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Indoorvoice 06:53 AM 10-22-2014
I have ages 13 months to 4 years in my care. I'm having trouble fitting in fun activities in our routine. They are awesome at playing and could keep each other busy all day, but when I try to actually do some art or a circle time, it's just a mess. I just have such a mix of ages that the little ones always poop or need something when I'm trying to give the olders more attention and it ends up not being worth it to me or the olders lose interest. I wouldn't even try if I didn't have the 3 and 4 year olds that I feel need a little "more"... whatever that may be. I guess I've been feeling guilty almost because I feel like they should have something to show for being here all day but I can never fit it in! With this mix in ages, should I be doing more, or do you think it's better that they are happy and safe in our little routine?
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AmyKidsCo 07:00 AM 10-22-2014
Letting them play is the best thing you can do for them! Observe what they're doing and offer toys/materials to extend their play. See what skills they're working on and plan ways to help develop those skills. (It could be as simple as new markers because they're into drawing and working on writing their names.)

Here's an article by the Ooey Gooey Lady about play as learning - at the end she's got a list of words to use to help describe the learning that occurs during play.
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CraftyMom 07:08 AM 10-22-2014
I worry about this too. I know I do plenty with them, but I always wonder if I should do more? We do a craft probably twice a week, other than that for art they just color or use markers or do a dots, or whatever they choose. The rest of the time they play.

They are happy and play well. No one is bored or acting up

Same trouble though, I have 2 infants and it is hard to coordinate around them because right now they are opposite. When one is content the other is crying or needs changing or hungry. Then I get that one situated and the other one starts crying. Ugh!

All summer I had no infants and I was able to do so much more, even just staying outside longer or an additional time outside in the afternoon. Now it's hard just getting outside for our required daily time.

My issue is that I like to get out more, even just walks or trips to the park can improve my mood. It's hard to go from no infants and doing lots of outdoor activities and field trips to having 2 infants.

I'm sure you are doing plenty!

When I stand back and look at the things that I do get accomplished I know I have nothing to worry about

They learn so much from each other on a daily basis. Remember, playing is learning!
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midaycare 07:13 AM 10-22-2014
I end up playing with them and try to give them more learning experiences through their play. Play can be enough, but why not use play, too? If we are playing in the ball pit, we have fun talking about what colors the balls are. I have different sized balls, too, so we talk about larger, smaller, etc. Everything we do, we can talk about some type of learning.

I do a preschool for a few hours in the morning, but I end up doing a lot of work one-on-one. When I pull a child for work, the rest want to come and see what we are doing :-) Then they are excited for their turn.

If they are happy, it sounds like you are doing a great job
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NightOwl 07:13 AM 10-22-2014
When I had a wide age range, it was difficult for sure! They were happy playing, but I wanted to "produce" something. So we would do art activities that didn't take a lot of time, like finger painting for a few minutes. Give them the art paper and let them pick their colors. Then YOU put several small drops of paint on the paper and let them go at it. It greatly reduces the mess when you control the amount of paint being used. Or we would do handprint or footprint art. Today we're doing white feet prints which we will make into ghosts. Use black construction paper. Then turn it upside down and put two black dots for eyes on the heel of the foot. And it's a ghost! It takes all of 15 minutes.

Also, take pictures and send them to parents. If the kids are using blocks, that's a pre math skill! If they're lacing beads, that a pre writing skill and builds fine motor development. If they're playing with the dress up clothes or the play dishes, that's dramatic play that fosters the imagination. Send a quick pic with a caption that says "look at soandso working on pre writing skills today!"
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Laurel 10:50 AM 10-22-2014
Originally Posted by altandra:
I have ages 13 months to 4 years in my care. I'm having trouble fitting in fun activities in our routine. They are awesome at playing and could keep each other busy all day, but when I try to actually do some art or a circle time, it's just a mess. I just have such a mix of ages that the little ones always poop or need something when I'm trying to give the olders more attention and it ends up not being worth it to me or the olders lose interest. I wouldn't even try if I didn't have the 3 and 4 year olds that I feel need a little "more"... whatever that may be. I guess I've been feeling guilty almost because I feel like they should have something to show for being here all day but I can never fit it in! With this mix in ages, should I be doing more, or do you think it's better that they are happy and safe in our little routine?
I used to fit it in where I could for the older ones and if it didn't work out then it didn't. You don't have to have everyone do something at the same time. Like if I had one of the older ones either come earlier than the others or leave later, I'd sneak in a short art project for just that child. I'd try to find another time to fit in the other older child. If some are faster eating lunch, you could give them something at the table while the others are still eating. Many times I would just put the babies in their high chairs and give them something to play with like blocks while the 3 and 4 year old were at the dining room table doing something. Also it should be open ended art/crafts, etc. for best results. Something that doesn't take much if any participation from you. Markers and paper, stickers, scissors and paper to cut. they love scotch tape, anything to glue if they are okay with that. I used to put a glob of glue on a paper plate and give them a paintbrush to brush it on with. They can cut pieces of construction paper to stick to it or you can. To be honest, they just liked to smear around the glue. Play dough is great as it takes little help from you. A small chalkboard and chalk is easy.

