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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Many Of You Do Projects & End Up Doing It For Them?
caregiver 07:44 AM 10-22-2013
Just wondering how many of you do little projects and end up doing it for the kids. I try and do little projects but I have two 2 yr old's and it seems like I am always doing it for them as they have no interest and no attention span at this age. Like we just colored pumpkin pictures and both of them just sat there,scribbled all over the paper and wanted to get up from the table and go play. They had no interest in doing this and this is the way it has gone before when doing a project of some sort. I know parents like it when their kids do crafts, but at this age, they have no interest and their attention span is very short. Do any of you have this happen? Do your daycare parents expect you to do crafts with a child this young?
SilverSabre25 08:24 AM 10-22-2013
If we do a project that needs done a certain way, it's usually a gift and I help them. Otherwise it's process oriented and I just set out the supplies, maybe make a suggestion for what I was thinking we could do, and let them do it.
Your 2 year old sound right where they should be developmentally
Twos don't usually do much more than what you described. They are fine. And the art is still precious.
Your 2 year old sound right where they should be developmentally
Twos don't usually do much more than what you described. They are fine. And the art is still precious.
littleblossoms 08:52 AM 10-22-2013
I hold their hands and show them how to do it. By age 16 mnths they all can do glue things on a paper thatis the most i do with gluing, for painting again i hold their hands again by age 16 mnths they can all paint. It is just do it over and over and they get it
NeedaVaca 09:02 AM 10-22-2013
My 2's just scribble as well Totally fine. I do crafts mostly during the holidays and a LOT of help from me (I actually do most of it) the parents love them so I have no problem doing them for all the special days in the year. My older 3's do little projects to go with our themes with minimal help from me and they love it.
Totally fine. I do crafts mostly during the holidays and a LOT of help from me (I actually do most of it) the parents love them so I have no problem doing them for all the special days in the year. My older 3's do little projects to go with our themes with minimal help from me and they love it.
Play Care 09:05 AM 10-22-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
If we do a project that needs done a certain way, it's usually a gift and I help them. Otherwise it's process oriented and I just set out the supplies, maybe make a suggestion for what I was thinking we could do, and let them do it.
Your 2 year old sound right where they should be developmentally Twos don't usually do much more than what you described. They are fine. And the art is still precious.
If we do a project that needs done a certain way, it's usually a gift and I help them. Otherwise it's process oriented and I just set out the supplies, maybe make a suggestion for what I was thinking we could do, and let them do it.
Your 2 year old sound right where they should be developmentally
Twos don't usually do much more than what you described. They are fine. And the art is still precious.
Cat Herder 09:28 AM 10-22-2013
I absolutely do heirloom crafts *for/with* the infants/young toddlers. 
I often have older siblings add the finishing touches.
Things like Christmas angels with hands/feet, Tushie Pumpkins, Ghost Feet... The classics are classic for a reason.
Not everything I do is for the kids....
I often have older siblings add the finishing touches.
Things like Christmas angels with hands/feet, Tushie Pumpkins, Ghost Feet... The classics are classic for a reason.
Not everything I do is for the kids....
lovemykidstoo 10:08 AM 10-22-2013
I'm afraid to ask, but "tushie pumpkins"?
JenNJ 10:13 AM 10-22-2013
I offer the materials to ALL the kids. But only some of them like to do things like this. They finish their projects. The ones who don't like them aren't forced to sit while the others do them. I also wait until at least 20 months for this sort of thing. (Coloring is offered as soon as kids stop trying to eat the crayons and markers, lol).
I don't do the hand over hand thing. I put it all out, work on my own and answer any questions. I don't do the projects for them EVER. If they wantto finish at home, I send the materials home. There is zero pressure here.
I don't do the hand over hand thing. I put it all out, work on my own and answer any questions. I don't do the projects for them EVER. If they wantto finish at home, I send the materials home. There is zero pressure here.
WImom 10:17 AM 10-22-2013
Originally Posted by JenNJ:
I offer the materials to ALL the kids. But only some of them like to do things like this. They finish their projects. The ones who don't like them aren't forced to sit while the others do them. I also wait until at least 20 months for this sort of thing. (Coloring is offered as soon as kids stop trying to eat the crayons and markers, lol).
I don't do the hand over hand thing. I put it all out, work on my own and answer any questions. I don't do the projects for them EVER. If they wantto finish at home, I send the materials home. There is zero pressure here.
That is how I am here too. If my young two's want to do it they can but they don't have to. I do have them clean up with everyone else and come to the table to keep that transition going but if they just scribble a tiny bit or decide then that they don't want to do the project they can go play.I offer the materials to ALL the kids. But only some of them like to do things like this. They finish their projects. The ones who don't like them aren't forced to sit while the others do them. I also wait until at least 20 months for this sort of thing. (Coloring is offered as soon as kids stop trying to eat the crayons and markers, lol).
