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Do you encourage kids (I have 2yo-5yo) to return toys to respective areas before you move onto another activity or do you leave toys out for kids to return to play with them and put them away at designated times?
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We leave them out until designated pickup time. I find the best time is before their story time which is right before nap. -
Absolutely! They must put away what they’re playing with before they move to another activity. Not only does in instill a good habit in them, licensing requires I keep a clear path to emergency exits. Can’t do that with toys to jump over.
Nowadays they’re just putting the toys into a bin so they can be disinfected after the kids leave care.Comment
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Infants and young toddlers have their own individual toy center (book shelf, toy box, rug, table, selection of toys/books) that is cleaned up at the end of the day for disinfection. This has always been my policy, pre-covid. Littles don't share.
Preschoolers have to clean up one class center before rotating to another. Normally. They are taught to wipe down toys and wash hands, themselves.
**For COVID, though, they are only rotating centers once per day, upon arrival. I disinfect each center at closing and they each move to another the next morning. Technically, they don't need to move since I set each center up with a variety instead of one theme/type (science, math, writing, blocks, etc.), but they are used to moving and look forward to it. I felt something needed to feel familiar to them.
- Unless otherwise stated, all my posts are personal opinion and worth what you paid for them.
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Sunshine69 that was my thinking...instilling good habits, not to mention maintaining some organization and routine throughout the day.
Recently my assistant suggested we put away toys before we go outside and before closing (approx 2 times) instead of before transitioning to another activity (approx 4 times). I was wondering if her way or what Jo123ABC said is more efficient or if I'm just being picky. My tolerance level for scattered toys is low and the munchkins running off to another activity w/o helping to clean up is my pet peeve.Comment
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I'm curious about how this works. I love the idea, but trying to picture it in action. Do each of the centers have the same types of things in it? Do the kids get bored during the day,not do they stay pretty engaged? So are they playing independently rather than with the group? Do you mind sharing more details?Infants and young toddlers have their own individual toy center (book shelf, toy box, rug, table, selection of toys/books) that is cleaned up at the end of the day for disinfection. This has always been my policy, pre-covid. Littles don't share.
Preschoolers have to clean up one class center before rotating to another. Normally. They are taught to wipe down toys and wash hands, themselves.
**For COVID, though, they are only rotating centers once per day, upon arrival. I disinfect each center at closing and they each move to another the next morning. Technically, they don't need to move since I set each center up with a variety instead of one theme/type (science, math, writing, blocks, etc.), but they are used to moving and look forward to it. I felt something needed to feel familiar to them.Comment
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We make the kids clean up each area before they go to another. If they leave there toys out, they go in the "NO NO" box (aka the cupboard and they come back the next day)Comment
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My preschoolers clean up their toys before choosing something else. At this point in the school year they do very well with just occasional reminders. We also have a whole classroom clean up time before we go outside each day for any toys that are left straggling around.Comment
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Each one has books, wooden blocks, animals, magnifiers, bristle blocks, food/dishes, doll with bottles/clothing, lauri pegs, doll house/accessories, magna-tiles, cars, puzzles, stackers, sorters, magnet wands/balls, etc. Most are in clear bins with lids that stack easily. They have photos of what goes in them for easy sorting and cleanup.
Center time is part of our day, like breakout groups. They go upon arrival/before breakfast (up to 1 hr depending on how early they are dropped off) and after cleanup waiting for going home (also up to 1 hour depending on how late they are picked up).
We have group circle times on the big rug in the library with soft seating. We have art, manipulatives and games at the big table. We also have tables outside for that. We have music, river stones, tents, play silks and tunnels on the linoleum area so they can stomp, dance and move freely. Then we have the playground and fenced lawn (2 different areas) for large muscle and running. We are also fortunate enough to have several streams and rivers on the property that we can stomp and splash in. We do water/sand play outside every day on the playground, too (if it is not too cold).
We stay pretty busy.
When COVID is over the centers will go back to themes, again. Math, Science, Home Living, Community and Blocks.
- Unless otherwise stated, all my posts are personal opinion and worth what you paid for them.Comment
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May I enroll myself in your daycare? It sounds lovely!Comment
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Thank you. lovethis It is the fourth house I have offered daycare in. I looked for several years and had to jump through so many hoops to qualify for it on my own. It is, literally, my biggest life accomplishment. Our kids got to grow up here. I was able to homeschool them here. It is my home and heart for sure.
My toy and "stuff" hoard took 26 years to accumulate, in small bites, each year.- Unless otherwise stated, all my posts are personal opinion and worth what you paid for them.Comment
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An accomplishment indeed! Your outdoor space sounds like a dream!Comment
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In the past, we’ve always had kids clean up before they can move on. During tours, parents would ALWAYS say “oh that’s great!”
In the last year, we’ve switched to leaving the toys out all morning, clean up for lunch and nap, then repeat PM. The change in the energy in the room is dramatic, and not in a good way. Kids roam from toy zone to toy zone, and even though they mostly ask permission first they seem to be getting an attitude that they can do whatever and whenever they want. I think they need more guidance on corralling those big “immediate” feelings, and learning responsibility, etc.
We are now going back to the old way. They can still have plenty of choices and freedom to move around and play, but the responsibility and “brakes” (as in, put on the brakes and slow your engine down a minute before jumping up to a new activity) provided by cleaning up first work better for us. This is for a group of 12 kids ages 2-5, by the way.Comment
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That sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!Each one has books, wooden blocks, animals, magnifiers, bristle blocks, food/dishes, doll with bottles/clothing, lauri pegs, doll house/accessories, magna-tiles, cars, puzzles, stackers, sorters, magnet wands/balls, etc. Most are in clear bins with lids that stack easily. They have photos of what goes in them for easy sorting and cleanup.
Center time is part of our day, like breakout groups. They go upon arrival/before breakfast (up to 1 hr depending on how early they are dropped off) and after cleanup waiting for going home (also up to 1 hour depending on how late they are picked up).
We have group circle times on the big rug in the library with soft seating. We have art, manipulatives and games at the big table. We also have tables outside for that. We have music, river stones, tents, play silks and tunnels on the linoleum area so they can stomp, dance and move freely. Then we have the playground and fenced lawn (2 different areas) for large muscle and running. We are also fortunate enough to have several streams and rivers on the property that we can stomp and splash in. We do water/sand play outside every day on the playground, too (if it is not too cold).
We stay pretty busy. When COVID is over the centers will go back to themes, again. Math, Science, Home Living, Community and Blocks.Comment
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