It is fairly simple to use liquid watercolor (buy it at Discount School supply), put a little in a dish and give them a paintbrush. This works really well with babies in high chair. They just do a little painting and it takes all of 5 minutes and that is going through a couple of pieces of paper each. If you have some magnet refrigerator clips you can clip them on the fridge to dry.

Can you get the older ones either down for nap 15 min. later or up a bit earlier? There is some time. You have to find little pockets of time and not worry if everyone is doing it together or not. If I had one older child do something and couldn't find time for second one then I'd save the first child's to send home the next day when they both had completed it.

Just some ideas....

Laurel
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melilley 11:05 AM 10-22-2014
My kids are 10 months to 3 years. I am a play based program, and I do have a circle time, but they don't have to participate, and it usually only lasts 10-20 minutes. We sing, read, do finger plays, count, have a color, letter, and talk about the theme of the week, talk about the weather, what ever we are interested in. I sit down and start singing our day of the week song and who ever wants to come and join me does, the others continue playing. Most of the time, the older kids participate and the younger ones usually do participate too. They may not sit there, but they dance, clap, sing, etc... where ever they are playing. And they are usually listening, even when you don't think that they are. When my ds was younger (about 18 mo.), I didn't think that he gave two hoots about what I did in circle. But then one day, I looked over as I was counting and he was putting his fingers up and was "counting".
Same with art, sensory, etc... I provide the materials for the activity and they choose whether or not they want to participate. The rest can play. For the younger ones, I sit them down and give them the opportunity to do the activity and read their cues to see if they want to participate or not.

I tell parents during interviews that I run my program as a play based program. I tell them from the beginning that I don't do any type of formal preschool, that we learn through play and do have a voluntary circle time where I introduce things and that I do offer different activities, but that most are voluntary, that way they don't expect "more" as they would see it.

I think that you are doing great!
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EntropyControlSpecialist 11:10 AM 10-22-2014
I've experienced that feeling before. I set impossibly high standards for myself, though, I have realized. Possibly you do as well?

All of the replies above make me realize how awesome all of you ladies are.
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Josiegirl 11:20 AM 10-22-2014
Dress-up= learning to dress themselves too
I have a little 2 1/2 yo who dresses up a lot so she can now dress herself.

We do a lot of sensory play and non messy type play because it can be difficult trying to clean up while the toddlers are running their fingers along the side of the table where paint is or grabbing paint brushes that have been dropped.
When we started doing fall activities I had the kids rip up brown paper and glue onto a background sheet of paper, for a tree trunk. Then I squirted tiny dabs of fall colored pain on the top and covered it completely with wax paper. They squished and squooshed it all around. When it's almost dry peel the wax paper off. Instead of ripping paper for the trunk you can have them paint their hand up to their elbow with brown paint.
Another thing we did was I taped a large piece of contact paper on the kitchen cupboard and fridge, sticky side up. Then I gave them those leaves you can buy in the dollar store and let them fill the sticky paper all up. Or you could use anything that's light. If you ever do those leaves though, don't use the red ones. The color doesn't come out of my kitchen floor.
For snowtime use the sticky paper and cotton balls or sparkly fluff.

I have 4 in diapers some days and we're still trying to get outside a fair amount of time each day. It's not easy fitting in other activities but if you plan ahead, stay flexible, have things at the ready so you can just put them on the table asap, you can find time a couple times a week.
My problem is relating what we're doing into concrete educational terms for dcps but I think the ooeygooey lady link will help me with that.