I don't do the hand over hand thing. I put it all out, work on my own and answer any questions. I don't do the projects for them EVER. If they wantto finish at home, I send the materials home. There is zero pressure here.
Leanna 10:17 AM 10-22-2013
Nope, I don't do any crafty stuff that the kiddos can't do themselves. They have access to art materials daily to make whatever they want and we will do activities like fingerpainting, collages, etc. as well (today they each painted their own mini-pumpkin).
For holidays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc. we do make a gift for parents but even these I insist the child must be able to do it on their own (decorate a bulb ornament with glitter glue, make own wrapping paper, frame a painting or scribbles, etc.)
For holidays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc. we do make a gift for parents but even these I insist the child must be able to do it on their own (decorate a bulb ornament with glitter glue, make own wrapping paper, frame a painting or scribbles, etc.)
Cat Herder 10:30 AM 10-22-2013
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
I'm afraid to ask, but "tushie pumpkins"?
Really?? I'm afraid to ask, but "tushie pumpkins"?
Lay infant on belly. Paint a little orange circle just above tushie (fold down top of diaper line, lower back, upper tush) to make a pumpkin print. Old school.
Here are two examples I just snagged from the web... These are mostly gifts for baby books.
melilley 10:47 AM 10-22-2013
The only time I help them is if it's a gift or something particular that we're making and that's not very often. (for instance we made bats out of hand prints in paint and they needed help with that). For stuff that needs to be glued, I will put it in their hand and where ever they put it or where ever it falls, that's where it stays. I think art is much cuter when they do it, even if what ever they are making looks nothing like it should. I've seen many interesting pieces of art work in my day...lol
Otherwise, I just set out the materials and if they do it they do, if not then they don't (with supervision). All but one of my dck's are 2 and under. Oh, and I have found that they love to paint! It's easy and they can do it themselves! Crayons are out every once in a while, my kids aren't that interested in coloring with them, just eating them...lol
Otherwise, I just set out the materials and if they do it they do, if not then they don't (with supervision). All but one of my dck's are 2 and under. Oh, and I have found that they love to paint! It's easy and they can do it themselves! Crayons are out every once in a while, my kids aren't that interested in coloring with them, just eating them...lol
Laurel 11:31 AM 10-22-2013
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
If we do a project that needs done a certain way, it's usually a gift and I help them. Otherwise it's process oriented and I just set out the supplies, maybe make a suggestion for what I was thinking we could do, and let them do it.
Your 2 year old sound right where they should be developmentally Twos don't usually do much more than what you described. They are fine. And the art is still precious.
If we do a project that needs done a certain way, it's usually a gift and I help them. Otherwise it's process oriented and I just set out the supplies, maybe make a suggestion for what I was thinking we could do, and let them do it.
Your 2 year old sound right where they should be developmentally
Twos don't usually do much more than what you described. They are fine. And the art is still precious.But if you want their scribbling to "look like something" what you can do is give them a crayon, let's say orange, and let them scribble as much as they want. Then when they are finished draw or trace a pumpkin shape over their paper and cut it out. This works with paint also.
In one school I used to work at they used to put regular paper out to put on the easel and paint on BUT on holidays they would trace and cut out things like shamrocks, etc. and just put out green paint that day. Not all the time but just certain times.
Laurel
JoseyJo 01:17 PM 10-22-2013
Most projects they do (or dont do!) on their own. However it turns out is fine by me. I have a huge issue with parents thinking their child can do xyz because they saw it on an art project when it was the provider holding the child's hand the whole time (happened to my sis w/ my nephew)
I do plan to do part of some projects for them IF the project is for a gift or to use as part of a later plan- Tomorrow we are wearing super hero capes and masks on our field trip and they are making the masks. The kids picked out a mask template, I traced it onto the card stock, either they or I cut it out (depending on their ability), they all designed their own, then put on the elastic strings.
I do plan to do part of some projects for them IF the project is for a gift or to use as part of a later plan- Tomorrow we are wearing super hero capes and masks on our field trip and they are making the masks. The kids picked out a mask template, I traced it onto the card stock, either they or I cut it out (depending on their ability), they all designed their own, then put on the elastic strings.
spud912 02:17 PM 10-22-2013
I usually only help if it's an heirloom project (usually at only specified times of the year....Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.), it's for a specific decoration in the playroom, or if the child is under 2 (in which case I sometimes will show them how and then let them take over). Otherwise they do what they want to. We've had some funky things come out but it's neat to see the progression in abilities as the years go on .
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Josiegirl 03:09 AM 10-23-2013
I don't usually interfere, unless as someone said it's a holiday gift craft, or if they need a little guidance to get started(such as a little one who had never held a paintbrush).
If you want the parents to know they're doing *something* you can always snap a picture of them up to their elbows in paint with nothing on their paper.
If you want the parents to know they're doing *something* you can always snap a picture of them up to their elbows in paint with nothing on their paper.