Planning This "School Year"

[Heidi]

Does anyone use a monthtly theme or topic?

Here is what I'm thinking for Sept-June

September-Harvest Time
October-up in the sky (weather, flying, the moon)
November-Creations and Innovations
December-Holidays
January-Light and Dark
February-Health and Nutrition (capped off with Dr. Suess B-day)
March-Eco Exploring
April-What Happens When...(science)
May- Digging in the Dirt
June-Traveling

This will be a blend of High-Reach units and things I already have.

If you have any ideas for activities or materials to add to these units, say so! My plan is to rotate my toys and materials (like my sensory table) to fit each theme. That should keep things fresh and interesting.

[Truly Scrumptious]

I do the same themes each year from September thru May (I have a different them each week for whatever month it is.....I just change up the books we read and the activities we do so it doesn't get monotonous. I also rotate materials and set the room up to reflect the themes for the month. And it does keep the kids from getting bored.

Like Sept is- Back to school Week, All About Me Week (this includes learning about 5 senses and body parts), Friendship Week and Apples Week...the color, shape, number and letter/letters for the month are incorporated into the weeks.

I give parents a calendar for the month with the title of a book listed on each day, that suggests what we're learning.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

i love the idea of planning the whole year and I have a direction I am headed. MY problem is I tend to plan maybe a week ahead with a we are going this direction idea. For example I saw the spaghetti fine motor idea a couple weeks ago and that sparked on top of spaghetti into cooking into ABC Soup now working with almost 3 yr old on letters. I know that in Sept all the apple stuff will come out. October pumpkings. November Thanksgiving but I haven't planned specifics. So when we started letters and got to Dd well dinosaurs so those came out. We will probably play with them at least through next week. I wish I could plan more but it really feeds off the kids. If one of them says, lets make lions next week. That is where we are headed... I would pull out Pierre! A lot of mine is child led, with me sending it to a certain end. Does that make sense?

[Heidi]

i love the idea of planning the whole year and I have a direction I am headed. MY problem is I tend to plan maybe a week ahead with a we are going this direction idea. For example I saw the spaghetti fine motor idea a couple weeks ago and that sparked on top of spaghetti into cooking into ABC Soup now working with almost 3 yr old on letters. I know that in Sept all the apple stuff will come out. October pumpkings. November Thanksgiving but I haven't planned specifics. So when we started letters and got to Dd well dinosaurs so those came out. We will probably play with them at least through next week. I wish I could plan more but it really feeds off the kids. If one of them says, lets make lions next week. That is where we are headed... I would pull out Pierre! A lot of mine is child led, with me sending it to a certain end. Does that make sense?

Yes...that makes ALOT of sense. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that and align with our state standards. Pre-planning would make that easier.

I just found out I'm losing almost all My 3's and 4's due to job changes, so who know what I'll do. That only leaves a 10mo FT, and a 22 mo and his 4yo sister one morning a week.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

Heidi- what are your state standards? The only thing ohio says is you have to offer a balance of activities!! LOL how more general can you get?!!

someday I will have a set plan..

Right now I have one 4yo pt, almost 3 yr old FT, 2 1/2 pt, 2 1/2 pt, almost 2 FT, almost 2 pt, 20 mo FT, 16 mo pt, almost 6 mo pt and almost 6 mo pt.
Crazy eh?
So I have 3 kidlets full time almost 3 yo almost 2 and 20 month)
3 kids T/ TH (4 yo, almost 2 and 6 mo)
2 kids MWF (Varying days in that 2 1/2yo and 16 mo)
and 2 kids that may just be late afternoon for a couple of hours most weeks but sometimes all day (2 1/2 and 6 mo)
So I have a wide variety of needs!! That is why it is a lot of child led learning. When they have an interest I try to fill it I so want to be a planner but I am not. Even with menus I make them but it is more like I make a list of so many meals and then I adjust depending on time and what I feel like!)

[daycare]

sounds like you guys are in for a fun year...

I have only until march planned..... I am so slow.....

Do you have a website that you could share your themed lessons on? I would love to see your guys stuff....

[Heidi]

Heidi- what are your state standards? The only thing ohio says is you have to offer a balance of activities!! LOL how more general can you get?!!

someday I will have a set plan..

