I REALLY Need More Structure

[Lovisa]

What does a day look like for you guys? Naps, meals and outside time is pretty much at the same time every day. I need structure though with the rest of the day! My age group is a 1 year old, two 1.5 year olds and three almost 3 year olds. I feel like they have a LOT of free play time, but honestly, I can only read so many books and do so many crafts. And quite frankly, craft time is a disaster with this age group

[racemom]

I work in a small center, with 2 year olds. Our day looks like this:
730-830 free play during arrival
830-850 clean up, wash, calender, weather
850-920 snack, wash, potty and diapers
920-950 center/partner and one on one craft
10-1020 music and movement
1020-1030 circle time (story and songs)
1030-1145 outside
1145-1215 wash and lunch
1215-1245 puzzle, books, potty and diapers
1-330 nap/quiet time
330-350 potty and color at table
350-415 snack and wash
415-depart outside play

If we cannot get outside because of weather I do a group activity. Ring around the rosey, big cardboard blocks we build with, make a maze to crawl around, anything to get us moving.

[hwichlaz]

730 Breakfast
815 Circle Time
Song
Writing
Art
Investigations
1045 Outside
1130 Lunch
Story/Potty
1230 Nap
300 Snack
Free Play
Clean up and Good Bye

[Ariana]

7:30-8:30am kids arrive, free play
9am - morning nap for those that need it
9:30ish - morning snack
10am- outside play with water play
11am- inside for free play and art activity/circle time
12pm - lunch
1pm - nap
3pm - wakeup, diapering and snack
3:30pm - free play until pickup

I don't adhere strictly to this timeline but this is in general how our day goes. Somedays we are outside more, some days its too hot/cold to go out, you have to be flexible and creative!

[LK5kids]

7:00-8:00 arrival, table toys available

8:00-Breakfast

8:30-9:30 free play with creative art option 2 - 3 days per week

9:30 clean up

9:45-9:55 circle time

10:00 morning snack

10:20 ish -11:20 outdoor play or second free play or group large motor fun if rainy or too cold.

11:30-11:50 kids choose from math/small motor shelf (mainly homemade games but some store bought like my peg board) while I make lunch

12:00-12:20ish lunch

12:30-2:30/3:00 nap. (When I have had older groups we've gone outside again and lay down at 1:00)

3:15 pm snack

3:30-4:30 ( possibly longer). outside

5:00-5:30 puzzles, table toys, markers/paper, and/or select toys.

I need a basic schedule that's still flexible or I go crazy with boredom!

I always offer creative art activities to 18 mo and up. Some are even interested younger. I do really basic open-ended art and have always had really good luck.

[Josiegirl]

At the moment my ages are 11 mo-10 yo., 8 kids.
Kids starts arriving around 7:30
Breakfast 8-8:30
Clean-up/diapers/potty 8:30-9
Outside 9-10ish
Inside free play/diapers/clean-up/prep lunch 10-11
Lunch 11-11:30
Clean-up/diapers/story time 11:30-12
quiet time 12ish-2
Pick-up/diapers/snack 2-2:30
Outside 2:30ish-4
Clean up/diapers, maybe some group activity such as playdough, blocks, drawing until pick up time which is before 5.

My day revolves around meals, quiet time and outdoor play, much as yours does. Then there are diapers, washing hands, cleaning up, prepping, paperwork. To be honest, I have no clue how people have any more of a schedule. :confused: This summer, the older kiddos have helped keep the prek age kiddos active, reading them stories, playing school and restaurant, things like that. So, for the most part they stay busy. Quiet time hasn't been all that quiet this summer. I'm lucky to get 15 minutes of down time then I'll play card games or board games with the ones who want to play.
I'm tired.

[Lovisa]

This helps, thanks!

I just feel like my kiddos get SO much free play time because its hard to keep their attention on anything for too long. I'll keep trying!