How do you run your In Home Daycare

[Provider_Manda]

I am curious on how you in home provider run things in your home ? I have a schedule that I try my best to follow..But it seems like by the time all the kids get here, it time for lunch, diapers/potty and then nap. I feel as if I have very little time to "teach" anything cause of all the crazy hours.

We all sit at the kitchen table, everyone with their own sippie or big kid cup..little sectioned out kid plates.
In the bathroom we have a paper towel holder, and a wash hands sign..lol

I just bought a changing table that will go on the wall..So I am excited about that..and of course there are TOYS EVERYWHERE !! lol

I do let the kids watch Nickjr. in the mornings, and somedays when they are waking up from nap.

But I want idea's on how to run a more successful daycare, and to have a smoother ride Somedays I find it hard to even think with all the crazy going on, lets face it somedays they are wild

We did just build a big playground, but we are waiting for our fall zone material so we have not used it yet..and to be honest it has been too HOT !!
Ok Im done rambling now, just want to see how other in home providers do it

[AnneCordelia]

I have a basic routine.
8am everyone is here and we go for a walk.
9am is snacktime then we have circle time/story time and either craft or play outside
11:15 is lunch time
11:45 is naptime
2:30 we go for a walk and then have snack at 3. We do free play from 3:30 until pickup. At 4:30 we tidy up and read or do quiet toys until I close at 5.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

OK I wrote this out so well yesterday that I am just copying it. I will try to add a little more later for you but, kidlets should be popping up from nap anytime! (late lunch/ nap today due to legistics)

The best thing that I did was I have a dedicated playroom and a schedule. The playroom has a, ok we call it the baby cage, but it is like a rug rats play pen.. you know the octogon thing and it has a gate on the door. If I need the kids to be secure I can have them be. The playroom has limited toys in it so that I don't have a huge mess! My playroom, kitchen, breakfast room and bathroom are also gated off from the rest of my house. These are the only areas the kidlets are allowed in. This greatly increases my sanity (Note: my oldest kidlet right now is almost 3 so today I have 3 one yr olds and 2 2yr olds. I have an odd assortment no more than 6 at a time but ranging starting again next week when school starts is 2 6 mo, 4 1 yr olds, 3 2 yr olds, and a just turned 4 yr old! So only 2 potty training and 4 working on it! so I need a safe place to plop them!)
So set up a safe gated area! This also means I can walk out to the kitchen pour another cup of coffee and regroup!)
Second, a set routine or schedule. Unless if they are babies they sleep according to my time schedule. Believe it or not I have all 6 asleep in the the same room! I love naptime.. it is my sanity!
so I "ideal" that I work from is as follows-
6:30- 9 kidlets may be arriving on the 6:30 end we may snuggle and snooze a couple more minutes but generally if they arrive 7 or after we are off and moving. Breakfast, playing in the playroom etc. By 9 everyone is dressed, little girls hair is done (I like it pulled up and secure) and diapers (bathroom) is all done! Breakfast every morning is cereal (organic o's), bananas and milk unless I offer up bagels or toast, sometimes I make waffles or muffins but I try to keep it simple. They eat much better this way! Playroom is retidied.
9- if at all possible we go out for a walk. I like to wear them out early! They tend to settle down then..
If it is nice when we return we may play outside for a bit on the patio. This morning we washed out potatoes for lunch outside
between 9:30 and 10 we are back inside. (check diapers and offer the bathroom and a drink of water- little bathroom size dixie cups) I read them a story and we do an activity. you can look at my facebook page for ideas https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...sSteinelsHouse
then they play while I pull together lunch.
(on the playroom and toys I switch out toys frequently!! Keeps the interest level up. And I add appropriate theme props. So we have farmer's market baskets with the food this week.)
11 we eat lunch as soon as they are at the table with food I set up playroom (which they picked up before coming to the table) for naptime. Putting down their cots throwing a sheet over the toy shelf etc, pulling curtains.
As they finish eating I clean them up and change diapers. I have an order based on who will lie down without me in the playroom and who will create chaos. So by a little after 12 I am rocking those that need it to sleep. Yes, I have trained them to stay on their cots.. if they don't fall asleep I rock them generally they are all down within 10 minutes. Yup. They are trained. We play hard and sleep hard. They wake somewhere between 2:30 and 3. (babies nap in my dining room)
3 we clean up nap stuff change diapers,go potty etc.
3:30 ish we have a snack (generally fruit and crackers water)
They play after that. Either back outside or in the playroom.
I will offer a "free art" choice (playdoh, collage stuff etc. esp. in the winter.
4:30- 5:30 so kidlets are picked up.
5:40 dinner for the ones that I will have until 6:30
6:15 everything is picked up and I will read until moms get here

