Computers in Daycare/Preschool

[spud912]

I wanted to comment on the outside time. I am going to go off topic. BLackcat- what is your outside space like- what do your kids do outside? Anyone can answer this........looking for ways to spruce up my outside areas. I am looking for boredom busters so to speak.

I am also a minimalist outside. We have one playground structure, one bucket of toys (buckets, watering cans, a few balls), one cozy couple, and one little tricycle. Inside the house, we have a whole arsenal of toys and they fight constantly. Outside, we barely have anything and they play SOOOO much better. They are also so imaginative out there. They usually play chase, do races, play in the playground (usually castles with queens and kings), tag, hide and go seek, they pretend the grass border is train tracks and they are a train, and the most fun: filling buckets with rocks and leaves.

Since it's summer, we are doing more planned activities outside (baby pool, spraying the hose, water balloons, water and sand table, painting, shaving cream fun, etc.).

[Country Kids]

Outside I have two playhouses-one is 7ft by 9ft by 6 ft, the other is a little tikes one. Then I have a little tikes play structure, the play cube, a castle and then a slide that has a periscope attached to it. I think its called the treehouse or something but sits on the ground. Then I have 4 riding toys, a swing set, balls, parachutes,frisbees, chalk, bubbles, etc. We have push cars for the rocks, a nature kitchen, hula hoops, and jump ropes. Everyone plays so much nicer outside though then inside.

I think its because there is tons of room to run, jump, play and just get the energy out!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Computer skills and literacy from a very young age
Another "learning style" approach if the games are educational
Fine motor practice and hand-eye coordination from mouse use
Computer literacy from a very young age

Like it or not, computers are an integral part of society now and that will NOT change--to survive in this world children need a high level of computer abilities and literacy.

Exactly.

In college (I studied early childhood-6th grade education) I actually was required to take a class called "Computers in the Classroom."

[daycare]

I did not read all of the responses, however, in todays society,I can't think of a job that you can do that does not require the use of a computer.

I spent $4000.00 on one last year for my preschool. We only get to play educational games on them. The kids learn to type and learn how to use the mouse. All of my kids know how to use the computer properly.

We subscribe to ABC mouse and all kids get to play it two to three times a week if they don't lose their privileges.

NONE of my DCK parents work with them on the computer.... I feel that as long as they are not just sitting there staring at the screen, and they are learning something then it is a good benefit to have. Of course, each child has up to 15 minutes to use it, but I can;t think of one kid that is her that can sit that long to play.......

[Hunni Bee]

I don't think the children "need" to use the computer. We got it a couple years ago, and got along fine before it. Its just another center in my classroom.

Most of my kids do not have a computer at home, despite the technology driven world we live in. My goal is to have my kiddos exposed to most everything they'll see in school, especially since I have an older group.

I got rated earlier this month, and the rater (im really going to complain about her) kept pushing thinly veiled demands that allow them to have more computer time than 8 minutes "but they can get another turn, RIGHT??". I dont won't have them vegging in from a screen all day, but I do think its good for them to get experience with it.

[MarinaVanessa]

I have age appropriate programs that the daycare kids are allowed to use occasionally. I set up my space in centers and sometimes the computer is a center. One child at a time on the computer and only educational programs (PreSchool Prep, Jump Start, Lakeshore software etc.). Most of my programs are science and math based, the rest are literacy based. I don't have a problem with it and neither do my parents I think because none of my DCK's use computers anywhere else and because we only use the "computer center" maybe 2 times a month. It's more of a treat on every other Friday sort of thing.