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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>What To Do With 14-24 Month Olds
lovemykidstoo 05:57 PM 09-09-2012
Does anyone have any good ideas for what to do as far as arts and crafts for 14 - 24 month olds? I try different things, but really seems like I'm really doing the craft for them and what is the point in that, but of course, parents want you to do some sort of project with them at least once a week. I've been to so many classes and the instructors call them "parent feel good projects". Meaning that the child really doesn't get too much out of it, but the parents think it's fabulous. Any ideas? Thanks!
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Crystal 06:19 PM 09-09-2012
Yeah....I don't do "parent pleasers". I let the parents know at enrollment that we participate in experiences that are about "process" and, well, experience....what they are experiencing when they are "doing", rather than what they create in an end product, is far much more important to their development than having something to hang on the wall....something the teacher likely cut out and glued herself.

So, my kids take home:

Paintings with holes in them because they used too much paint

Cardboard with so much colored glue on it that it NEVER completely dries

Drawings, sometimes only one color (yellow is my favorite) that only the child can see, but I write down their "stories" that make those some times blank pages come to life.

Manila envolopes full of the paper scraps from all of the cutting they did today

A rock that was their friend today

And, alot of times, I send home NOTHING. Alot of times there really is NOTHING to take home.

BUT.....take some photographs..... while the children engage in play, while they develop relationships with their peers, while they discover something new....or gain new knowledge about something old, while they sit and have a meal together.....while they engage in MEANINGFUL, PURPOSEFUL experiences.

Then, hang the photos on the wall and invite the families to look.

Make the learning VISIBLE.
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Sunshine74 07:45 PM 09-09-2012
Yes, what Crystal said. I do those "parent pleasers" rarely- usually for Mother's/Father's day, and Christmas. Because it is exactly what you said, you are basically doing the project and what is the child getting out of it?
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EchoMom 08:12 PM 09-09-2012
Dot stickers are plain and simple and look good as a final result on a large piece of square white cardstock paper. The kids love peeling them off and sticking them on the paper. When they're finished it looks like modern art. :P

I agree, it's more about letting the parents see what they did then have anything to take home.
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countrymom 05:41 AM 09-10-2012
at that age they really just want to play. I sometimes do fun art stuff (I have a 3 yr old that comes) but my little people scribble on paper, love to put stickers on everything or I have a huge stack of envelopes and they put paper in them.
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momma2girls 07:22 AM 09-10-2012
Originally Posted by Sunshine74:
Yes, what Crystal said. I do those "parent pleasers" rarely- usually for Mother's/Father's day, and Christmas. Because it is exactly what you said, you are basically doing the project and what is the child getting out of it?
I feel the same way!! I do special activities for Mothers/Father's Day and XMas but that is all!!
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momma2girls 07:23 AM 09-10-2012
I start doing crafts when I feel the child is ready for it. The same as coloring, etc... If I start the child coloring and they are eating crayons, coloring on the table, dropping them on the floor, etc. etc... I will wait til they are older and start it all over again!
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cheerfuldom 09:11 AM 09-10-2012
Photographs of their day is a great way to please the parents without wasting time with crafts and stuff. Start a FB page and you wont have to print out anything.

I do some themed crafts with the younger group and a lot of it either has a picture of them, their handprint, foot print, or something...the parents do like that although again, the child isnt doing much in that case.
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lovemykidstoo 09:15 AM 09-10-2012
Thank you everyone for your ideas. A facebook page is an excellent idea. I liked the idea of taking pictures of them doing activities, but I can't even keep up on printing my own family pictures, so FB will work. Is there any certain way to open a business FB page? I don't want anyone to see it other than the daycare families.
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Jessie 11:19 AM 09-10-2012
You can start a private group on Facebook - just invite the parents and let them know that they will be the only ones who can see photos and posts. I just started doing this and my families love it - it lets them get to know each other better too, and they get to see what their kids are doing in real time.
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My3cents 11:57 AM 09-11-2012
I do both.

I like exposing the kids young to all kinds of different things. So what if I put the glue on but the child stuck the pom pom in its place.

Often, a child will put one line on the paper or nothing. I still hang it with the child's name. My kids are little and I think they do more then most at their age but I exposed them to materials at a young age. (watching them for anything they can choke on like a hawk, if they put items near mouth they were done- they learned quick) Most of the work is done by them, but again if I have to cut stuff out or glue- so what. It is the beginning and I am big on art.

My two year olds will be trying out scissors soon. They might just cut into the paper. They might not cut at all. Introduction to materials and stimulating talk about things around us and so many more benefits.....

When I take new things out, I highly supervise the activity. I don't just let it be a free for all if it something that they could choke on or hurt themselves with. There are things all around us that could be harmful. I find that teaching children young stimulates growth and interest. As soon as they can hold a crayon, we color. So what if it goes in the mouth a couple of times, it is not going to kill them and they learn quick it doesn't taste good and what to do with it.

I am big on safety but I am big on learning experiences and starting young. Not forcing, but introducing.
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My3cents 12:10 PM 09-11-2012
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
Does anyone have any good ideas for what to do as far as arts and crafts for 14 - 24 month olds? I try different things, but really seems like I'm really doing the craft for them and what is the point in that, but of course, parents want you to do some sort of project with them at least once a week. I've been to so many classes and the instructors call them "parent feel good projects". Meaning that the child really doesn't get too much out of it, but the parents think it's fabulous. Any ideas? Thanks!
I didn't answer your question....

paint
big brushes putting the paint on the brush for them
sponges
big chalk
big crayons
play dough
pasting
marble art
string art
finger paint
color books with big pictures
oil pastels, crayola makes nice ones for kids-hard to find love these for little that don't have the strength to push down on crayons
poster paper
roll paper
chalk board
black paper
sensory tables
sand
rice
oatmeal
beans
noodles
pipe cleaners and a colander
shaving cream
pudding painting
tissue paper- they love sticking this on a object- you spread the glue
I have tons more of ideas stuck in my head too....


take pictures of the kids parents love this the most.....
if I have a child that is too little to participate....a baby, they are situated so that they can watch the older kids. I start them young.
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Happy Hearts 12:26 PM 09-11-2012
I do a craft or an activity sheet with the kids every day. Mostly just for the parents, however, the kids do get something out of it, too. Introduction to glue and it's properties, cutting for fine motor, colours, etc., and mostly, a sense of pride that they created something. I don't really help them at all and they don't have to do it. If they get only one eye glued on, or half done, then that's how the parents get it. And, I don't usually spend more than 10 minutes on a craft (unless there's paint involved)... quick and easy!

There are probably a lot of psychological reasons why they need physical evidence of their child's day, but all I know is is that it the parents love it!!
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