Why Sensory Bins?

[My3cents]

]I don't have an outdoor play area. [/B]

My dc parents are super uber crafty. A couple of my kids have a parent who makes their living as a preschool teacher and administrator. Another parent is an artist.

The parents have the artsy crafty stuff completely covered. happyface

I'm not a crafty person. I don't like doing art. I love looking at it but not doing it. I seem to draw really creative parents so we balance each other out. One of my kids that is in second grade got a full scholarship to the Des Moines Art Center for talented and gifted art students. She was with me for the first five years and ended up being an amazing little artist.

I don't worry about doing that kind of thing here. I really don't spend a minute thinking about it. The kids are so busy and they turn out to be wonderful students so the parents and I together seem to net really balanced kids. It's a good thing to find parents who bring to the table the things you lack.

you don't do an outside play area? It's mandatory here. Mine is basic but I want to update it this summer with a few things- looking for ideas that work well.

Too each their own. Just because your parents are crafty and creative doesn't mean that they share that with their kids. My mother loved crafts etc...... but that was her thing-

again to each their own......Would love to see updated pictures of your set up sometime- your toys sound like I want to come and play too!!!

[nannyde]

you don't do an outside play area? It's mandatory here. Mine is basic but I want to update it this summer with a few things- looking for ideas that work well.

Too each their own. Just because your parents are crafty and creative doesn't mean that they share that with their kids. My mother loved crafts etc...... but that was her thing-

again to each their own......Would love to see updated pictures of your set up sometime- your toys sound like I want to come and play too!!!

We aren't required to have in ON our property. We just have to have access to an outdoor area. Lots of folks do child care in apartments and trailer parks here where they don't have space outdoors that belongs to them or is attached to their property.

I live 500 feet from a four acre city park and four blocks from a four acre K-8th grade field with equipment from age three to twelve.

I have crafty crafty parents but honestly.. that doesn't really matter. Crafts are ONE activity you can have a kid do while in child care or at home. We do a little bit here and there but it's not something that is weighted as highly as free playing toys. That is the most important activity here other than the basic care stuff.

Child care providers should feel free to offer the activities that they enjoy doing with kids and not feel as if the only opportunity for the child to have the life experience is under their roof. The kids have parents and the parents are all as qualified as I am.. or MORE qualified than I am to do arts/crafts education etc. I have multiple aged group kids here and a kick toy collection so they are plenty busy. What I have here.. none of the kids have at home.

If you dig sensory bins then DO that. If you like crafts then do THAT. If you like doing educational activities... then offer that. One of the beautiful things about this business is that you are your own boss and you get to decide.

[My3cents]

We aren't required to have in ON our property. We just have to have access to an outdoor area. Lots of folks do child care in apartments and trailer parks here where they don't have space outdoors that belongs to them or is attached to their property. I am surprised that your state allows this.

I live 500 feet from a four acre city park and four blocks from a four acre K-8th grade field with equipment from age three to twelve.

I have crafty crafty parents but honestly.. that doesn't really matter. Crafts are ONE activity you can have a kid do while in child care or at home. We do a little bit here and there but it's not something that is weighted as highly as free playing toys. That is the most important activity here other than the basic care stuff.

Child care providers should feel free to offer the activities that they enjoy doing with kids and not feel as if the only opportunity for the child to have the life experience is under their roof. The kids have parents and the parents are all as qualified as I am.. or MORE qualified than I am to do arts/crafts education etc. I have multiple aged group kids here and a kick toy collection so they are plenty busy. What I have here.. none of the kids have at home.

If you dig sensory bins then DO that. If you like crafts then do THAT. If you like doing educational activities... then offer that. One of the beautiful things about this business is that you are your own boss and you get to decide.

I totally agree with you- I enjoy the messy play- so I do it when I feel called to do it. If I am having a down day and don't want the extra hassle along with the daily daily, then I don't take that type of stuff out. I came back to this post because I was outside with my kiddo's and thinking to myself how much I hate the climbing stuff- Is it mandatory for me to have this in my play yard? No. I wish my swing was just simple- it is but I wish it was more then it is. No slide, fort, monkey bars. Just a couple of swings would be great. I think we put a lot on ourselves to offer it all. The responsibility should be on the parents to offer this to their child if they want it. I don't have to expose everything to them to be a great provider.

