What Do You Think? Schedule

[Buxterboo]

Here is the daily schedule that I came up with last night. I am not required to do lesson plans yet but i do need a structured day. I would appreciate any advise or feedback you guys might have. Positive or negative. Thanks in advance

Time Activity
6:00 Start of the day!
6:30 Free play during parent drop off

7:30 Breakfast**
8:00 Outside play time

9:00 **Inside Cool down/free play
9:30 Snack
10:00 **Sensory play
(sand/water/playdough/etc)
11:00 Group games
11:30 **Crafts and coloring
Noon Lunch **
12:30 Reading circle time
1:00 ** Nap/quiet rest

3:00 **Snack
3:30 Free play

4:30 **TV time
5:00 End of the day!


** = potty/diaper checks

[Buxterboo]

I have it set up in a table so its much easier to read for families but I couldnt get it to copy over to this thread in the same format...

[daycare]

One of the things that I do see, is that you have 30min planned for activities. How old are your DCK? I have my planned out about 15min apart max. BUT if they are loving what we are doing, then we keep going. Free play I do in 20-30min inter vaults, but not planned games, circle time and etc. I think it might be a little bit long....or it could be just me


another thing that would be an issue for me is that after lunch you have an activity; reading circle time. If you are going to do this, I would have them all get their nap mats out and you will only read a story if everyone lay's quietly on their nap mat.

I made the mistake of doing this before and some of the kids got really wound up. So now only if they lay on their nap mats quietly will I read a story to them.

We do a reading circle time in the morning to start out our day. I go from low to high activities, then back to low. I feel this has been helpful and necessary for nap time.

BTW I see you have outside play at 8am...are your neighbors close by? I know my neighbors would freak out if I did play time that early, but my neighbors are very very close to me.....

other than that it looks GREAT....kid are so much better behaved with a plan, routine and something to do.....

[spud912]

Time Activity
6:00 Start of the day!
6:30 Free play during parent drop off

7:30 Breakfast** I would allow more time between breakfast and outside (maybe a 15 minute free play section or clean up period?) so they have plenty of time to eat, clean up, restroom break and prep to go outside. You might get a little frazzled trying to coordinate all of these activities in a small block of time.
8:00 Outside play time

9:00 **Inside Cool down/free play
9:30 Snack
10:00 **Sensory play I think this is a good block of time for sensory play because it allows for prep, clean up, and restroom breaks. I would have the kids go potty first because they may get wound up in sensory play and not make it in time.
(sand/water/playdough/etc)
11:00 Group games
11:30 **Crafts and coloring Make sure you allow for time to prep lunch, if needed.
Noon Lunch **
12:30 Reading circle time
1:00 ** Nap/quiet rest

3:00 **Snack
3:30 Free play

4:30 **TV time
5:00 End of the day!


** = potty/diaper checks

I answered in red above. I think your schedule looks really good overall! I think your kids have a fun day planned!

The main thing that I have learned with planning a schedule is make plenty of time for you to get done what you need to and make plenty of time for restroom breaks. I always allow:

• At least 30 minutes per activity (with the exception of story time for 15 minute increments and any screen time for no more than a total of 15-30 minutes a day)
• 30 minutes for meals, 15 minutes for snacks
• 15 minutes prep time and 15 minutes clean up time for meals, sensory play, arts and crafts, and outside time
• 2 hours for naps

One other thing I take into consideration is time of year and outdoor time. I live in a hot climate, so in the summer, we get out as early as possible to limit exposure. In the winter, I flip my schedule around and we go outside later in the morning (when it is a little warmer).

[Buxterboo]

I am not going to be using this schedule as a strict guide, more of a loose idea of what we will be doing. I just need something to show parents what types of acticvites can be expected around a certain time. Not like "oh there is the bell, time to move to the next class" like in school. Does that make sense?

I didnt think about the circle time being so close to nap time. Im going to change that up. Maybe the "group games" can include circle time? And then once the kids are laying down for nap I will just read an additional story I am a big lover of early childhood literacy.

[Buxterboo]

Time Activity
6:00 Start of the day!
6:30 Free play during parent drop off

7:30 Breakfast**
8:00 Outside play time

9:00 **Inside Cool down/free play
9:30 Snack
10:00 **Sensory play
(sand/water/playdough/etc)
11:00 Group games/circle time
11:30 ** Free play (lunch prep)
Noon Lunch **
12:30 Reading / Nap prep
1:00 ** Nap/quiet rest

3:00 **Snack
3:30 Crafts and coloring

4:30 **TV time
5:00 End of the day!


Do you think this looks better?

[Hunni Bee]

I am not going to be using this schedule as a strict guide, more of a loose idea of what we will be doing. I just need something to show parents what types of acticvites can be expected around a certain time. Not like "oh there is the bell, time to move to the next class" like in school. Does that make sense?

I didnt think about the circle time being so close to nap time. Im going to change that up. Maybe the "group games" can include circle time? And then once the kids are laying down for nap I will just read an additional story I am a big lover of early childhood literacy.

I think it's good. The only thing is I see you have outdoor play scheduled early in the morning and then not again during the day. I dont know if you live a hot climate and can't go out later, but you may have the kids getting restless from being inside basically the entire day. I'd move it later in the morning if possible, and add another short outside time after nap.

[Buxterboo]

I would love to add more outside time, but the summers here are usually around 110*. Its just too hot Between november and march/april I am going to substitute the last "free time" of the day for outside time. Also most of the sensory stuff will probably be done outside in the shade. That is when I'll do water play and other messy/wet things..

[MizzCheryl]

Looks like your schedule includes lots of great ideas. Your kids should have a blast. My only suggestion would be 6:00am till 7 or 7:30 quiet rest time. 6:00 till 1:00 is a long time for a little one to be up and playing. Could cause crankiness. They could rest or look at books and do quiet activities till breakfast.

[Hunni Bee]

I would love to add more outside time, but the summers here are usually around 110*. Its just too hot Between november and march/april I am going to substitute the last "free time" of the day for outside time. Also most of the sensory stuff will probably be done outside in the shade. That is when I'll do water play and other messy/wet things..

That's what I figured. It gets pretty hot here as well, it will be 100 today with heat indexes 110+ because of the humidity, plus the air quality is bad. We've had to start going out earlier in the morning and cut out afternoon outside time all together.