Quick note on activities- I do a lot But very short. I would say I spend 15 to 25 min reading and doing a craft in the morning for a theme and then I give them some type of manipulative or add something to the playroom etc so they can play independently. (I do homeschool also)

[Provider_Manda]

Originally Posted by MrsSteinel'sHouse

OK I wrote this out so well yesterday that I am just copying it. I will try to add a little more later for you but, kidlets should be popping up from nap anytime! (late lunch/ nap today due to legistics)

The best thing that I did was I have a dedicated playroom and a schedule. The playroom has a, ok we call it the baby cage, but it is like a rug rats play pen.. you know the octogon thing and it has a gate on the door. If I need the kids to be secure I can have them be. The playroom has limited toys in it so that I don't have a huge mess! My playroom, kitchen, breakfast room and bathroom are also gated off from the rest of my house. These are the only areas the kidlets are allowed in. This greatly increases my sanity (Note: my oldest kidlet right now is almost 3 so today I have 3 one yr olds and 2 2yr olds. I have an odd assortment no more than 6 at a time but ranging starting again next week when school starts is 2 6 mo, 4 1 yr olds, 3 2 yr olds, and a just turned 4 yr old! So only 2 potty training and 4 working on it! so I need a safe place to plop them!)
So set up a safe gated area! This also means I can walk out to the kitchen pour another cup of coffee and regroup!)
Second, a set routine or schedule. Unless if they are babies they sleep according to my time schedule. Believe it or not I have all 6 asleep in the the same room! I love naptime.. it is my sanity!
so I "ideal" that I work from is as follows-
6:30- 9 kidlets may be arriving on the 6:30 end we may snuggle and snooze a couple more minutes but generally if they arrive 7 or after we are off and moving. Breakfast, playing in the playroom etc. By 9 everyone is dressed, little girls hair is done (I like it pulled up and secure) and diapers (bathroom) is all done! Breakfast every morning is cereal (organic o's), bananas and milk unless I offer up bagels or toast, sometimes I make waffles or muffins but I try to keep it simple. They eat much better this way! Playroom is retidied.
9- if at all possible we go out for a walk. I like to wear them out early! They tend to settle down then..
If it is nice when we return we may play outside for a bit on the patio. This morning we washed out potatoes for lunch outside
between 9:30 and 10 we are back inside. (check diapers and offer the bathroom and a drink of water- little bathroom size dixie cups) I read them a story and we do an activity. you can look at my facebook page for ideas https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...sSteinelsHouse
then they play while I pull together lunch.
(on the playroom and toys I switch out toys frequently!! Keeps the interest level up. And I add appropriate theme props. So we have farmer's market baskets with the food this week.)
11 we eat lunch as soon as they are at the table with food I set up playroom (which they picked up before coming to the table) for naptime. Putting down their cots throwing a sheet over the toy shelf etc, pulling curtains.
As they finish eating I clean them up and change diapers. I have an order based on who will lie down without me in the playroom and who will create chaos. So by a little after 12 I am rocking those that need it to sleep. Yes, I have trained them to stay on their cots.. if they don't fall asleep I rock them generally they are all down within 10 minutes. Yup. They are trained. We play hard and sleep hard. They wake somewhere between 2:30 and 3. (babies nap in my dining room)
3 we clean up nap stuff change diapers,go potty etc.
3:30 ish we have a snack (generally fruit and crackers water)
They play after that. Either back outside or in the playroom.
I will offer a "free art" choice (playdoh, collage stuff etc. esp. in the winter.
4:30- 5:30 so kidlets are picked up.
5:40 dinner for the ones that I will have until 6:30
6:15 everything is picked up and I will read until moms get here

