Provider led activities

[Mambia]

Just wondering how much of your day is spent directing activities for your group of kids. I have 2 kids under 12 mths, 19 mth old and 2 kids that are 3.5 yrs old so it's a bit challenging for programming as the babies are on a different nap schedule. I find the older kids are always asking "what can we do now" and just think it gets frustrating at times because I feel by now they should be able to find an activity on their own and use their imagination. I do my share of playing but mostly with the babies because they need my attention more. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[torontokids]

I struggle with this as well. I find I let the babies more "free play" and walk around while I run some activities for the older ones. Between naps, school pick ups and outside time, we don't have a lot of time left in our day to do too many activities though.

[sunnydays]

I can go entire days without doing any structured acitvities with my group ( I have two 18 months, two just turned 2, and a 3 year old and my daughter who is 2 3/4). They all know how to play really well on their own. I do structured activities at various points of the day most days, but not every day as I don't think they need it. My structured acitivities are normally no more than 20-30 minutes long, sometimes less (a felt story, some art time, an active game, etc). They SHOULD know how to play on their own at that age. Maybe their parents always entertain them at home?

[playfelt]

I am very much like Sunnydays in that I don't believe it is my job to control a child's life from the time they enter my house till they go home even though some caregivers think that means a quality program it isn't for me. There is plenty of time in school when kids will be told what to do and how to do it. Now is there time to explore on their own and learn how to learn.

Having said that my job is to set up the environment so they can play and learn meaning I put out certain activities and may show them how to do it a few time then leave it for them to explore.

I do what would constitute circletime for other caregivers when the babies do morning nap so until you give that up whether it is 12 months or 19 months you miss out and too bad no craft to go home. I rarely have any "lesson" that lasts more than 15-20 minutes at a time and then we continue as long as they ware interested but after 15 minutes it can be over if they aren't.

[sunnydays]

By the way Mambia, just wanted to add that I don't really "play" with the kids. I watch THEM play and I interact by eating their playfood at times or asking them to name colours, count things, etc. But, the playing is mainly done by the kids. I think the game changes once an adult is in it and often we stifle their imaginations accidentally. Plus, as a provider you cannot be 100% "on" all the time. I love the days when I can sit back and just watch them play and cuddle with whoever comes to me for a cuddle or a story etc. I do lots of activities, but like Playfelt, they are short to match the short attention spans...and if they are totally into what they are doing...I would not interupt to do something I had planned. They are learning while playing...that's how kids learn :)

[gcj]

Freeplay takes up a good portion of our day here. And when they ask what they can do during freeplay I remind them of all the toys around them and encourage them to play a game with their friends (house, restaurant, blocks...whatever) They get used to it, as mine are. I also am not a big "player". It's very good for kids (and us) to know how to play on their own and not constantly need to be entertained.

We have periods throughout the day where we go outside, storytime, craft/activity, etc, but freeplay is freeplay and we do a lot of it!

[crafty]

Same as Sunnydays and Playfelt. I have themes for the month and special day activities but I am not constantly engaging them. I rotate toys, play with them, show how it works. We have music, story time, crafts, circle time but it's done on their schedule mostly. It never last more than 20 minutes. The attention span just is not there and for some ...they are just not interested. I have this little guy it's all about cars and trucks ... we do circle time and he will come and sit then 10 seconds later he is off. So with him ... I go play with him with is cars and ask what color is this one, how many you have there? Let's count... Can you show me the letter C for Car ? Another child LOVES books ... she could sit there and listen to a story forever. So circle time works for her and I even let her choose her subject or book or whatever. However craft time works well with my crew right now so we have 2-3 times a week. I follow my leaders as I call it.

I do love watching them all play together. They are really good at it so often I will sit on the floor not to far, the babies will come play with me but the kids mostly go on with their business and even say : ''Ok you can go now '' haha

As playfelt said ... they will be pushed in school, why not let them be kids and have fun.

[Momof4]

Freeplay is really important and children should not be asking you what they can do next. They should be able to look around the room at the variety of toys and amuse themselves. That being said, I do encourage their games and give them ideas when they are 3-4 years old to help them learn to use their imatinations but I don't play WITH them unless we are playing games like Pop Goes the Weasel or Red Light Green Light, etc., then I'm involved in the games.

If we have an inside day due to weather I set out a bunch of toys in the morning and about mid-way through the morning put some away and bring out others, but I don't have the dedicated daycare room where everything is accessible to the children all the time. Or I tell them it's creating time and put them at the table with scissors, paper, markers, wooden puzzles, pompoms, a good variety of things.

I don't think children should be allowed to use the word BORED. There is too much to do in life. I don't even thing adults should ever use that word. When a child starts to come to me nonstop to show me something I encourage them to show their friends. I think they are used to having all the attention of the adults at home because they are only children or the baby of the family but part of our job is to help them learn to socialize with their peers and learn to play. I just cured a little boy of this habit of showing me everything he picked up.

[Daycare123]

My daycare is run very similarly to Sunnydays- lots of free play with the opportunity for expanding on their (the babies) learning through counting, singing and observing :)

[daycarewhisperer]

I have the kids “go play toys". My involvement is to tell them thus is the expectation. I stay out of their play except for supervising and enforcing the rules of play. We have extensive collections of toys and they are “no adult needed" toys. The toys I have that require any adult are not accessible to the kids. I get them out when “I" want them out. If the kids have too much adult involved play they give clear signs that you are doing too much adult. The first indicator is they can't entertain themselves with the no adult needed toys.

If they become reliant on adult to play I quit doing anything other than “go play toys" until I see they are able to completely entertain themselves and follow our toy playing rules. It may take a few days , weeks, or months. I follow this with every generation of kids.

I grew up without ever having an adult entertain me and my agemates. It wasn't even a consideration. Adults need to stay out of their day to day play. Then when you do something that does require an adult they appreciate it very much.

My kids learn things like puzzles, playdoh, etc VERY fast because they are SO grateful to have an activity where an adult is involved. They focus and sponge up the activity. If their happiness becomes hinged on adult then I back off and return them to “go play".

[momofnerds]

we do alot of free play. Its so important to learn no only how to play with others but how to have an imagination and learn on their own how things work even if its wrong. I rarely play with them. They love to interact with each other (I love how 2 yr olds talk its so funny) if I did structure all day I think I would not get to see how much fun they really are.

I had a girl who was 5 at the time (really really big 5 yr old) so when she was here, she wanted to play with the dress up clothes, which wasn't a big deal but alot of the clothes didn't fit her. So when she did have stuff on she would come out and say things like "don't I look sexy" and want me to dress up too (wasn't going to go down that road with her) and then all day she would want me to play with her. So one day I asked her what she does when her brother takes a nap. she told me that her mom plays with her all day, and it made sense. This girl had no idea how to play by herself or have an imagination. She wanted me to start all the play and produce the story line. I told her all the time to go and play.