Right now I have one 4yo pt, almost 3 yr old FT, 2 1/2 pt, 2 1/2 pt, almost 2 FT, almost 2 pt, 20 mo FT, 16 mo pt, almost 6 mo pt and almost 6 mo pt.
Crazy eh?
So I have 3 kidlets full time almost 3 yo almost 2 and 20 month)
3 kids T/ TH (4 yo, almost 2 and 6 mo)
2 kids MWF (Varying days in that 2 1/2yo and 16 mo)
and 2 kids that may just be late afternoon for a couple of hours most weeks but sometimes all day (2 1/2 and 6 mo)
So I have a wide variety of needs!! That is why it is a lot of child led learning. When they have an interest I try to fill it I so want to be a planner but I am not. Even with menus I make them but it is more like I make a list of so many meals and then I adjust depending on time and what I feel like!)

State REGS are the same as yours...

However, we have a 5-star quality initiative, and according to that, a good program offers a curriculum that follows Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards, and a good provider does developmental assessments (I've been trained) and uses those to plan her curriculum.

he he blarch!

Here's a website that can tell you all about it!

http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/wmels-about.php

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I use to be a head start home provider so I still follow a lot of their standards and I can assess. But, we have no further incentive to do anything other than happy parents, more kidlets etc

[lovemykidstoo]

I have a hard time finding curriculumns for the ages that I have. I love working with toddlers, but does anyone have ideas for the 2 year old range? I find that 3-4 yr olds are so much easier. I have an in-home daycare and will have a 14 mo, 15mo, 17mo, two 2 year olds (all of those are boys), then I have twin girls age 3. I love to do things with them, but sometimes it's so hard because the younger ones don't understand. Any tips?

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I have a hard time finding curriculumns for the ages that I have. I love working with toddlers, but does anyone have ideas for the 2 year old range? I find that 3-4 yr olds are so much easier. I have an in-home daycare and will have a 14 mo, 15mo, 17mo, two 2 year olds (all of those are boys), then I have twin girls age 3. I love to do things with them, but sometimes it's so hard because the younger ones don't understand. Any tips?

I have little ones too! Keep it simple. I try to do one simple "craft" a day and then something that is "free art".
With the little ones you might start with colors. So make that your theme. you can paint the color. Do a collage of the color, play with playdoh of the color. St patrick's day we did an all green day. Even the toys were green.
I don't know if you are one of the ones that has liked me on facebook.
www.facebook.com/MrsSteinelsHouse but all of that my oldest is generally 3, I have one 4 yr old 2 days a week.

[lovemykidstoo]

I definately try to keep it simple. I only work 4 days a week now and I usually only do crafts 2 days a week.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2885652182221.2116469.1287643902&type=3&l=dfb4a8107a

that was st patricks.

[LK5kids]

This is a little older thread but here are mine. They change from year to year a little-depending on the age of the group

Sept. School, All About Me, Apples
October: Scarecrows, Pumpkins, Harvest, Halloween
November Woodland Animals, family, historic Native American and Pilgrim life, Thanksgiving
Dec. The 5-senses, Christmas
January: New year, Winter, Snow, etc. polar animals (north and south)
Feb: Chinese New year, Zoo animals, Valentine's day,
March: Wind, things in the sky or space/solar system, Rainbows/St. Paddy's day, pets or kings and queens, and castles and things, western week
April: Spring, creatures that hatch from eggs, April showers bring May flowers
May: Insects, flowers


For a group of younger kids I do three to four easy, open ended creative art projects a week such as painting with kool-aid...sprinkle dry, unsweetened kool-aid on white construction paper or paper plate, have kids paint with water-smells great and it's so fun when it changes colors. This is fun for all ages. Or cut out shapes and place seasonal foam sticky shapes on the shape or watercolor paint on a butterfly cut-out, etc. or watercolor painting or bingo daubers on paper plates or fingerpainting with sweetened condensed milk with a drop of food coloring on a paper plate...makes pastel colors and they can taste it. I also like to use homemade playdoh with all ages. Toddlers may only stick with playdoh a short time.
Also a short story and song or dancing to music and or traditional fun toddler stuff like: "I'm a Little Teapot or Three Monkeys Jumping on the Bed". Younger (and older kids) love finger glove puppets like "5 Little Ducks Went Out to Play",etc. They also love simple flannel board stories stories or activities.