Tricks of the Trade

[torontokids]

I love starting these threads every once in a while. I love learning from others mistakes or learning a new way to do something.

Some new/old things I have been trying

- I have been having the kids "wash up" in a dish pan filled with soapy water. This has been fun for them and has encouraged them to be more independent.

-I have been doing this since I started but it has always made the world of difference for me. I have colour coded clothes. E.g. each kid has a colour, my daughter is orange. When it comes to wiping her face, hands I use this, hang it to dry and I wash them every 2 days.

- Giving kids jobs. I have one girl who is really into shoes so she helps me get the little kid's shoes when it is time to go outside. My daughter hands out the milk or "reads" a story to the others while waiting for me.

-I am bringing some "inside toys" outside this year. I am going to clean up my shed, put in some shelving and put some of our toys out there for them to play with. I have the usual outside toys but I thought I would shove some of our extras out there to mix up outdoor time.

-This is probably common sense but I started using baby wipes to clean up after painting. So many cloths were getting wrecked I said "screw the environment."

- I mix up circle time everyday now and have set days. E.g. Mon-Yoga, Tues- Music Wed- Show and Tell/Parachute, Thurs-Music Fri- Dance. We also do special circles they love e.g. "dress up circle time," or "baby circle time" where they each hold a doll and we sing special songs for the babies and do special tickles etc with the dolls to encourage empathy etc.

[kindertime]

Happy First Day of Spring, everyone!

Our project this whole week was to redo the welcome board at the front door. Every day was a different craft activity. Monday was painting the sky, Tuesday was green for grass (and St Pat's,) Wed. was the rainbow colors, clouds and the sun, and Thursday I took pictures of the kids holding umbrellas. I spent a good deal of time after work cutting out their pictures and umbrellas and the rainbow shapes and rain drops from the left over painted sheets of paper and glued them all on. And today they all colored letters to spell Welcome Spring. Every season gets a new board. I make sure the kid's photos are lined up right above their coat hook to mark their place.

The kids love seeing themselves doing something in a scene at the front door, makes them and their parents feel welcome and it helps to identify their own place. (On Monday, when I took the winter scene down to get ready for the spring one, the 2 three yos had a big argument about who's hook it is. Their pictures were gone! And their hooks haven't changed in over a year. It was cute.)

[3rdtimesacharm]

Love your tips for washing up and circle time routine, torontokids!!
And kindertime, I love the sound of your welcome board!!! Can I ask what you do it on? A big bristol board or something??

[kindertime]

Love your tips for washing up and circle time routine, torontokids!!
And kindertime, I love the sound of your welcome board!!! Can I ask what you do it on? A big bristol board or something??

Several years ago I decided to repaint the walls at the front door. After years of kids dirty coats rubbing when they sit on the bench, there was a grey stain that would not come off. So I also thought at that time I should put up something that will be washable.

So... at the hardware store, I bought three 5ft x 2.5ft sheets of clear plastic. Not Plexi (too expensive) but similar. I use them on the walls. One is behind the bench, attached with velcro to show off art work. The second is above the kid's hooks and that is where I put the welcome board. The sky and grass are painted on large sheets of paper. (50ft roll from Walmart) They are painted separately so the grass can overlap the sky. (I cut it to make rolling hils.)

The third sheet of plastic is in the playroom to hold the calendar and weather board we do at our circle. I used more velcro at the top to hold it on and those zigzag brackets (used for flat mirrors) to hold it at the bottom. I can easily take it on and off but the kids can't pull the days off the calendar.

[AmandaKDT]

My trick of the trade is encourage independence as much as possible, kids can do so much if you give them a chance (also makes my day easier!). I am working right now on getting my potty trained 2 year olds to properly wipe themselves after peeing, washing hands independently at the bathroom sink and also getting dressed and undressed for outside by themselves. I am also using my wagon and stroller as little as possible, teaching them how to safely cross the street and walk on the side walk - my crew is all over 2 years old and we are on a quiet street so this is possible.

This is why I shake my head when the parents show up at the end of the day and these independent kids all of a sudden can't do anything for themselves.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I'm a terrible environmentalist! We use wet wipes after snacks, lunches and art quite often

When doing messy art, I make sure to get everything I might possibly need ready and within an arms reach. I also get out cleanup station ready before starting

After lunch, each child brings me their plate or puts in sink them self. They bring me their sippy cup to put in fridge. The 2 older ones are responsible for wiping down the table and chairs (I usually have to redo if it's been a messy one) and picking the big pieces of food off floor. Than they all go to the library area to read while I do dishes, tidy up, sweep floor. This gives them time to poop and doesn't cut into my break time lol. I tuck them in and head upstairs to have my own lunch.

