Daycare/ preschool curriculum?

I'm looking for some addition ideas to fill up our days through the winter! We do lots of crafts, free play, colouring and outings but I still find lulls in the day that are hard to fill which result in restless kiddos. I don't turn the TV on for the little ones so any other ideas that you do daily I'd love to hear.

I'm also considering adding some educational curriculum into our days.. I know there are lots of preschool programs you can sign up for online and print etc.. anyone use them? which ones? what do you like about them? how much are they?

I have 1x3years 2x2years and 2x1year olds

We have a letter a week and a colour of the week. This means our programming can focus around these things. Colouring sheets of items beginning with the letter, we try a food (on Wednesday) which begins with this weeks letter or maybe is this weeks colour.
Cutting out from things like the Sears catalogue trying to find items beginning with the letter or which are the colour.
When we go on our walk we also focus on spotting things which fit with this weeks's theme.
'P
So for this week, our colour is brown and our letter is 'P'. On our walk this morning we found brown twigs, pine cones, some pebbles. Our Wednesday meal is planned as pork, peas and baked potatoes. We have colouring sheets for pigs, princess, panda, piano. This morning we painted.

There are lots of website out there full of free preschool theme ideas. My favourite is:

http://www.preschool-plan-it.com/preschool-themes.html

I don't think it is necessary to have to buy premade learning materials, it isn't necessary to have worksheets for children to learn. Hands on activities, sensory experiences are the best way kids learn.

Don't know if you do it, but you can include a circle time in your day where you read a story and sing songs, etc. It can relate to whatever theme you are doing.

What about a large sensory bin or individual ones? I use all the different holidays as themes but also just random at times. Rice, macaroni, sand, water, snow(wear their mitts to pkay!) are all good for the base, than throw things like measuring cups, spoons, little people, cars, foam pieces, pie plates, play food and accessories, paper, mini shovels, etc in. Easter eggs, red rose pieces, leprechaun hats, etc are good for holidays. If using water or snow, food colouring adds a fun element!

Have you made homemade gak, homemade play dough, cloud dough, cornstarch magic?? Those are all big hits here!! Paint a large mural to hang on dc wall?

If you do circle, read a book and have them act it out. I will also take a handful of toys and show them and go over their names/colours and than cover with a blanket, take one away and ask if they know which one is missing. Can go the other way too and add to the pile to see if they know what the new toy is. I make my own flash cards and also have bought a set of 2 piece puzzles that I turned into flash cards, we use these at circle time.

Music is always fun. Mine love books read on tape but they also love if I put a cd on and we have a dance party. I'll take out the music toys for this. It can be loud and chaotic but great for indoor days in the winter. I also bought a mini trampoline with bar to use in winter when they need to exert energy.

I have 2 pop up tents that I pull out on darker days. Shut the lights off and give them glow sticks....entertains for hours lol

Right now for Xmas I have a felt tree that they decorate all day with felt ornaments. This could be something all year though....heart, snowman, turkey, Canada flag, leprechaun etc

We've decorated white tshirts with paint and markers.

The snow globes look cool....put coloured water in balloons and freeze outside. Pop when frozen. Also painting the snow with watered down paint or even just coloured water.

Here we do play do, coloring, outdoor play and story time every day. Then I do a structure activity led by me once per day that varies. It's either craft, yoga, circle time or a "lesson" ( we do educational stuff). I also have a trampoline and tent that we use especially in the winter when it's too cold to go out. For the ones going off to school next year I have extra activities like beads etc to make necklaces, magnetic dress up dolls and I do a letter or number of the week and I'm practicing their writing skills.

Kids do need to learn to play independently too though so don't feel bad if you aren't keeping them busy non stop.

I agree free play is important....it's also my fav time to actually listen to them. The things they say when they think adults aren't paying attention are hilarious!!

The yoga sounds interesting! I need to do yoga for my back but I never get around to it. Maybe incorporating it into dc would help lol. How old are your kids and do they enjoy it?

Thanks for all the great ideas. I've always had sensory bins with different things but with the little ones in my group right now they just eat it and throw it everywhere haha. Love the glowstick idea we have tents and tunnels too.

We get outside every day and have music time. I am finding this particular group to have a very short attention span as each activity lasts a short time. I need to work on that with them ;) they're great free players though and we do lots of that!

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Originally Posted by k8who

Thanks for all the great ideas. I've always had sensory bins with different things but with the little ones in my group right now they just eat it and throw it everywhere haha. Love the glowstick idea we have tents and tunnels too.

We get outside every day and have music time. I am finding this particular group to have a very short attention span as each activity lasts a short time. I need to work on that with them ;) they're great free players though and we do lots of that!

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With a younger group as an alternative to sensory bins, look up treasure baskets. They are ideal for infants but work great with a mixed age group.

Sensory balloons are another option for little ones....sort of like those stress relief balls!

Discovery bottles is another great idea for the younger set because everything is sealed in a clear bottle. The bottles can be turned, rolled, shaken, etc. They become look and find for older kids. Easy to theme them according to what you are studying, child interests or seasons. Watch for small things at the dollar store such as in the birthday section, or back to school such as mini erasers, or the craft/scrapbooking section for little flowers and other trinkets.