What is Your Daily Schedule?

[Abigail]

I need to have a daily schedule to turn in as part of the licensing process. I DO want to follow a schedule as it's so much easier for the kids to know what is going to happen next. Outside time needs to be before lunch because it gets warm here by noon, but I would also do outside time (maybe) during pick up hour if most leave within the same 1/2 hour time frame.

My hours are according to each family, but will generally have everyone here around 7:30/8:00 and I'll close by 5:30/6:00 if someone needs to stay that late.

I serve breakfast, lunch, and snack after nap....as for lunch prep, I work alone and don't like the idea of kids playing outside or somewhere where I can not see them during the 15 minutes it will take to get their lunches ready.
I want to include cicle time:calendar/weather/ABCs/123s/sing a song or fingerplay or even read a book.
I want to have an activity time based on the day of the week....(math, music, science, social studies, art, etc....just have not decided which day for which and which five I want to include?!) Math Monday's or Monday Madness for science, Wacky Wednesday for art projects, etc.
I need to have a nap/quiet time as the ages are 0-5 years old.
I would also like to have maybe exercise time or reading time before nap/after lunch.

I want everything to be on the schedule on the wall in 15, 30, 45 minute, or hour time frames....no five minutes here or ten minutes here thing. What times would you set things up for a schedule to try to follow? Would you add things?

[Michael]

We have a lot of earlier posts that will help you: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.php?tag=schedule

[Crystal]

7:00-8:30 Arrival/Breakfast/Teeth Brushing/Free Play

8:30-9:30 Clean-Up/Free Play

9:30-9:45 Circle Time

9:45-10:30 Planned Small Group Activities/Free Play

10:30-11:30 Outdoors/Weather Permitting

11:30-12:00 Lunch/Clean-Up

12:00-12:30 Video/Free Play/Nap prep

12:30-3:00 Naptime/Quiet Activities for early risers

3:00-3:30 Snack/Clean-Up/Outdoors

3:30-3:45 Circle Time

3:45 -5:00 Table Activities/Outdoors/Free Play

5:00-6:00 Video/Free Play/Clean-Up

[Abigail]

What do you do for both circle times, are they different? Are you preparing lunch while the kids are outside playing? I will not be able to watch the kids if I'm making lunch, but you schedule has reasonable amounts of time for everything. Thanks!

[Crystal]

My morning circle time is our daily welcoming. We sing songs, do fingerplays, talk about our morning and how we are doing today. I have name cards with their pictures on them and we see "who is here today" and "who is not here today", we talk about the plans for the day, what day of the week it is, do alphabet, read a book, etc.

Our afternoon circle time is our "reconnect" We talk about what we did today. Discuss any issues that may have arisen that need to be taked about. Talk about tomorrow and what we may need to bring/do etc. tomorrow that can extend our learning from today. We sing songs, read books, etc.

Yes, I prep lunch when the kids are out playing, BUT I DO have an assistant, as well as my own teenaged daughter, and during school I usually have one or two college student-teachers here to help with supervision.

When I was alone, I prepped lunch while the children participated in quiet table activities in the dining room or watched a video in the living room, both of which I coul see from my kitchen.

My schedule works great for our group and they have ample time to participate in many activities. Keep in mind when I say free play, they have access to the entire environment, but it is set up with activities and materials that they can handle and are learning from while they play, and we are there facilitating their play as well....they aren't just running wild! !

[Crystal]

Also, by table activities, I mean things like playing alphabet bingo, puzzles, board games, matching/sorting/patterning, writing/drawing/art, listening to books on cd, cutting and gluing, etc. For the older kids, more extensive things like journaling, depicting stories, etc. We always play with the kids during table activities, as well as during free play. Mostly asking questions to extend their thinking and encourage them to explain their reasoning!

Free play, to me, is allowing them to "work" in any interest center they choose, and to move about freely so that natural, self-selected groupings occur. We "facilitate" their play by asking questions, adding or removing materials and equipment as needed and being available to answer their questions and provide assistance when needed.