What Kinds of Activities

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  • sahm2three
    Daycare.com Member
    • Apr 2010
    • 1104

    What Kinds of Activities

    do you do with the dck's? What I am asking for is educationally/art projects, stuff like that. I have kids from 4 months to 6 years old (these are the ones home during most of the day, I also have after school kids). I am not a teacher, but I try to make any activities we do educational. Do you have any advice on things I can do or books I can use? Thanks!
  • momofsix
    Advanced Daycare.com Member
    • Oct 2009
    • 1846

    #2
    If there's something specific you'd like them to do--for example, we're learning about farms right now--just do a google search for "farm activities preschool" (or substitute "activities" with "themes", "curriculum" or "lesson plans") and you'll get more ideas than you know what to do with.

    Comment

    • kitkat
      Senior Member
      • Jun 2009
      • 618

      #3
      Originally posted by momofsix
      If there's something specific you'd like them to do--for example, we're learning about farms right now--just do a google search for "farm activities preschool" (or substitute "activities" with "themes", "curriculum" or "lesson plans") and you'll get more ideas than you know what to do with.
      That's exactly what I do. I also will try to pick out a story for a week and base activities off of that. You can also try your local library. Mine has a teacher/ parent resource section in the kids department that has a slew of activity books/ideas.

      Comment

      • TGT09
        Daycare.com Member
        • Feb 2010
        • 653

        #4
        I don't know if you are interested in doing a curriculum?? I started Funshine Express just last month and it has been a huge hit with my dckids and their parents. It comes with materials to do crafts with the kids at least 2-4 times a week. It also gives a list of books that coincide with that weeks theme. Plus, general activities that go along with the theme as well. I am a huge fan so far and have yet to find anything I dislike about the program. www.funshineexpress.com if you'd like to check it out. You can supplement anywhere from pretty young (I think 9 months) all the way through school aged children with this program.

        Comment

        • sahm2three
          Daycare.com Member
          • Apr 2010
          • 1104

          #5
          I would love to do a cirriculum, but how on earth does one on our salary afford one? It looks fantastic, but not something I can afford to do. Does everyone do a cirriculum?

          Comment

          • momma2girls
            Daycare.com Member
            • Nov 2009
            • 2283

            #6
            I do my own, get lots of things off the internet. This month we are doing April showers bring May flowers as our theme. THere are many things you can come up with and do lots of things dealing with that. We have monthly fun activies such as pajama parties, birthday parties, spa days, movie and popcorn, show and tell, bring something that starts with a certain letter we are doing for that month, then we practice that letter, zoo day, stuffed animal day, bring along your favorite movie day, the list goes on and on..... you can get many ideas off the internet-- it is so much cheaper than the websites, I did try one with a friend, we split everything, but even that was expensive, and it was only to be for a month worth of activities, we never ordered them again. I am sure there are really good ones out there though, I think if I did go to something like that, I would have to charge the parents more on a weekly basis to pay for it. it just all depends on the age of all your daycare children as well.

            Comment

            • momofsix
              Advanced Daycare.com Member
              • Oct 2009
              • 1846

              #7
              I can't afford to buy one either, so I make up my own. I realized when I homeschooled our girls that I never could find a pre-made curriculum that I liked. I might like their science experiments, but history was boring...never found one that had it all, so even then I usually made my own by combining different ideas and putting them together my own way. I think curriculum has to be something that really works with you, the provider, or it isn't going to do anything for your kids.
              Also, don't get too caught up on worksheets or "teaching" them any hard concepts. it will only stress you and the kids out. Kids learn best when they are discovering things themselves by actively doing--for example, back to my farm theme
              Seeds: to touch, open, play with in texture tub, plant in dirt
              Just in this one thing they are learning what seeds are, what they look and feel like, what they need to grow, how to pour and measure, how to count... and it includes science, math, fine motor, cause and effect...
              Almost anything we do can be a learning experience for our kids, and it doesn't have to cost a lot of money!

              Comment

              • gkids09
                Daycare.com Member
                • Feb 2010
                • 320

                #8
                Originally posted by sahm2three
                I would love to do a cirriculum, but how on earth does one on our salary afford one? It looks fantastic, but not something I can afford to do. Does everyone do a cirriculum?
                I don't do a curriculum. I do not think doing one is a bad thing by any means, but I just don't do it. We used to have one, but it got to where the kids didn't care about doing any of it, and if the kids aren't happy, we aren't going to force them to do it. So...I decided to do my own. The kids, so far, have loved every minute of it, and it is not getting old to any of us teachers yet either. What I do is come up with a theme for every week of the year that we're open (which is all but one--the week of Christmas), and then I got on Amazon.com and found books to go with the themes (one book for each day of the week). Like others have said, I googled each theme, came up with ideas for songs, fingerplays, art, "walking" field trips since I don't transport, and even some things to add in dramatic play, sand and water, or whatever. I love doing it. The kids love learning about new stuff, and all the parents seem more pleased with me doing it this way than with a curriculum. (And it's cheaper!) Good luck!

