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I was so ready to get started with a new outlook when the kids came back this week. I haven't done one single thing. It is back to just like it was. I can't gt motivated enough to do crafts or even read them a book at this point. They don't seem to care but I do. Everyday I end up feeling like total crap. Have any of you ladies gone from being just free play all day to actual structured events during the day? I need ideas on how to get a schedule a true schedule started.
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Every 1-2 hours have something planned. Make it something YOU enjoy doing too!
Snack
Outside
Art
Lunch
Nap
Music
Etc.
The thing about a schedule is if you don't DO it, it doesn't get done
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I am doing the same thing but I am implementing my plan slowly. Before the Christmas break, I was all play with coloring and the odd craft. I decided to implement circle time and I told the parents my plan so I would be held accountable (to make sure that I would actually follow through with my ambitious idea,
). I made a mobile circle time board and we review letters, numbers and shapes, sing a song/finger play, focus on a letter of the week then they play again. I am also trying to do one short activity/craft relating to our letter of the week everyday. I am only on day two, but I feel better with even this small change. My group is 1yo, 20mo, and 2 just turning 3 year olds.
None of my parents wanted or even hinted at this, I just thought it would impress the parents and make me feel a bit better about my program. After reading what everyone in here posts, I always feel lazy when I look at what I offer and do.
Monkey ToesComment
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I find a schedule makes my day go by faster. I'd go crazy if it was just free play all day every day!Comment
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I have the same problem after reading what others post on here. I have (1) 6 month old (2) 20-21 month olds (2) older 3 year olds. One of the 3s is my daughter. I was so excited to start this circle time, crafts and stuff. I wrote out a curriculum plan for January and everything. My parents could careless if they watched TV all day. I'm bored so they must be bored too was my logic.I am doing the same thing but I am implementing my plan slowly. Before the Christmas break, I was all play with coloring and the odd craft. I decided to implement circle time and I told the parents my plan so I would be held accountable (to make sure that I would actually follow through with my ambitious idea,). I made a mobile circle time board and we review letters, numbers and shapes, sing a song/finger play, focus on a letter of the week then they play again. I am also trying to do one short activity/craft relating to our letter of the week everyday. I am only on day two, but I feel better with even this small change. My group is 1yo, 20mo, and 2 just turning 3 year olds.
None of my parents wanted or even hinted at this, I just thought it would impress the parents and make me feel a bit better about my program. After reading what everyone in here posts, I always feel lazy when I look at what I offer and do.
Monkey ToesComment
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I think your right. It is driving me crazy. I had this vision of what I want my daycare to feel like and to be like. I just can't seem to make it materialize because I don't know how. This is my 4th year doing daycare. I was so good with circle time and stuff when I first started. Then little by little I noticed the crafts that I did with them I was the only one who cared and i slowly stopped it all.
How do you transition in schedule? Do you set a timer and say ok circle time. Then when that is done let them play until you set up the craft? Then when the craft is done let them free play till you clean up the craft stuff.Comment
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Like Nike says, "Just Do It!"
Seriously, the days *I* have the best time, *I* feel the most accomplished and professional are the days I stick to the schedule and get things done - I call these my "kick butt and take names" days:: I don't do it for the parents, or frankly even the kids, though they benefit. I do it for ME. Because it's all about ME::::::::
I find the kids play better when I am on top of my game, the days go more smoothly, etc. Like another poster said, I make sure the schedule is full of things I enjoy doing (outside time, walks, reading, etc) I rarely do arts and crafts with the kids (though my assistant does) because I don't enjoy it
Another thought is to make sure you are physically healthy. I was really dragging much of last year and finally found out my Vitamin D levels were seriously deficient. No wonder I kept catching every bug last year.
It got to the point that I could barely move or function. I've been taking supplements and feel sooooooo much better! But there are so many conditions that can make you feel tired, unmotivated, etc. So it's worth checking out.
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It is free play until my youngest leaves for school. When he leaves, we start our school (aka circle time). When that's done, free play while I tidy it all up (stacking chairs, putting the board away, books, etc away). When that's done, I gauge their play and decide on the spot if it is a good time to do our letter of the week activity. If it is, we do and if it's not, I wait for a better time. Lunch here is at 11, naps are 1215ish and how every child's sleep times vary, planning anything definite in the afternoon is a waste of effort.