Personally? I think you're doing way more than you think you are!! If you think about each day and all the stuff it entails, it might not feel like you accomplished much running here and there but believe me, you did!! Social and self-help skills are just as important(if not more so) than sending home an art project every day. Heck, some of my dcps look in their kids' cubbies, see an art project and I can just feel them thinking Oh No, where am I going to put THAT??
One dcm even said to me "Why do you do this to me, make crafts using their hands and feet. I can't throw this away!" Her dh has even shushed me when I've reminded him to check his dd's cubby for her art. I think they're kidding?
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Annalee 11:28 AM 10-22-2014
Originally Posted by altandra:
I have ages 13 months to 4 years in my care. I'm having trouble fitting in fun activities in our routine. They are awesome at playing and could keep each other busy all day, but when I try to actually do some art or a circle time, it's just a mess. I just have such a mix of ages that the little ones always poop or need something when I'm trying to give the olders more attention and it ends up not being worth it to me or the olders lose interest. I wouldn't even try if I didn't have the 3 and 4 year olds that I feel need a little "more"... whatever that may be. I guess I've been feeling guilty almost because I feel like they should have something to show for being here all day but I can never fit it in! With this mix in ages, should I be doing more, or do you think it's better that they are happy and safe in our little routine?
I think we all have felt like this at some point at multiple times.....I find when I feel this way, it is usually because I am bogged down with something on the outside of daycare that is affecting my life which causes me to lose my own self-worth about my job...Does that make sense?.....kinda felt wierd when I put it on paper Anyway, "play" is the key to learning and I am sure your children are learning.....I know many parents want something in the hand but we know that isn't always necessary!
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melilley 11:31 AM 10-22-2014
Originally Posted by Josiegirl:
Dress-up= learning to dress themselves too
I have a little 2 1/2 yo who dresses up a lot so she can now dress herself.

We do a lot of sensory play and non messy type play because it can be difficult trying to clean up while the toddlers are running their fingers along the side of the table where paint is or grabbing paint brushes that have been dropped.
When we started doing fall activities I had the kids rip up brown paper and glue onto a background sheet of paper, for a tree trunk. Then I squirted tiny dabs of fall colored pain on the top and covered it completely with wax paper. They squished and squooshed it all around. When it's almost dry peel the wax paper off. Instead of ripping paper for the trunk you can have them paint their hand up to their elbow with brown paint.
Another thing we did was I taped a large piece of contact paper on the kitchen cupboard and fridge, sticky side up. Then I gave them those leaves you can buy in the dollar store and let them fill the sticky paper all up. Or you could use anything that's light. If you ever do those leaves though, don't use the red ones. The color doesn't come out of my kitchen floor.
For snowtime use the sticky paper and cotton balls or sparkly fluff.

I have 4 in diapers some days and we're still trying to get outside a fair amount of time each day. It's not easy fitting in other activities but if you plan ahead, stay flexible, have things at the ready so you can just put them on the table asap, you can find time a couple times a week.
My problem is relating what we're doing into concrete educational terms for dcps but I think the ooeygooey lady link will help me with that.

Personally? I think you're doing way more than you think you are!! If you think about each day and all the stuff it entails, it might not feel like you accomplished much running here and there but believe me, you did!! Social and self-help skills are just as important(if not more so) than sending home an art project every day. Heck, some of my dcps look in their kids' cubbies, see an art project and I can just feel them thinking Oh No, where am I going to put THAT??
One dcm even said to me "Why do you do this to me, make crafts using their hands and feet. I can't throw this away!" Her dh has even shushed me when I've reminded him to check his dd's cubby for her art. I think they're kidding?
I LOVE the wax paper and paint idea!

My parents don't like to take things home either. I have a nylon hanging file folder hanging on my wall and each child had their own folder, that's where I put all artwork, receipts, etc... that need to go home. Usually they get so full that every once in a while, I have to put everything home in a bag and send it home!

When I worked in a center, I once sent home artwork or whatever in a bag and the next day I found one of the bags full, in the garbage.
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daycarediva 11:31 AM 10-22-2014
I think what you're doing is great! Are you looking for more preschool academics?

A couple of things I do, that I don't have to be involved at all/minimally are:

Hide letters around the room that make up a secret word of the day/week. Word is on the wall of the playroom in sticky tack. The kids find the letter, identify it, then put it up. If they haven't guessed it at the end of the day, I whisper it to them as they go home. I drop hints, and my oldest always start to sound them out and usually guess them.

Letter/number hop. Letters or numbers on paper taped to the floor to HOP out the word or count.

Today we played "feed the monster". I set up a cardboard box with a mouth 'hole' cut out, let the kids all decorate it, then they threw plastic balls with letters written on them into it's mouth.

