Centers?

[mamamanda]

I'm considering using centers during free play time, but I'm not sure how to go about it. We consistently have a lot of behavior issues and I need a way to calm everyone down. I think a big source of the problem is that most of my kids are part time so I have different kids on different days and I might have 3 kids one day and 7 the next. I don't know how I would go about using centers b/c on days like today when I have 7 kids it would be wonderful and I could say 2 kids at a center at a time and then rotate. However, when there are only 3 kids I don't know how that would work. I could let them all 3 play at the same center so no one is left out, but it seems like it would be hard to keep them in one area when no one is playing in the other areas. But if I let them just play wherever on those days then it will be hard to enforce the center rules on days when I've got more kids. Does that make sense?
Also, I would like to do blanket time more often where kids choose an activity and sit on their own blanket to play with it b/c I have 1 kid who is here 3-4 days a week and he plays so rough and gets everyone acting crazy. He has no concept of sitting on his bottom to play. He is running, jumping, climbing over friends, etc. and the others follow his lead. What types of activities do you use for something like that? In the past I've had success using lacing beads, blocks, sensory bins, dinosaurs, etc. But this kid is not interested in anything I've tried. He's bored and tries to get off the blanket the whole time. He's 4 and I know he watches a lot of TV at home so that's probably the issue, but I need a solution.
Finally, how do I find the previous threads on centers and classroom management. I searched for them, but I'm having trouble finding them. Thanks!

[Controlled Chaos]

I have options out during free play. I have 2 small tables so one might have pasta sensory tub and animals, second might have markers/paper/glue etc. Then there would be the kitchen area that also has blocks, then the car rug and the book area. So that is 5 areas and I have 9 kids. If a child has trouble settling into an activity after a warning and some guidance then I assign the child a certain area and task. "Now Susie is coloring a picture" or "Sally you need to sit in the car area and play with cars". If a child was bugging other children they are assigned a center/area all by themselves for a period of time.

[spedmommy4]

My childcare space is organized into centers. I don't think the centers make a huge difference in the behavior of my dck. It helps to rotate toys and keep things fresh. I also watch for problem toys. For example, my current group cannot handle any preschool board games. They dump them and then it's 20 minutes of picking up pieces. I put them up and decided to use them only when I could facilitate the game.

It also helps a lot to incorporate a lot of behavior modeling into your day. Instead of use your words, I tell the little one what to say to get the thing they need. For example, say can I have it or please. (Depending on the age) I find that kids catch on within a few weeks. And, once they know I expect them to try to solve the problem, the kids will use what I've modeled before yelling "teacher."

And, to answer your other question, to search the forum you have to click on daycare center and family home forum main page. On the right, it says, search this forum. Enter the terms and hit search.

[Unregistered]

For different centers, have you tried doing different ones for different areas of development? Example there's: fine motor, large, social/emotional, cognitive, creative etc, right? So say one day you have: water colors (creative), beading (fine motor), a fabric tunnel (large motor), etc. Then you could have those activities out for a couple of days a week and then change then the next week, or have some sort of rotating schedule. But if you have something for all the areas, you will be bound to have something that each one likes. And the boisterous one, he could have a chance to do something thats exciting to him. I had a mini trampoline I got on cl for $20 (till it was stolen) that kids loved and they could use one at a time, even indoors. The tiny exercise kind. I would be really bored too if someone told me to sit and play with one set of toys that didn't interest me (and on a regular basis).

I believe they need to be free to wander the centers at their own will. I have seen it where there is masking tape on the table and the teacher writes a number like '2' for example and that means that is the limit of children for the activity. So we teach the children: if there is a '2', that means only 2 people fit here, if there are already 2 here, you have to wait until someone leaves... etc. Sure, you will have kids wanting the preferred activity and sad/mad they have to wait, but that's where you come back with good activities. Activities they want and need. Instead of plain old playdoh, put out playdoh with play kitchen supplies like muffin tins, rolling pin, play knives, bowls, plates make a menu! Instead of plain cars, make a road map with masking tape and place destinations at the end of roads like a 'zoo' made of a couple wood blocks and 3 animals (it can be very basic). But if I had a pile of cars on a blanket, and told to sit there with it and 'play' until I was released , I would be super annoyed and not be nice...

I think a lot of what makes the day go by easy/fast/ pleasant is intended the planning. Plan your 4 (or whatever) centers every day (before hand), and plan how they will be interesting and who will get something out of it... What does Jonny jump up like? Plan it for him. Does he love climbing your sofa? Bring in a plastic slide... Make it interesting: put a blue sheet all around it with ocean stuffed animals (even if all you have is one dolphin, it makes it interesting)... If all that planning is too much, use those awesome centers for a few days in a row, then switch halfway thru the week... Idk. I love planning cool stuff for the kids.