This has probably been addressed before but what are your favorite free standing toys that your kids play with the most. Top five....or more if you wish and how has this changed over the years or group of kiddo's you have had in care?

[snbauser]

I came back to this post because I was outside with my kiddo's and thinking to myself how much I hate the climbing stuff- Is it mandatory for me to have this in my play yard? No. I wish my swing was just simple- it is but I wish it was more then it is. No slide, fort, monkey bars. Just a couple of swings would be great. I think we put a lot on ourselves to offer it all. The responsibility should be on the parents to offer this to their child if they want it. I don't have to expose everything to them to be a great provider.

This has probably been addressed before but what are your favorite free standing toys that your kids play with the most. Top five....or more if you wish and how has this changed over the years or group of kiddo's you have had in care?

Just wanted to say that I felt the same way with my climbing stuff. I just got rid of it about 3 weeks ago. The kids haven't missed it at all. I am on the hunt for some wooden balance beams that will last outside along with some tree trunk stepping logs to put on the mulched area instead of a climbing set. For now I had these http://www.kaplanco.com/store/trans/...15|0&PID=81900 and http://www.kaplanco.com/store/trans/...15|0&PID=81806 and put them out in that area and the kids love them.

[Country Kids]

I have a castle with a slide, a little tykes climber thing with a tunnel and 2 slides, 2 play houses-a small one, then a 9 ft x 6ftx7ft. Then I have the little tykes cube climber with slide and my swing set (two swings, monkey bars, trapeze bar and slide. Got rid of my other swing set last year. Really hoping and crossing my fingers this year I can get a play structure that I have my eyes on.

My kids absolutely love,love all my stuff and this year I'm going to try my hardest to throw in alot of nature stuff also. If it ever,ever quits raining.

[Mommy2One]

Can someone tell me about " those water bead thngs Melskids was talking about " That sounds interesting to me & I've never heard of them.

Thanks

Water beads are awesome! I think I like them more than my daughter. :: They're actually supposed to be used in floral arrangements I think. They come as tiny hard pellets which you soak in water. They absorb the water and become these squishy, slippery, bouncy little balls about the size of marbles. They're semi-translucent and come in all sorts of colors. They're really neat scooped into clear containers and you can shine lights on/through them as well. I bought mine from here: http://www.rainbowwaterbeads.com/ind...parent=23&pg=1

5 colors for $8, free shipping to US/Canada and you can use code "RMN" to get 15% off $10+

Two packages made a nice 1"-2" layer on the bottom of my decent sized Rubbermaid bin.

[Blackcat31]

Water beads are awesome! I think I like them more than my daughter. :: They're actually supposed to be used in floral arrangements I think. They come as tiny hard pellets which you soak in water. They absorb the water and become these squishy, slippery, bouncy little balls about the size of marbles. They're semi-translucent and come in all sorts of colors. They're really neat scooped into clear containers and you can shine lights on/through them as well. I bought mine from here: http://www.rainbowwaterbeads.com/ind...parent=23&pg=1

5 colors for $8, free shipping to US/Canada and you can use code "RMN" to get 15% off $10+

Two packages made a nice 1"-2" layer on the bottom of my decent sized Rubbermaid bin.

I bought mine at Walmart for $2 per bag. Super cool and VERY fun!

[snbauser]

Two packages made a nice 1"-2" layer on the bottom of my decent sized Rubbermaid bin.

What size packages did you get? I am horrible at estimating that type of stuff.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Water beads are awesome! I think I like them more than my daughter. :: They're actually supposed to be used in floral arrangements I think. They come as tiny hard pellets which you soak in water. They absorb the water and become these squishy, slippery, bouncy little balls about the size of marbles. They're semi-translucent and come in all sorts of colors. They're really neat scooped into clear containers and you can shine lights on/through them as well. I bought mine from here: http://www.rainbowwaterbeads.com/ind...parent=23&pg=1

5 colors for $8, free shipping to US/Canada and you can use code "RMN" to get 15% off $10+

Two packages made a nice 1"-2" layer on the bottom of my decent sized Rubbermaid bin.

I just bought 10 for $12 and some change. Better priced than Walmart, where I just purchased 4 for $8!