All ideas where you could just supervise, but they are actively learning. For parents to SEE the learning, just take a picture!!
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melilley 11:37 AM 10-22-2014
Originally Posted by daycarediva:

Today we played "feed the monster". I set up a cardboard box with a mouth 'hole' cut out, let the kids all decorate it, then they threw plastic balls with letters written on them into it's mouth.

All ideas where you could just supervise, but they are actively learning. For parents to SEE the learning, just take a picture!!

I love this idea!
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Annalee 11:39 AM 10-22-2014
Originally Posted by melilley:
I love this idea!
You can get a pic of the monster box on Pinterest...cool idea!
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Controlled Chaos 02:06 PM 10-22-2014
I do a staggered nap. The 3 and 4yos go to sleep 15-30min after the littles so we can do a preschool activity. They all do the same art project with different levels of assistance so we can usually choral them all then

But things work in waves for me. This is working great now, but I pretty much gave up on regular crafts and lesson during the summer. The babies had a weird nap schedule and I just couldn't make it work. So I considered it our summer break too lol. Don't be afraid to just ride out this wave with lots of free play or even sensory activities geared towards 2ish that all ages can enjoy. My 18months old love shaving cream play as much as the 4yo
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Indoorvoice 06:22 PM 10-22-2014
Ah! You all are wonderful! I think my problem is that I'm starting this daycare after being a teacher for 6 years. I'm used to planning and coming up with activities, but I'm just not used to this age group yet. I have a ton of actual curriculum that I was going to use and got parents all excited about but I can't sit and teach a lesson like I anticipated. I should also say that I only have one full time and she is only 15 months. Everyone else comes 2 - 3 days and so it's hard to do actual lessons on things because some will miss it or I will have to repeat it over and over. So maybe some of my problem is that I spend a good part of my week getting everyone used to my house and my rules again after spending so much time away from me?

I will definitely use some of your ideas. I think I'm wanting to run a "preschool" when my home is not set up like one and I don't have all preschool aged kids. I have to run it like a home daycare and be more realistic. I LOVE the voluntary circle time and doing art at a more leisurely pace and doing it one on one. I still feel like the 12-18 month olds might get left out on most things that I tend to choose, but maybe that's ok? What are your go-to resources for activities for that group? I feel like everything's a choking hazard or they will just make a chaotic mess with it.
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AuntTami 07:27 PM 10-22-2014
Originally Posted by altandra:
I still feel like the 12-18 month olds might get left out on most things that I tend to choose, but maybe that's ok? What are your go-to resources for activities for that group? I feel like everything's a choking hazard or they will just make a chaotic mess with it.
I wouldn't worry too much about "structured" play for the little ones right now. They don't have the attention span to sit and be taught something as young toddlers. We learn a lot of stuff through play around here. We have a large organic garden and an outdoor rabbit, so the kids LOVE to pick the (now dying) vegetables from the garden and give them to her. We identify the vegetables as they go, and they're learning where their food comes from! I have my 15 mo old DCB saying "tomato" every time he picks a tomato for the bunny. It's not clear, but he knows what it is!

We do a LOT of sensory play around here too. Similar to the monster box ideas, paint in a bag, or my favorite, cloud dough! Cloud dough is simply flour, vegetable oil and some food coloring. It's safe and edible for the youngers to put in their mouth(it doesn't taste good, but it's not harmful) and it squishes more than regular playdough so the littles really enjoy that! It is quite messy, but I just take their shirts off and put them in the highchairs to play with it. A quick rag cleans them up and I throw the highchair tray in the dish washer.
We also do paint in bags. I get a big gallon zip lock, pour some paint in it(I use acrylic since that's what I have and they're not going to be touching it anyways) seal the top, tape the top so none can come out, and I either tape it to the table or to a low window, and they paint in the bag.

I'm not a huge fan of messy activities. I like to do them, but OUTSIDE and it's getting too cold to do most activities outside(thanks Wisconsin!) so I've been scouring pinterest looking for activities to do inside that aren't SUPER messy.
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Josiegirl 02:54 AM 10-23-2014
Cool ideas everyone!! Love the letter ideas and taping the sensory bags to the windows! And I haven't done cloud dough in awhile, have to make some of that again!

