Feedback on my daily routine, please

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Originally Posted by playfelt

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My role is to provide activities to do not to do them. The child's role is to decide to do what is out or make their own fun instead.

.... A child that says they are bored needs to learn how to play and maybe in doing so they will find what inspires them.

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I whole hardheartedly agree ... I set up the environment for them to be inviting and promote and develop certain skills and they engage in it and manipulate it while I 'observe' and make changes to continue to stimulate and scaffold their learning to the next level.

I am more inclined to be found sitting back and 'observing' play with my camera and a note pad verses being 'engaged' in their play to be honest specially when they are 'all' here cause there are enough of them they do not NEED me interrupting or changing their play by participating in it - the only time I would step in is if a 'disagreement' is brewing and after giving them pause to see if they can resolve it on their own it is still escalating - than I would step in to help them problem solve by asking questions and getting them to brainstorm solutions until we find one we all agree on or if a child approached me and invited me into the play - and than depending on the child I might join in OR I might redirect them to approach another child with that invitation (for those kids who seem unable to play with peers to encourage them to develop that skill).

Cultivating and supporting the development of IMAGINATION is the best thing we can give children - it leads to creativity, problem solving, risk taking, greater understanding of how their world works around them and so forth ... I often tell parents that if children needed to be 'entertained' the minute we gave birth we would transform into CLOWNS ;)

I think that as providers we all have different philosophies as to how to run our programs. I like that because parents have the ability to choose what they want for their child.

I agree whole-heatedly that free play is important. It DOES build imagination, helps in exploring the world around them and many many different traits that have been mentioned on this post.

I also believe that structured games and activities also build some very equally important skills such as Listening skills, concepts not easily learned in imaginative play, help direct children to learn skills that they may be lacking in, finding new interests, etc.

The list goes on with both methods. The key is balance. An entire program based on one concept doesn't do the children any justice. A child that has never been introduced to structure may be extremely imaginative and artist but lack attention span when it comes to sitting down and learning in school. Or someone who has also been structured may lack the ability to be self-directed.

Now these, of course, are all big maybies. But, it is more than likely that a kid who has a well balanced life will turn out to be a well-balanced human being.

And even well balance human beings become bored at times. It's like a fact of life, just like getting a cold at some point is, a fact of life.

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Originally Posted by FlexFunCare

....The key is balance. An entire program based on one concept doesn't do the children any justice. A child that has never been introduced to structure may be extremely imaginative and artist but lack attention span when it comes to sitting down and learning in school. Or someone who has also been structured may lack the ability to be self-directed.

Now these, of course, are all big maybies. But, it is more than likely that a kid who has a well balanced life will turn out to be a well-balanced human being.....

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Well said ... we do group activities and games here for sure because it does teach cooperation, attending and direction following skills - the crew LOVES circle time although mine would likely look different than most cause the children 'lead' that too in taking turns on what we do and my school age children request 'coloring/learning pages' which are not my cup of tea as the ideal way to learn but they are at that stage were this is what they equate to being 'big' and well coloring is relaxing for them so I meet that need for them because it was requested/initiated by them ... balance is key for sure!