[5 Little Monkeys]

My trick of the trade is encourage independence as much as possible, kids can do so much if you give them a chance (also makes my day easier!). I am working right now on getting my potty trained 2 year olds to properly wipe themselves after peeing, washing hands independently at the bathroom sink and also getting dressed and undressed for outside by themselves. I am also using my wagon and stroller as little as possible, teaching them how to safely cross the street and walk on the side walk - my crew is all over 2 years old and we are on a quiet street so this is possible.

This is why I shake my head when the parents show up at the end of the day and these independent kids all of a sudden can't do anything for themselves.

Most of my kids leave right at closing time and sometimes I think the parents are in such a rush to get out so I can start my evening off (which is really nice!) that they tend to do things for their child that they can do for them self!

[AmandaKDT]

Most of my kids leave right at closing time and sometimes I think the parents are in such a rush to get out so I can start my evening off (which is really nice!) that they tend to do things for their child that they can do for them self!

I am meaning a 5 year old that all of a sudden can't put on their own boots or carry their own backpack.

[flowerchild]

I am meaning a 5 year old that all of a sudden can't put on their own boots or carry their own backpack.

This drives me up the wall! Especially when they have a huge whiny fit to get their parents to do it and then their parents just give in and do it. Meanwhile, during the day they do it all for themselves lickety-split with no issues.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

My best Winter tip

When it snows, it hard to get kids outside. Sidewalks are icy and uneven and kids get cabin fever. We have snow blower for our drive and we keep it in shed, no garage. So my husband has to blow a path from shed, across yard to driveway.

The tunnel get deeper and deeper over time with walls of snow.

Now my husband snow plow a maze. He semi-retired. Too much time on his hands. He blows tunnels all around my yard from shed, to drive. From deck to deck. Round shed. To play equipment. Drive my crazy but day care children love it. They can run along the tunnels, they are enclosed from the wind, just wrap them up and let them go. Very funny to stand on back deck and watch them darting round.

[Beulahland]

I have younger kids who are not able to wash their hands by themselves yet. I purchased coloured antibacterial sponge cloths, wrote names of each child with clothes marker on different colored ones and moisten them for wiping hands and faces when necessary. I wash them at the end of the day; helps cuts down on use of disposable wipes and the kids know their wipes by colour.

[Van]

I put a plain white shower curtain on the white wall behind the high-chairs and where the children do art and painting as it is so easy to wipe down and keep clean and saves me painting the wall every year :)

[ebhappydc]

I try to start thinking about crafts for celebrations a week or two ahead of date. So for mothers day I'm looking online for ideas and will get supplies ready for next week. That way if something unexpected happens during the week or if I'm under the weather, I don't have to worry as it's ready to go and doesn't feel like such a crunch. Do same for other celebrations - planning ahead helps as the dates creep up quickly I find.

[5 Little Monkeys]

To keep my walls from getting banged up, I use green painters tape to hold foam mats on them. They're just one high (or 2 if they're the alphabet ones) and I change them up every 12-18 months. (I have changed my playroom decor/shelves/toy kitchen/big toys almost yearly since I've started lol...I think I've finally got it where I like and it will stay this way for quite done time!) I also have them in the kitchen where we eat and do art. So easy to wipe down!

[bright sparks]

I try to start thinking about crafts for celebrations a week or two ahead of date. So for mothers day I'm looking online for ideas and will get supplies ready for next week. That way if something unexpected happens during the week or if I'm under the weather, I don't have to worry as it's ready to go and doesn't feel like such a crunch. Do same for other celebrations - planning ahead helps as the dates creep up quickly I find.

With regards to themed crafts and celebrations, I always stock up after the event too so I am fully prepared for the following year and it becomes a much cheaper activity. Means that I can splurge a little on Michaels supplies without the huge hit to my purse strings. Also I find that superstore always has lots of things on sale a day or two before a particular holiday so I can sometimes get things for the current year but like ebhappydc, I prefer to plan ahead and be organized so things run much smoother. Always good to have a bucket of something handy for those rainy day activities or "witching hour turned day" kind of daycare days!

[5 Little Monkeys]

I love the after holiday sales!! It's like Xmas the next year when I pull out my themed bucket for that specific holiday as I forgot what I bought the year before lol

[ebhappydc]

With regards to themed crafts and celebrations, I always stock up after the event too so I am fully prepared for the following year and it becomes a much cheaper activity. Means that I can splurge a little on Michaels supplies without the huge hit to my purse strings. Also I find that superstore always has lots of things on sale a day or two before a particular holiday so I can sometimes get things for the current year but like ebhappydc, I prefer to plan ahead and be organized so things run much smoother. Always good to have a bucket of something handy for those rainy day activities or "witching hour turned day" kind of daycare days!

Never thought to buy the day after for the following year, especially at an expensive store like Michaels... Thanks you!!!

[5 Little Monkeys]

This past Halloween, they had stamps on for like 17 cents!!! (Might even have been cheaper, they were practically free!) I stocked up!! They are the nice big ones too :)

I always coupons when I shop there....even if I have to do multiple transactions lol