Newbie

[AmandasFCC]

Hey everyone! Just wanted to send a quick message to say hello! I'm a new daycare provider in Canada. I'm so excited to have found this website (I can't believe it's taken me this long to find it!), it seems already like it'll be a huge resource for my sanity, if ntohing else!

I just started up in March 2009. I have a one year old daughter and every day I have 5 kids in my home. I'm finding it to be a lot of fun for the most part, but I'm having trouble balancing activities for all the age groups! I have one 13 month old, a 16 month old, a 2 1/2 year old, a 3 year old and a 4 year old. I've found that all of them are quite happy EXCEPT the oldest one. He gets bored. I recently had to ask a little boy to leave because he was constantly talking violently and the icing on the cake was when he said he was going to kill me and the babies!

So how do I amuse Mr. 4 year old while still maintaining my value of no violence? boys will be boys, sure, and they are certainly permitted to horse around to an extent, but still while the 3 year old is content to play with a little stuffed horsey and some cars all day, the 4 year old get bored! I try reading with him, try doing some number things with him, try playing catch outside with him and lots of other things, but it just doesn't seem to be good enough for him. Suggestions?

[mac60]

Hello, and WELCOME HERE.

It is harder with a mixed age group. That is what my group is too, age 1 yr to age 6. For the 4 yr old, there is no reason he can't/shouldn't be playing nicely with the 3 yr old. What I tend to do, and seems to work well is......I have 2 kids tables, each day I place a few different activities on the tables so the kids have a variety of things to choose from to play with. They know they can always ask for books, coloring, etc. I also have 3 tubs of toys that I randomly set out on any given day (1 tub at a time) and they pick and choose what to play with. I try to mix up the activities.

I personally don't believe in the "I am bored line". How can a 4 yr old know what bored is? It is just a word they had heard.

Some other things I do are, yesterday we played musical chairs (we play with enough chairs for everyone so no bad feelings, and it is just a silly game anyways), simon says, kids music, book time, coloring at table, movie time before nap, various toys/activities, puzzles, etc.

Honestly, as long as you provide activities for the kids to choose from, they should be fine, and if he uses the "bored" word, I would just tell him to go find something to play with/do. I don't feel it is my job as a provider to entertain the children their every waking hour. They need to learn to play among others and alone, and use their imagination.

Good luck.

[AmandasFCC]

Thanks! I've tried setting out tables for the kids to colour and and do puzzles but they refuse to sit still! I've finally decided enough is enough and I need a break too, so I've got them laying down for quiet time so that I can have my sanity for a few minutes. So far so good, although today is the first time I've tried it. It's really only during quiet time when it becomes an issue - they want to play and I want them to sit quietly and do puzzles or something because the younger ones are sleeping.