New Here And Looking For Schedule/Activity Advice

[Cnj]

Hello I am so happy to have found this forum. I just started doing daycare in August for the second time. I had a daycare business about 7 years ago when my boys were little but now they are in school. I have a 16 month old daughter now and decided to start again.

I am finding it hard to keep my age groups occupied. I have an 8 month old here, a 2 year old and my 16 month old daughter. The 2 year old is a very young 2. We do a lot of story time, blocks etc but need ideas to fill the day. Most of the plans I had aren't yet working for their ages. Neither my daughter nor the 2 year old will really play independently at all which is sometimes difficult with the baby. Would anyone mind sharing their schedule? Thanks!

[AmyKidsCo]

My schedule is very simple. Most of the day is child-led play. I plan 1-2 activities/experiences each day. Sometimes we get to them, sometimes we don't. I don't usually play "with" the children but I'm around, interacting, caregiving, etc. Most of the time they're so busy with their own agenda they couldn't care less if I was there or not.

7:00 Open
Play
Breakfast
Activity and/or Outside
Play
12:00 Lunch
Story
Naps
Play
Snack
Play
5:00 Close

[Heidi]

My schedule is very simple. Most of the day is child-led play. I plan 1-2 activities/experiences each day. Sometimes we get to them, sometimes we don't. I don't usually play "with" the children but I'm around, interacting, caregiving, etc. Most of the time they're so busy with their own agenda they couldn't care less if I was there or not.

7:00 Open
Play
Breakfast
Activity and/or Outside
Play
12:00 Lunch
Story
Naps
Play
Snack
Play
5:00 Close

I'm very similar. I strongly believe in lots of independent/free play. Sometimes, it takes you stepping back and letting them figure that out; whether they like it or not.

A large part of our day revolves around routines such as meals. Our meals usually take a good half hour each, and I always sit with the children. I may eat something else, but we eat together. At the end of a meal, I usually read a story. With toddlers, they're sort of a "captive audience" at this point, and tend to "pay attention" better.

We go out for a walk (weather dependent) daily, and I sing a LOT of songs. There's a blue jay outside? I sing about it. It's snowing? I sing about it. Transition? I've got a song. Fortunately for me, toddlers don't care that my singing is at best mediocre.

Nap time here is a good 3 hours. My toddlers usually start with a giggle fest with their roommates, then sleep a couple hours or more, then giggle some more. It's an opportunity for them to play without the chance to argue over toys and without my interference.

[AmyKidsCo]

I'm very similar. I strongly believe in lots of independent/free play. Sometimes, it takes you stepping back and letting them figure that out; whether they like it or not.

A large part of our day revolves around routines such as meals. Our meals usually take a good half hour each, and I always sit with the children. I may eat something else, but we eat together. At the end of a meal, I usually read a story. With toddlers, they're sort of a "captive audience" at this point, and tend to "pay attention" better.

We go out for a walk (weather dependent) daily, and I sing a LOT of songs. There's a blue jay outside? I sing about it. It's snowing? I sing about it. Transition? I've got a song. Fortunately for me, toddlers don't care that my singing is at best mediocre.

Nap time here is a good 3 hours. My toddlers usually start with a giggle fest with their roommates, then sleep a couple hours or more, then giggle some more. It's an opportunity for them to play without the chance to argue over toys and without my interference.

I need to do more "singing to the air." I'm in my head so much it doesn't occur to me.

[Cnj]

Thank you! My schedule now is very similar. I'm thinking the toddlers I have here now just aren't playing independently too much.

[Josiegirl]

My routine is pretty much the same as above. Kids that young need a flexible routine, basic structure such as naptime and mealtime. I always include playing outdoors twice if we can. The group I have now is between 18 months and 3ish. I offer many many activities if they choose to do them. But nothing is held to a strict schedule except meals/naps.

IMO little kids need time to play, look at books, study each other and their reactions, pretend, draw/paint, just to be kids. Lots of sensory is offered but their 2 favorites are water play and playdoh.

It seems though my 2 toddlers' favorite activity is bucket dumping.
Some activities they enjoy during our day:
Strollers and babies
Cooking in our play kitchen area
Reading books quietly
Balls
Blocks
Sorting/stacking
Moving their little bodies around-Christmas music and dress-up is highly popular with the 2-3 yo crowd.

[therov]

Though they're young, they can still benefit from more of a schedule than play/meal/play. I do free play in the morning from drop-off to morning snack. After snack we have a 10-15 minute Circle Time with rhymes, songs, and a couple of books (usually one "young" book and one for older kids). Then we do one of a few units that are rotated in that spot: art/craft (on days I don't do art, I have crayons & art supplies out during free play), Play Doh/other mushy action, puzzle/block time, puppet/song/dance time, and magnets/magnifiers/other science-type time. After that, it's outside play or a walk until just before lunch.

Even a 12-month-old responds to the schedule since s/he knows what to expect each day. While having lots of variables and choice are helpful in these activities since the kids don't have school-age attention spans, they still do even better with a little more structure built in.

Good luck.