What Do YOU Do During Free Play?

[Cradle2crayons]

For me, it depends on which kids are here and the day.

I agree that free play should encourage independent play as in not needing me to entertain them. But I do love joining in on my favorite free play games.

I can't pass up a friendly game of operation... Lol

Sometimes I'm the nurse assistant to the doctor....

Sometimes I get my nails done or my hair brushed...

Again it depends. If its during the day and my siblings are here, they kick me out of the fun. But in the afternoon the full time girl and my full time boy sometimes need assistants .

When my special baby is here I sit her right in the living room in front if the couch on a soft pad and surround her by her favorite toys and she plays while I prepare supper because I can see her from where I am in the kitchen. When she comes to me right after a hospital discharge she likes me to sit with her a little more than normal. Every day she's here though we do a lot of physical therapy but believe it or not, she does really good during free play. I just have to be darn sure her feeding tube is hidden from her view and she has plenty of line because she scoots in circles ... And (knock on wood)... I've only had to replace her feeding tube once since she started here months ago ..

Sometimes I get in the forum if everything else is done...

[SilverSabre25]

Clean, keep the toddler from wreaking havoc, try to get ready for whatever is next, keep the toddler from wreaking havoc, keep the baby from wreaking havoc, break up squabbles, clean....

ideally more what BC and the rest have said, but for now this is where I am with these kids. It's getting better, bit by precious little bit.

[MarinaVanessa]

Observe. Photograph. Take notes on what they're doing. (For documentation of learning and for emergent curriculum development.) Provide support and supplies for their projects. Assist with conflict resolution. Read aloud. Work on my own projects in their midst (crochet, making materials for their play, paperwork).

Yes this, pretty much everything I can do while I supervising the kids. Usually it's curriculum planning/getting stuff together for next day or organizing the toys/supplies.

[Heidi]

redirect, feed baby, redirect, change diaper, redirect, redirect, feed baby, change diaper, redirect, redirect.

I have an 18 mo that bites, and a 2 year old that body-checks (and promptly gets bitten). I also have 3 under the age of 6 months. 4/5 here at a time unless MIL comes to help. It's been a wee bit stressful some days...

After the 1st, one of my babies is gone for the summer, so thing's will be a little less crazy!

[SilverSabre25]

redirect, feed baby, redirect, change diaper, redirect, redirect, feed baby, change diaper, redirect, redirect. !

yes my current group is: 10 weeks, 12 months that doesn't play (he just gets into stuff he shouldn't), 23 months (aggressive, biter, needs watched/monitored constantly--biter since he was 6 months, god help me), 4.25 years that's a bit whiny and argumentative with the 23 mo, 5 years that needs constant monitoring due to lying and stealing issues, and 5.5 years.

I tear my hair out a lot

[spud912]

It depends on the time of day. We have set blocks of time for activities and some free play time squeezed into those blocks, usually as a transition phase. For example, there is . . .
*Free play before and after meals so I can make the meal, clean it up and assist with the potty
*Free play around certain activities, especially arts and crafts (so I can prep it and clean up afterward)
*Free play in the late afternoon so I can start making dinner and greet parents at pick-up time
*Outside free play: I usually do some yard clean up (picking up sticks, raking, weeding, watering plants, etc). I also will prepare activities (outside on my patio table) or do theme-related research (on my computer...brought outside).

Some other free play activities that I do (besides the constant re-directing):
*Clean the playroom
*Fold laundry
*Prepare activities or do theme-related research
*Peruse my children-related magazines (this is one of my favorites...looking at things I want to get for child care). Oftentimes, this activity almost always involves the children helping me "pick" things . I get a lot of magazines from Oriental Trading and Discount School Supply.
*And.....if I happen to have a good one and time on my hands, I will read a book (as in NOT a children's book).