                Comment

                • sahm2three
                  Daycare.com Member
                  • Apr 2010
                  • 1104

                  #9
                  Originally posted by momofsix
                  I can't afford to buy one either, so I make up my own. I realized when I homeschooled our girls that I never could find a pre-made curriculum that I liked. I might like their science experiments, but history was boring...never found one that had it all, so even then I usually made my own by combining different ideas and putting them together my own way. I think curriculum has to be something that really works with you, the provider, or it isn't going to do anything for your kids.
                  Also, don't get too caught up on worksheets or "teaching" them any hard concepts. it will only stress you and the kids out. Kids learn best when they are discovering things themselves by actively doing--for example, back to my farm theme
                  Seeds: to touch, open, play with in texture tub, plant in dirt
                  Just in this one thing they are learning what seeds are, what they look and feel like, what they need to grow, how to pour and measure, how to count... and it includes science, math, fine motor, cause and effect...
                  Almost anything we do can be a learning experience for our kids, and it doesn't have to cost a lot of money!
                  LOVE it! Thanks! I think we will do something similar! Think we can get something to sprout by Mothers Day week? Probably not quite that fast, . But thanks for the idea!

                  Comment

                  • Unregistered

                    #10
                    Originally posted by sahm2three
                    do you do with the dck's? What I am asking for is educationally/art projects, stuff like that. I have kids from 4 months to 6 years old (these are the ones home during most of the day, I also have after school kids). I am not a teacher, but I try to make any activities we do educational. Do you have any advice on things I can do or books I can use? Thanks!
                    There are alot of free printables projects on the site http://www.dltk-kids.com/

                    Comment

                    • Unregistered

                      #11
                      You do not need to buy a curriculum, there is so much free stuff out there on the internet,
                      just google what you are looking for and you should find some resources

                      Here is my own curriculum calendar from a few years ago:

                      Preschool Curriculumn Calendar 2005-2006
                      AUGUST
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: CITIZENSHIP

                      WEEK 1 & 2:
                      THEME: BACK TO SCHOOL
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: INTRODUCE ALL
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: INTORDUCE 1-20
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: NAME RECOGNITION & TRACING SKILLS

                      WEEK 3 & 4:
                      THEME: COLOR & SHAPES
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:REVIEW/INTRODUCE ALL
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: REVIEW/INTRODUCE 1-20
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: COLORS AND SHAPES RECOGNTION

                      SEPTEMBER
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: TRUSTWORTHINESS

                      WEEK 1:
                      THEME: THE ALPHABET
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: LETTER RECOGNITION

                      WEEK 2:
                      THEME: NUMBERS
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: NUMBER RECOGNTION

                      WEEK 3:
                      THEME: APPLES
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:LETTER "A"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: NUMBER "1"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: FINE MOTOR SKILLS

                      WEEK 4:
                      THEME: BEARS
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:LETTER "B"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: NUMBER "2"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
                      OCTOBER
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: RESPECT

                      WEEK 1 & 2:
                      THEME: DOWN ON THE FARM
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: "C" & "D"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: "3" & "4"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: LIFE LONG LEARNING SKILLS
                      WEEK 3 & 4:
                      THEME: HALLOWEEN HARVEST
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:"E" & "F"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: "5" & "6"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: CALENDAR SKILLS
                      (REPORT CARDS ISSUED OCT 8TH)
                      NOVEMBER
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: RESPONSIBLITY

                      WEEK 1 & 2:
                      THEME: FAMILY
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: "G" & "H"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: "7" & "8"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL:IDENTIFICATION SKILLS

                      WEEK 3 & 4:
                      THEME: THANKSGIVING
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:"I" & "J"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: "9" & "10"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: CALENDAR SKILLS
                      DECEMBER
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: FAIRNESS

                      WEEK 1 & 2:
                      THEME: CHRISTMAS
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL:REVIEW SKILLS

                      WEEK 3 & 4:
                      THEME: CHRISTMAS
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER:REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: REVIEW
                      (REPORT CARDS ISSUED DEC 17TH)
                      JANUARY
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: CARING

                      WEEK 1 & 2:
                      THEME: DINOSAURS
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: "K" & "L"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: "11" & "12"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL:GROSS MOTOR SKILLS
                      WEEK 3 & 4:
                      THEME: HEALTH & NUTRITION
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:"M" & "N"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER:"13" & "14"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: SEQUENCING SKILLS
                      FEBRUARY
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: CITIZENSHIP

                      WEEK 1 & 2:
                      THEME: LOVE & FRIENDSHIP
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: "O" & "P"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: "15" & "16"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL:COLOR & SHAPE RECOGNITON
                      WEEK 3 & 4:
                      THEME: SAFETY
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:"Q" & "R"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER:"17" & "18"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: LETTER & NUMBER RECOGINTION SKILLS
                      MARCH
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: TRUSTWORTHINESS

                      WEEK 1 & 2:
                      THEME: WEATHER
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: "S" & "T"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: "19" & "20"
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL:RHYMING WORDS SKILLS

                      WEEK 3 & 4:
                      THEME: THE 5 SENSES
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:"U" & "V"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER:REVIEW 11-20
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS
                      (REPORT CARDS ISSUED MARCH 11TH)

                      APRIL
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: RESPECT

                      WEEK 1 & 2:
                      THEME: INSECTS
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: "W" & "X"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: REVIEW 1-20
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL:READING SKILLS

                      WEEK 3 & 4:
                      THEME: THE ZOO
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:"Y" & "Z"
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER:REVIEW 1-20
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: MATH READINESS SKILLS

                      MAY
                      THIS MONTHS KIDS FOR CHARACTER: RESPECT

                      WEEK 1 & 2:
                      THEME: LIFE ON THE POND
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER: REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER: REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL:OVERALL REVIEW

                      WEEK 3 & 4:
                      THEME: COMMUNITY HELPERS
                      THIS WEEKS LETTER:REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS NUMBER:REVIEW
                      THIS WEEKS SKILL: OVERALL REVIEW
                      (REPORT CARDS ISSUED MAY 27TH)

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