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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Playing in Centers
Unregistered 09:12 PM 04-23-2016
How do your keep toys in their respective centers? My kids tend to want to drag toys all over the room, and while it all goes back at clean up time, do you allow them to mix things up or do you teach them to only use the blocks here, dress up here, etc?
Meeko 09:28 PM 04-23-2016
I let them mix things up as I think it curbs their imaginations to make them keep things in certain areas.
I do have areas set up, such as a kitchen area for example...with a huge array of play food...but I have no problem with them taking legos over there and making "lego stew" for snack. I don't care if they then build a mega pizza oven out of the blocks and then drag all the kitchen food over there for a picnic etc etc.
They are not allowed to pull EVERYTHING out and what they do have out has to be put away in it's correct place when they are done.
I do have areas set up, such as a kitchen area for example...with a huge array of play food...but I have no problem with them taking legos over there and making "lego stew" for snack. I don't care if they then build a mega pizza oven out of the blocks and then drag all the kitchen food over there for a picnic etc etc.
They are not allowed to pull EVERYTHING out and what they do have out has to be put away in it's correct place when they are done.
permanentvacation 10:12 PM 04-23-2016
The general concept for each area remains in that area, however, there are times when it is just natural to need an item from another area to enhance play in an area. For example, the block area typically has....well, blocks. But, if the children use the blocks to build a zoo, well, naturally, they need some animals from the science/animal center to put into their zoo that they made in the block center.
So, no, they shouldn't take toys from one center to another just to drag toys wherever they go, but, if they need toys from one center to fulfill a need in another center, then, yes, they should be allowed to use them wherever they need to.
So, no, they shouldn't take toys from one center to another just to drag toys wherever they go, but, if they need toys from one center to fulfill a need in another center, then, yes, they should be allowed to use them wherever they need to.
permanentvacation 10:17 PM 04-23-2016
It also depends on the ages and cognitive abilities of your children. The younger the child, the less likely they will understand to keep the toys divided into centers by the concept of the center.
I tried to create centers in my home daycare a while ago. Since most of my kids are infants - 3 years old, it didn't work well. I think centers work better for 3 1/2 year olds and up.
I tried to create centers in my home daycare a while ago. Since most of my kids are infants - 3 years old, it didn't work well. I think centers work better for 3 1/2 year olds and up.
Josiegirl 03:52 AM 04-24-2016
I agree with the others. I don't allow just dump and go but every kid has to feed dinosaurs in the kitchen, bring zoo animals into the dollhouse! The stories they make up! 
And sometimes they don't always get put back exactly where they're supposed to, I'm not a stickler for that. I do a good organizing every other weekend. Even so, it doesn't usually get too bad. Ya have to give kids some leeway to play!
And sometimes they don't always get put back exactly where they're supposed to, I'm not a stickler for that. I do a good organizing every other weekend. Even so, it doesn't usually get too bad. Ya have to give kids some leeway to play!
finsup 08:35 AM 04-24-2016
I've actually arranged my toys so it encourages new ways to play. Like the blocks and next to the tools because I want them to take the wood to fix or build with it on the tool bench. The kitchen area is next to the baby doll high chair and bed etc so not only do they cook, but they're encouraged to feed/care for babies as well. Things like that
When I do "center time" with my older ones, I set up 3 different "centers." During that time I want them using the specific material/toy in that area. It encourages them to play with something they don't typically do, or is something like tangrams which are too small to leave it since I have little ones too. They rotate between the centers and just pick everything up before they leave. I don't do this too often in nice weather. Mostly I do this for an hour or so at the end of the day when it's too cold to go outside and the kids are going crazy lol. I get some cleaning done then too.
When I do "center time" with my older ones, I set up 3 different "centers." During that time I want them using the specific material/toy in that area. It encourages them to play with something they don't typically do, or is something like tangrams which are too small to leave it since I have little ones too. They rotate between the centers and just pick everything up before they leave. I don't do this too often in nice weather. Mostly I do this for an hour or so at the end of the day when it's too cold to go outside and the kids are going crazy lol. I get some cleaning done then too.
Unregistered 03:35 PM 04-24-2016
Same as the other posters! Using toys in other areas is fine, complete chaos is not.
I require some centers to stay put, such as as playdoh, art supplies, table toys, sensory bin. Table toys and puzzles stay next to the low table where the kids eat. I have two dedicated ch. care rooms. I don't want puzzles dumped out in the other room. That goes for the math shelf and the science area too. Those things are to stay in a certain area.
I keep a small, simple science area on the table where we eat. Say I have sea shells and magnifying glasses in that area....sure kids can bring other things to look at there but the sea shells and m. glasses must stay in the science area.
My kids are allowed and encouraged to explore and be creative, but there are limits!
I require some centers to stay put, such as as playdoh, art supplies, table toys, sensory bin. Table toys and puzzles stay next to the low table where the kids eat. I have two dedicated ch. care rooms. I don't want puzzles dumped out in the other room. That goes for the math shelf and the science area too. Those things are to stay in a certain area.
I keep a small, simple science area on the table where we eat. Say I have sea shells and magnifying glasses in that area....sure kids can bring other things to look at there but the sea shells and m. glasses must stay in the science area.
My kids are allowed and encouraged to explore and be creative, but there are limits!
stephanie 05:58 PM 04-28-2016
One idea I observed in another dc was having a stack of little yoga-style mats next to the toys, and the kids take a mat and the box of toys and they can only play with that toy on the mat. (I'd assume it only applies to more solitary, building toys like blocks and magnatiles, not babies, play kitchen, etc.) This isn't something I've done in my dc though, so I can't attest to how well it works!
I do things pretty similarly to PPs, they're allowed to mix up the toys to support their play but the mess needs to be kept under control. And some toys like puzzles are only allowed to be played with at the table.
I do things pretty similarly to PPs, they're allowed to mix up the toys to support their play but the mess needs to be kept under control. And some toys like puzzles are only allowed to be played with at the table.
MissAnn 04:31 AM 04-29-2016
Originally Posted by stephanie:
One idea I observed in another dc was having a stack of little yoga-style mats next to the toys, and the kids take a mat and the box of toys and they can only play with that toy on the mat. (I'd assume it only applies to more solitary, building toys like blocks and magnatiles, not babies, play kitchen, etc.) This isn't something I've done in my dc though, so I can't attest to how well it works!
I do things pretty similarly to PPs, they're allowed to mix up the toys to support their play but the mess needs to be kept under control. And some toys like puzzles are only allowed to be played with at the table.
The playroom with drama and blocks can get messy.....the kids will clean it up. The living room has all the other centers. I have a rug for each kid. They work their activities on their rugs or at the table. They are responsible to put away all materials after they are done playing with them. If a kid is working in activity and another kid wants to play with them they need to ask. The kid who is working the activity can say yes or can say no thank you or maybe we can play later.One idea I observed in another dc was having a stack of little yoga-style mats next to the toys, and the kids take a mat and the box of toys and they can only play with that toy on the mat. (I'd assume it only applies to more solitary, building toys like blocks and magnatiles, not babies, play kitchen, etc.) This isn't something I've done in my dc though, so I can't attest to how well it works!
I do things pretty similarly to PPs, they're allowed to mix up the toys to support their play but the mess needs to be kept under control. And some toys like puzzles are only allowed to be played with at the table.