Afternoon Activities

[TwinMama]

I'm in need of afternoon activities. In the morning we do snack, yoga, art, free play, lunch, nap.....then.....it's trouble. My afternoon ends up being babies fussing and the 3 year old rambunctious.

Suggestions?

When we're able we'll go outside, but until then I need something.

[heyhun77]

Right now we do:

Get up/put blankets and cots away
Potty/Diapers/Limited Choices play
Big kids arrive from school (approximately 3)
afternoon snack
dance party while I clean up the table area for the day
outside play (either a short time or until pick up depending on the weather)
If we come back inside then limited choice play time - typically instruments, toys not out in the learning centers during free choice play time or stories. It kind of depends on the kids, the weather, the activities I have to be ready for when everyone is gone (my own kids/mine), ect.

[Unregistered]

Not getting outside is so hard. Afternoons are hard for us too. We do all of our curriculum in the morning for the most part. I offer free art, play dough, water table, sand table, puzzles, dancing... Just about anything they all agree on and that will keep them busy.

[daycare]

water tables with lids, cups, buckets and etc.

in the afternoon we play outside on the patio without shoes sometimes without shirts on the little ones and play in the water until pick up.

[alicia@home]

We do play doh, water colors, or a sensory bin - something with their hands.

It surprises me how long they will play with a bin full of rice, measuring cups, funnels, etc. The play doh is also something they will play with forever.

Have you thought of switching the yoga to the afternoon? I find it helps them chill out a bit.

The afternoon is a rough time if you can't go outside with that age group!

[mamamanda]

[QUOTE=TwinMama;528999]I'm in need of afternoon activities. In the morning we do snack, yoga, art, free play, lunch, nap.....then.....it's trouble. My afternoon ends up being babies fussing and the 3 year old rambunctious.

Suggestions?

When we're able we'll go outside, but until then I need something.[/QUOTE

What is yoga like with the little ones? I'd like to do that, but don't really know how to go about it. Do you have music playing? A video that shows poses? That sounds interesting.

[alicia@home]

We use cosmic kids. It's free on YouTube and the kids love her accent and cute stories. Just search cosmic kids yoga.

[Unregistered]

What if you had some supplies that were only available in the afternoon so they would be special and really hold interest and stay new and novel longer. Like 'Afternoon dress up' and 'afternoon books' and 'afternoon toy box' then only make those things available from like 3-5. Then you can say ,'oh we get to have the afternoon costumes now!' And its exciting

[Unregistered]

Also- tents and tunnels are good indoor, but still exciting, equipment.

[TwinMama]

We use cosmic kids. It's free on YouTube and the kids love her accent and cute stories. Just search cosmic kids yoga.

This is what I use too. They love it.

[Gemma]

I'm in need of afternoon activities. In the morning we do snack, yoga, art, free play, lunch, nap.....then.....it's trouble. My afternoon ends up being babies fussing and the 3 year old rambunctious.

Suggestions?

When we're able we'll go outside, but until then I need something.

My afternoons go by so fast, now that the weather is nicer...nap, snack and then outside until dinner/pick up.

[AmyKidsCo]

Our afternoons go by fast too: nap, diapers/potty/ puck up nap stuff clean up, put on shoes, snack, then free play until pick up. Sometimes if they're crazy I'll get out play dough, have them color at the table, or do table games, but then they don't want to leave.

[Laura5287]

We just made exercise dice. One with the pictures of exercises and the other with numbers. We roll one at a time, then do the amount and exercise that comes up. They love it and do it until I say enough. We have also made hearts with different things on them (sing abc's, count to 20, do jumping jacks etc.) They ask to do this one over and over. Keeps them busy and wears them out a little.