You don't need to put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect. You are a home daycare, which to me, equals extended family. Kids learn so much by being with other ages, helping, interacting. You have to somehow switch your mindset to teaching in a different way. It will work out so cut yourself some slack.
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Laurel 08:54 AM 10-23-2014
Originally Posted by daycarediva:
I think what you're doing is great! Are you looking for more preschool academics?

A couple of things I do, that I don't have to be involved at all/minimally are:

Hide letters around the room that make up a secret word of the day/week. Word is on the wall of the playroom in sticky tack. The kids find the letter, identify it, then put it up. If they haven't guessed it at the end of the day, I whisper it to them as they go home. I drop hints, and my oldest always start to sound them out and usually guess them.

Letter/number hop. Letters or numbers on paper taped to the floor to HOP out the word or count.

Today we played "feed the monster". I set up a cardboard box with a mouth 'hole' cut out, let the kids all decorate it, then they threw plastic balls with letters written on them into it's mouth.

All ideas where you could just supervise, but they are actively learning. For parents to SEE the learning, just take a picture!!


Oh I forgot, I used to send pictures home too. Not always but when I had the urge. That was when I had less children though, near the end of doing childcare.

Laurel
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NightOwl 01:33 PM 10-23-2014
I got my parents all worked up about a curriculum too and then had to say to them, ya know what? This is not working for anyone! It stressed me out trying to conduct lessons with a wide range of ages, and the kids in turn felt that stress. Lesson time was prime time for acting out. I took my cue from the kids and decided to lean more toward a creative, play based program where we find lessons in everyday activities. They're happier, I'm happier, the parents were cool with it! And with me sending pics via text or through the Facebook page, they see that their children are in fact learning, but in a much more fun, less structured way. Right now, the kids are running around the playground with magnifying glasses looking for bugs and interesting leaves. Science!!
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daycare 02:20 PM 10-23-2014
I have kids 17 months to 5 years not enrolled in school.

everyone of them attend circle time which is 1.5 hours long.

the only thing that will work is consistency. when there is a set and consistent routine in place, the children will learn what to do, when to do it and learn to expect it. all of my kids youngest to oldest can tell you what will happen next, because we have a daily written schedule that we follow . We may not get to do it in that order 100% every day and that is ok, but we do make sure that we do ever single thing on our schedule every day.

once you got the consistency down, you need to have clear instructions. i like to think that my classroom is a well-oiled machine. all of the kids know what is expected of them and how to go about doing it with little to no instructions, because we are so consistent. I am very proactive about setting up my day, so I am not wasting time looking for things, trying to find materials and etc.

there is a lot more to it than just that like knowing what types of activities to set up for a group with such a wide age gap and how to involve everyone. it takes time to learn that part, but it can be done.

for example you might be reading a book about farm animals you have kids 18months to 5 years. you can ask the 18 months old what does the cow say, and ask the 4-5 year olds, how do you think we spell cow? or what letter does cow start with, C, yes thats right. what does a C sound like, look like etc. then have the older kids team up with a little and look for 1 object in the room that starts with C........................

what color is a cow, this one is ____________let older kids answer and then again can you find something the color back or white like the cow. have them bring it back, then go over it, Billy found a black marker, Jill found a white block etc etc.......

I love teaching to a mixed age group its always a challenge............
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KiddieCahoots 04:26 PM 10-23-2014
Feeling the pressure to mold these little minds can be overwhelming, especially with all the attention on curriculum now a days.
Like others have posted, feel we are our own worst enemy on this endeavor.
I just took a training on this very subject, and the instructor that lead the class had a young day care herself.
She emphasized having a routine, but allowing to stray from it with normal day situations that can arise with a young group.
Her approach was to have themes appropriate for the young ones that were simple and appropriate to their short attention span, (barn yard animals, tropical forest animals, ways of transportation, etc.)and part of this was to change up the day care room to accommodate the theme, but having the curriculum mostly based on play and discussion of the theme.
I do this, then once the little's are occupied with their play, I'll take aside the older children to have some one on one, with more in depth activities and conversation on the theme.
I'd say, don't beat yourself up about it, just by posting this shows how much you care about this, and that alone speaks volumes.
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daycare 07:25 AM 10-24-2014
reading what some of the others posted. I think as providers we are always in the game of we are not doing enough or we end up doing too much and either way we end up stressing over it.

I have a set list of things I have to teach and I make sure each day I just check them off, but it's stressful always trying to stay on top of each and every child how they are doing and MOSTLY stressing about developing your curriculum.

Don't over think it......

I say play and keep it simple
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