Quick note on activities- I do a lot But very short. I would say I spend 15 to 25 min reading and doing a craft in the morning for a theme and then I give them some type of manipulative or add something to the playroom etc so they can play independently. (I do homeschool also)

Sounds wonderful !! I think the big issue is here..TOO MANY TOYS !! I have a 2 1/2 year old son, so he keeps bringing toys from upstairs down stairs, drives me crazy !! I like the free art idea

Right now I have 2 - 1 year olds, 3- 2 & 2 1/2 year olds, 4, 5 and 10 year old !! So it's hard sometimes to have something going on for everyone. I have all mine sleep in the living room, but I may change that..not sure yet. Do you make up your theme idea's and where do you normally buy props ?? I love that idea as well..Thank you

[Heidi]

Kinderhaus Childcare

OUR DAILY SCHEDULE
Summer 2012

7:30-8:30 Indoor Free-play
8:30-9:00 Family Breakfast
9:00-9:45 Group or Art Activity, then clean up (baby naps)
9:45-11:30 Neighborhood Walk and Outdoor Play (weather permitting)
11:30-12:00 Prepare lunch/table activities (puzzles, etc).
12:00-12:30 Family Lunch & Story Time
12:30-3:30 Afternoon Nap/Quiet Play
3:30-3:45 Afternoon snack
3:45-4:45 Free-play (indoors or out)


If you have a ton of toys, how about grouping them by theme and storing them that way. Then, you can rotate them each time you change themes. Less mess, more fun!


Art activities for us can either be something somewhat teacher led, like when we made rock buddies yesterday. Or, I get out a whole bunch of recycled materials and they just go for it. I assist with the stuff they can't do, but want to.

[momofsix]

We have all "free time" in the summer, but in the school year we have a schedule.

Breakfast
Free play
Snack
Circle time
Craft
Centers (these get changed up usually monthly)
Homework the kids call it this, older kids that want to do a worksheet or some kind of tray tasking/file folder game/puzzles etc.
Outdoors
Lunch
Bible story
Quiet time
Snack
Free play and/or outdoors

About a year ago I took a TON of toys out of the dcroom. Now we have our dramatic play (changing theme monthly), duplos, cars, blocks and books that are always out. Everything else gets switched in and out-usually going along with our themes.
I've found that the kids and I all do better when we're on schedule
I printed out our schedule with words and pictures, so even the little ones can see what comes next if they want to.

[AnythingsPossible]

Originally Posted by momofsix

We have all "free time" in the summer, but in the school year we have a schedule.

Breakfast
Free play
Snack
Circle time
Craft
Centers (these get changed up usually monthly)
Homework the kids call it this, older kids that want to do a worksheet or some kind of tray tasking/file folder game/puzzles etc.
Outdoors
Lunch
Bible story
Quiet time
Snack
Free play and/or outdoors

About a year ago I took a TON of toys out of the dcroom. Now we have our dramatic play (changing theme monthly), duplos, cars, blocks and books that are always out. Everything else gets switched in and out-usually going along with our themes.
I've found that the kids and I all do better when we're on schedule
I printed out our schedule with words and pictures, so even the little ones can see what comes next if they want to.

I have never figured out how to do centers in my home?? Our dramatic play just has the kitchen set in it and sometimes they play with it, but rarely, it mainly takes us space, how do you do centers and what kinds of things do you rotate in the dramatic play?