Keeping Track of Schedules?

[AuntTami]

What have you guys found to be the easiest way to keep track of everyone's schedules and keep track of who is coming and going each day? I have a small daycare and I struggle with it because only 1 of my kids comes Monday-Friday every week. Otherwise I have one that's full time but comes different days in a 2 week period and when he isn't here, I have other kids as "drop ins" that come and go to fill in the remaining spaces.

Currently I've been writing it all down on the calendar but there HAS to be a better way of keeping track? I don't use minute menu, I've tried the free trial twice and it just confused me too much, I was lost. So it's gotta be a different way..... Ideas?

[Thriftylady]

What have you guys found to be the easiest way to keep track of everyone's schedules and keep track of who is coming and going each day? I have a small daycare and I struggle with it because only 1 of my kids comes Monday-Friday every week. Otherwise I have one that's full time but comes different days in a 2 week period and when he isn't here, I have other kids as "drop ins" that come and go to fill in the remaining spaces.

Currently I've been writing it all down on the calendar but there HAS to be a better way of keeping track? I don't use minute menu, I've tried the free trial twice and it just confused me too much, I was lost. So it's gotta be a different way..... Ideas?

Would one of those whiteboard calendars help?

[AuntTami]

Would one of those whiteboard calendars help?

I'd still have to write it out unless maybe I'll just do color coded magnets! One color for each kid..... Hmm

[Thriftylady]

I'd still have to write it out unless maybe I'll just do color coded magnets! One color for each kid..... Hmm

Magnets might work, you would have to have several of each color though so you can go out a couple of weeks or whatever.

[daycare]

I use excel and I also have a program call the sandbox. But it cost $65 a month.

[Unregistered]

About half of my kids are part timers. I use spreadsheets because I can color code them and easily change things around. The days are divided by the half hour, with one kid on each line. I do mine a month at a time, with each day on a different page. I note if there is anything different about the day on the page. When my schedules were very different every day, with drop ins and such, I printed them out so myself and my assistant could see who was there each day.

[Josiegirl]

I just use a printed weekly attendance sheet(don't remember where I got the original), listing everybody's name down, the day of the week across. In each square I write time in/time out and X in any day they didn't attend. I keep it on my kitchen cupboard right beside my menus.

[Thriftylady]

I just use a printed weekly attendance sheet(don't remember where I got the original), listing everybody's name down, the day of the week across. In each square I write time in/time out and X in any day they didn't attend. I keep it on my kitchen cupboard right beside my menus.

I also do that, but I am thinking the OP is wanting to do something ahead of time to keep herself from over booking and being out of ratio.

[Blackcat31]

About half of my kids are part timers. I use spreadsheets because I can color code them and easily change things around. The days are divided by the half hour, with one kid on each line. I do mine a month at a time, with each day on a different page. I note if there is anything different about the day on the page. When my schedules were very different every day, with drop ins and such, I printed them out so myself and my assistant could see who was there each day.

I do something similar. I use an Excel spread sheet that is color coded according to the ages of kids and the max amount of any one age I can have at one time.

I don't cater to part day children so if a child attends even 1 hour, the whole day/space is theirs. I do have kids that attend on a 2, 3 and 4 day per week basis so I just fill their name into a color coded square as parents submit their schedules and I can easily see if I have too many booked for one day or have room for more.

[Magic]

I have full timers , part timers and drop ins
so
I have a monthly time request sheet for that know ahead what their needs are one for each child fill out and hand in before the first of the month ..this helps them know what they need to pay too
then a big calender for all children and when drop ins I write in ...and high lighters for full, part ex...
then sign in and out ...daily
so 3 ways of track and helps with payment records too ...
a lot of paper work ..but ...great help at record keeping in all ways

[AuntTami]

I absolutely want to stay within ratio, and so far the method I'm using enables me tondo that. It's just that the days vary so much as far as who's here and who isn't. My kids are full days but not full time so different days I have different kids. Just looking for something so I can keep track of who's here and who's supposed to be here. I can't tell you the number of times I've been up and ready for my 5:30 arrival, only to remember that he wasn't coming that day and that the next kid isn't scheduled until 7:00.... I'm losing out on sleep! Lol

[AmyKidsCo]

I've got lots of upheaval over the summer with children starting, leaving, and turning two, so I put together a color-coded chart based on ratios. Like BC I don't do less than full-day part time so I just had to figure out days.

[Crazy8]

I only have 5 kids and I only do set days so its pretty easy for me to keep track but I do have a laminated print out of a grid I use. Its 5 rows x 5 columns - rows are for kids names, columns are days of the week. I filled in a child's name for the days of the week they came so that I could see what days I still had an opening. I don't have to worry about times, they all come between 8-9am and all go home between 4-5pm so I just have the specifics in my head.

Sounds like you could use something similar - a dry erase would work well since your schedule changes although mine is laminated so I can write on it with dry erase markers but I only erase when I child leaves or schedule changes for good. Maybe something like this and just write the kids names in the box for the day they come?? I like mine to have the boxes because I know I have the 5 openings for each day so can see them better if a box is empty but you could always use a sharpie or tape to make lines going across if you wanted to.

http://www.amazon.com/ProMAG-Inches-Weekly-Magnetic-Calendar/dp/B00DVMD4DE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1429625572&sr=8-3&keywords=dry+erase+days+of+the+week

[Annalee]

I do not offer part-time/drop-in care but have some that only come 2-3 days a week. I have a calendar that I place the first letter of the last name of my 2-3 day attendees. Personally I enjoy 2-3 days a week with low enrollment so my assistant or I can have the day off.....no drop-in care for me...happyface