Do You Have A Structured Daycare

[Sumshine]

I do a bit of traditional pre k every morning. We sit and briefly go over a letter, number, color, and shape every day and do a worksheet for the older ones that involves beginning handwriting of some sort and the little ones just color. If a kid isn't feeling it they don't have to participate. Luckily my kiddos genuinely like it and want to participate. It isn't long and drawn out and we make it fun... sing, dance, etc. I make fun activities like for numbers week I made a parking garage with a cardboard box and we parked our numbered car in the proper stall ::

As far as what we do daily... that is structured as in we do the same types of things at the same time every day. Meals, snack, lunch, nap, and outdoor time are always the same and the kiddos know their routine. They will come down from AM snack and be ready to go outside (if weather permits) or go straight down from lunch and get ready to be changed/go potty and head into the nap room.

Without that structure I'd go crazy we strive off our "routine". When it comes to curriculum I do see benefits of introducing more school like environment just so it isn't a culture shock for them when they move on to kindergarten but I agree there is such a thing as too much and a lot of the pre k stuff I looked at was completely provider led and EXPENSIVE! No way even my advanced 3 yo could do that stuff without a lot of help from me and if you are doing 3/4ths of it for them are they really learning anything????

I am not a professional nor do I have degree in any early childhood type stuff but I do know from 3 siblings under 18 and my own son how a kiddos mind works and I try really hard to provide an environment where we learn as we go and in ways that will benefit them the most

[DaveA]

Unabashedly play based. We have some routines/ structure but no "academic prep" stuff. Our local school has a good 1/2 day pre-k I recommend for the year before Kindergarten. They can get "ready" for school there.

[Blackcat31]

I think alot of providers are interpreting "play based" as not routine or unstructured. Or meaning the provider has no interaction with the kids.

Play based is NOT a free for all.
Play based can include routines and schedules too.

There are just no worksheets, cookie cutter crafts or specific activities that provide little or no "options" on the children's behalf.

I think when words like "structured", "routine" and "play-based" are discussed....the definitions vary and often times lend to confusion. Maybe the focus should be on defining those words first.

[Pestle]

Yes, I have a structured schedule with a variety of activities--group free play, art time, reading time, etc. I don't break from the schedule unless a child clearly needs it.

I'm from an unschooling/Montessori background and am working to integrate those philosophies into my program. On the Montessori side, the materials and environment have been carefully curated to develop life skills. On the unschooling side, I direct the free play and outdoor play in a way that's open to me popping in and saying things like,

"Let's be quiet for a minute and listen. What can you hear? Cars, yes. Your friends, yes. A bird? Where could that bird be? Oh, I see it, too! Do you think birds have feathers or hair, like us? Feathers, huh? And do birds have little babies or do they lay eggs? Oh, they lay eggs! That's right." And from there we discuss mammals vs. birds vs. reptiles, and another day we discuss the particulars of mammals ("Look at Mister Johnny. He's drinking his milk. Mammals make milk for their babies, and they don't lay eggs, and they have hair on their bodies. Do you see Mister Johnny's hair? Did he hatch from an egg? No?"), and we repeat the same conversations with variations, and after a few times, three-year-olds are pointing out the wildlife and saying things like, "That's a robin. It's not a mammal. I'm a mammal. Cows are mammals too. . ." etc. No textbooks, no worksheets, no curriculum, and no pressure with the prompting. The kids are proud to share what they've learned and puzzle it out aloud.

[Gemma]

I think when words like "structured", "routine" and "play-based" are discussed....the definitions vary and often times lend to confusion. Maybe the focus should be on defining those words first.

and that^^^ is the reason why I often decide is best I don't post

[DaveA]

I think alot of providers are interpreting "play based" as not routine or unstructured. Or meaning the provider has no interaction with the kids.

Play based is NOT a free for all.
Play based can include routines and schedules too.

There are just no worksheets, cookie cutter crafts or specific activities that provide little or no "options" on the children's behalf.

I think when words like "structured", "routine" and "play-based" are discussed....the definitions vary and often times lend to confusion. Maybe the focus should be on defining those words first.

And once again BC puts it much better than I could have. ::

[CalCare]

There are also variations in the word "play based". I interviewed to work at a school that considered themselves both "play based" and "very academic". I ran the other direction The ridiculous thing is, they call themselves Reggio. People just throw these words out all over, hoping a parent will bite. Think about it, if you say academic and play based curriculum, you can throw a much wider net for clients than if you choose one or the other. There is actually a lot of writing on the definition of "play based".

[kendallina]

I think alot of providers are interpreting "play based" as not routine or unstructured. Or meaning the provider has no interaction with the kids.

Play based is NOT a free for all.
Play based can include routines and schedules too.

There are just no worksheets, cookie cutter crafts or specific activities that provide little or no "options" on the children's behalf.

I think when words like "structured", "routine" and "play-based" are discussed....the definitions vary and often times lend to confusion. Maybe the focus should be on defining those words first.

Yes! Great point.