play with it this morning made me almost cry because she refused to touch it; she kept hitting the back of her hand and shaking her head no . That tells me more about her parenting at home than a thousand reports could.
That's so sad

But I agree, there is nothing better than a fresh batch of playdough! I usually do something fun to it ~ add glitter, spices or kool-aid ~ the kids just LOVE that! I often make it and give it to them for holidays; for Valentines Day I made bright pink (color of the month) and it smells like strawberries. It's a cheap and easy gift
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Blackcat31 09:46 AM 02-11-2011
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
Play with fresh, warm, homemade playdough. No tools, no toys, just dough and imagination!

I see a lot of this in my near future, because a) it's playing I don't mind b) it's a great sensory experience and c) my one 15 mo who I tried to get to play with it this morning made me almost cry because she refused to touch it; she kept hitting the back of her hand and shaking her head no . That tells me more about her parenting at home than a thousand reports could.
Originally Posted by DCMom:
That's so sad

But I agree, there is nothing better than a fresh batch of playdough! I usually do something fun to it ~ add glitter, spices or kool-aid ~ the kids just LOVE that! I often make it and give it to them for holidays; for Valentines Day I made bright pink (color of the month) and it smells like strawberries. It's a cheap and easy gift
Can either or both of you post your recipies? I have one, but it is complicated and messy so I have been buying the actual store bought Play-doh for the last few years. I had a great recipie a loooong time ago but lost it somewhere throughout the years.
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dEHmom 09:50 AM 02-11-2011
1 C. Salt
4 C. Flour
1/2 C. Veg Oil
3 C. Boiling Water
2 tsp. Food Coloring
5 TBSP Cream of tartar

Combine: salt, four and cream of tartar

Slowly add oil and 1 1/2 C. Water

Add food coloring and rest of water.

Knead until dough is formed.

Store in airtight container.
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E Daycare 10:06 AM 02-11-2011
Music and flash card time are my favorites. The kids eyes light up when I get the CD player going and grab all the instruments. So cute to see them spinning and dancing. My son loves sitting on my lap for flash cards and I can get him to stay put for the entire time we work on them. He never sits still so I get the cards out a few times a day. He learns his words/ABC's/Animals/numbers and mom gets to enjoy the lap snuggles.
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DCMom 10:11 AM 02-11-2011
I got mine from my 22 year old son's ECFE class, lol.

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4T cream of tartar
2 cups water
4T oil
Food coloring

Combine dry ingredients in 2 quart saucepan. Combine water, oil and food coloring and add to dry ingredients. MIx together and cook over low heat stirring constantly until ball forms. Knead on floured counter till smooth.

Store in airtight container.

For variety you can add:

2T spices (apple pie, pumpkin pie, cinnamon ~ great for Thanksgiving or Halloween)
2 envelopes unsweetened KoolAid (you can omit food coloring ~ great smell and color)
Essenial oils or extracts in peppermint, vanilla, spearmint, lemon ~ whatever you like.
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