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It seems like i'm gonna have a couple of 1 year olds and a couple 3 year olds. How do others with this group setting manage? I mean the little ones just wanna come and grab stuff from the older ones, such as arts and crafts and other table activities. Do you seperate the two age groups while the 3 year olds are doing planned activities?
Mostly the planned crafts and games are done when the younger ones are having a morning nap. If they no longer nap then get one of the play yards and section off an area where they can play for a period of time while the older ones do a craft. Alternately, use the play yard to section off an area the older ones can ask to go into to play. They must keep all items in there and ask to come in and out so you can be sure supplies are left behind and no little ones sneak in.
My age range is from 1-5. All the crafts I do are fairly open ended and all the kids participate as much as they want. If we are working on pre-printing or printing skills, I find worksheets that have a picture that can also be colored so the younger ones have something to do if they choose.
If I am beading give the kids different size beads (the younger they are the larger the beads) and different strings. If we are finger painting its a free for all, if we are using paint brushes I will have 2 or 3 painting and the others can play until I call them.
During circle time I expect the over 2 crowd to sit through it, but the younger ones can play quietly if they want. Most of the time the one year old will sit through it.
I try to include the younger ones as much as possible in crafts and learning activities. While babies sleep the older ones could do what I do not want the babies to do or touch. I recently installed a gate that can be taken off when it isn't needed that separates the area.
I have an age range from 1 year to 3 years but we do our crafting/colouring, etc with the children in their booster chairs so I can help them one at a time with the complicated crafts or let them paint a couple at a time so I can keep a close eye on the paintbrush. But all the children definitely make all the crafts so that they learn the process of gluing and all the rest. I even have puzzles and other things with more than one piece done at the dining room table in their boosters as well.
So in my toyroom it's all toys and as far as learning to share, I teach the children to tell the babies, Don't touch my toy please. I think it's good for them to learn to problem solve amongst themselves a bit but I'm right there in case the baby doesn't stop.
I have 3 year olds and 1 year olds. I do anything that I don't want the one year olds to get into at the kitchen table and/or during morning nap time if there is one. I also have step stools available so the older kids can play on top of the shelving unit where the toy bins are kept - it is the perfect height that the younger ones can't reach but not too high for the older ones.
Great ideas! Thanks ladies!
I think in a way what you have to consider different than what you would find in a daycare centre with separated age groups is that we have to adapt in home daycare. That means not having a free open art centre and instead having art supplies only available at certain times such as when the baby is sleeping. The room must stay safe for the youngest in care and then within that create times for the older kids to have their special things too but there are still lots of things both groups can have free access to.