Monkey ToesComment
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I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a month ago. I started going to the gym on a regular bases and watching what I eat. So far I'm down almost 10lbs. However, my husband is acting like a butthole right now and it has my mood in the dumbs as well. I decided the other day that his issues are not my issues and he will need to figure those out.Like Nike says, "Just Do It!"
Seriously, the days *I* have the best time, *I* feel the most accomplished and professional are the days I stick to the schedule and get things done - I call these my "kick butt and take names" days:: I don't do it for the parents, or frankly even the kids, though they benefit. I do it for ME. Because it's all about ME::::::::
I find the kids play better when I am on top of my game, the days go more smoothly, etc. Like another poster said, I make sure the schedule is full of things I enjoy doing (outside time, walks, reading, etc) I rarely do arts and crafts with the kids (though my assistant does) because I don't enjoy it
Another thought is to make sure you are physically healthy. I was really dragging much of last year and finally found out my Vitamin D levels were seriously deficient. No wonder I kept catching every bug last year. It got to the point that I could barely move or function. I've been taking supplements and feel sooooooo much better! But there are so many conditions that can make you feel tired, unmotivated, etc. So it's worth checking out.Comment
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Yes do this for you no one else! I used to let the parents non interest affect me but not anymore. The kids love it and I like breaking up the day into little chunks. I don't set a timer or anything, I just have a vague idea of what time something will happen and whenever it's done it's clean up and free play. I go online the night before while in bed and go to some blogs or FB pages and pick an idea for the next day or I will plan my week (depending on how organized I am!). Soooooo many ideas. You can also sit down with your kids if they are old enough and ask them for some ideas. I do this every summer and the kids come up with some great stuff. They will also come up with impossible stuff but just stick to what works obviously.
Maybe start with 3 special activities a week. A music and movement activity, an art activity and a circle time. Then expand to every day doing something and then expand to something 2x a day. I do something "special" in the am and then in the PM. I am flexible too. If I'm not feeling it or if the kids are not in the mood, I skip.
Good luck
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My advice would be to start with one thing and each week or every two weeks, add something else. I'm not sure the ages of your dck's, but Keep in mind that although kids do need free-play, they also need structure and adding in a specific craft, circl-time or music and movement etc. will help prepare them for school.Comment
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Me too! We do a nice, long free play, but truthfully I get bored and the time seems to drag on for me...
I think the key to sticking with doing activities is making sure that 1. what you do is developmentally appropriate (so then you're not hounding them/doing it all yourself/irritated that they don't like it) and 2. FUN!
For example, my circle time isn't a letter a week/a color/and a number....that would bore me to tears (sorry, I know a lot of people do it and it works for them), but I know that if I'm bored, my kids are bored and I just won't follow through with doing the activity. We don't even do calendar most days. We do a lot of singing, instruments, talking about our day, making up stories, etc. We do a lot of hands on activities, it keeps us all interested and involved and learning a lot.
Once the kids have a schedule for a few days they will become accustomed to it and really look forward to it. Kids thrive on knowing what to expect and what comes next. Also, laying out a schedule may help keep you on track, after just a few days, the kids will be saying, "when is circle time today???"
Hope this helps...
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I'd like to switch it up from less free play to more routine activities too. But the hardest part for me is to get their interest and KEEP their interest. And what happens if 1 wants to do it but nobody else? As it is, usually when I announce we're going to 'make snowmen' only 1 or 2 want to participate. I have 2 toddlers, and 2(on any given day) that are right around the 3 yo mark. Some of their attention spans just aren't there. Most of our group talking is done at meals/snacks. Same for stories.
We're always playing color games or counting, activities like that but it's all very casual and nothing planned. I have 2 little girls that come after their preschool mornings are done and heaven forbid if I try to interrupt their Elsa and Anna playtime. They're usually off in their own little world enjoying their make-believe.
By the way, I'm SOOO glad somebody else feels the way I feel after reading some of the posts here. I've felt very inferior as a provider sometimes because I don't do all that some of you do.Comment
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