Feedback on my daily routine, please

Hi everyone,

I have in my care a 1 year old, a 2.5 year old and my own kids who are 1 and 2.5 as well.

My 2.5 year old dcb gets bored easily. I know I probably shouldn't but I feel personally responsible when he does. It's as if he's telling me: "you're boring, lady!" lol. I have a well stocked playroom and the other kids seem to do ok. But if I'm not constantly directing him in terms of what toy to play with next, he just stands and looks around listlessly. Anyway, I was hoping to get some feedback on my daily routine to see where I could improve. Should I cut down free play time and up group time for example? Or should I encourage him to be more proactive?

8-8:30: drop off time (he arrives any time between 8 and 8:30)
8:30:9:30: Free play
9:30 - 10: Group time (story, music time, etc)
10 - 10:30: Snack time
10:30 - 11:30: Free play
11:30 - 12: Watch a show while I prep lunch
12:00 - 12:45ish: Lunch (very slow eaters!) lol
12:45 - 1ish: Wash up and prep for nap time
1-3ish: Nap
3-3:30: Snack time
3:30 - 4: play till pick up

These times are not set in stone, of course. What can I do to help with his boredom?

I don't think there is anything you can do to help with his boredom. At 2.5 he is MORE than capable to entertain himself. You should not have to be his constant entertainment nor should you have to tell him what to play with next. I personally would just leave him. He'll figure it out on his own.

I posted something similar about being frustrated with my 4 year old DCG needing me to constantly direct play for her. I also have a 2.5 year old DCB who is the same. In both cases they have very bossy older siblings that definitely direct play for them at home. Someone advised to just let her be, that boredom would win out and she would find her own thing to do. It worked! Well, I should say that she has now become the 'bossy' older sister role for the 2.5 year old...they seem to be happy. Good luck!

Have some more structured play. Learning games, silly games, art, etc. I find kids do this stuff best right in the morning and right after they wake up. Give yourself a half hour after they come for free time and then do a few of these activities. do the same after nap. You may find that after some fun structured stuff they will want to wander away and do their own thing.

You can find TONS on the internet.

Oh yeah . . . . do you go outside? Outside is KEY. A must EVERYDAY unless its pouring outside or waaaaaay to cold/hot. He might just need to burn off some energy

Thanks for the feedback, guys! :) It's hard for us to go outside everyday because of the way naps work with the younger ones, but we do try to go when we can. I think I will do more structured play, Flex. I was kind of leaning that way anyway. What sites do you find are the best for ideas?

I can't remember an specific sites right now. but if you want a shape learning activity just type in shape games for preschool/toddler . . . . you might have to search a bit but you'll find tons. you can always adapt games you find for your age group and interest level. spend a few nights on the internet typing in all sorts of things. you'll have a huge wack of games to try in no time. Simple crafts are also GREAT for the little ones. My little ones were painting at 13 months (with help and very close supervision) and LOVED it! The parents were also amazed at what their little ones accomplished.

Jazmic: P.s. I also sent you a private message to get you started

I don't know how your home is set-up, but could you use a baby monitor and go outside while the little ones are napping? Or take them all out after the morning naps are done? In summer I take them kids out twice a day, but in winter we try to get out once a day unless the weather is extreme...it really helps! I find these days that taking them all out after afternoon snack works well because then the parents pick-up from outside and you don't have to take them all back out of their snowsuits. However, ideally, outside time in the morning is great to tire them out for naptime ;)

Oh, also, when you have freeplay time, what are you doing? As mine are all under 3, I am actually involved in freeplay time if that makes any sense. What I mean is, I am not off doing my own thing while they play. I sit on the floor and monitor closesly what is going on to make sure nobody is going to get hurt, to encourage positive interactions between the kids and stop them when they are interacting badly, etc and also I play games with them at times (they cook me play food, etc. Maybe you could also offer him two choices to help him getting started, for example "would you like to play with the play kitchen or the trucks?" He is obviously a bit overwhelmed by so many choices...it could help to give him some direction while not actually telling him what to do.

I just found this website with lots of ideas: http://www.toddlertoddler.com/

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Originally Posted by kangaroomama

I just found this website with lots of ideas: http://www.toddlertoddler.com/

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Thanks for the link! I do admit the "shake and paint" one kinda made me twitch;)

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Originally Posted by jazmic

Thanks for the feedback, guys! :) It's hard for us to go outside everyday because of the way naps work with the younger ones, but we do try to go when we can. I think I will do more structured play, Flex. I was kind of leaning that way anyway. What sites do you find are the best for ideas?

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I also have two LO's who nap in the am from 9-10. They have a snack as soon as they wake then I whisk them outside for a walk. 10 MO doesn't walk yet so I can't just play in the backyard. 12 MO does walk but it's really hard for her to walk in the snow. So what I have been doing is putting 10 MO in the ergo and the 12 MO and 3 Year old in the double stroller/bike trailer. I get some exercise and they get some fresh air. We all LOVE it! We are back by 11:30 in time to make lunch. It really breaks up the morning. I find they get bored with free time. After they have dumped every single toy onto the floor they are bored LOL! I can't wait until summer and I can get them all outside. Also I wish I could afford a runabout because soon enough I'm going to have 5 kids total so walks will be out of the question!

I find I have most success at getting children engaged when there are minimal 'transitions' and larger blocks of 'free play' to be honest and outside is definitely a MUST for me because it tires them out and aids in 'quiet time' being successful ;)

IME the challenge with children is that depending on their learning style it takes some of them A LOT time to get truly 'invested' in play ... they have to watch others for a bit to get comfortable and weigh their options on what to 'do' from the choices in the room and then start doing it and if we have their day broken up into little blocks of time - they just stop bothering to get invested in play because they are frustrated as they just get 'started' and than someone is singing the tidy up song :(

I also find that more and more toys do not ENGAGE children but rather entertain them superficially and therefore they get bored very easily ... having a selection of materials and equipment that is more open ended and engages the imagination and creativeness children innately have works wonders!

My routine goes something like:

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7:30 – 9:00 Exploring in the Play Room / Creative & Sensory Explorations

9:00 – 9:30 Hand washing / Snack Time / Washroom Reminders

9:30 – 10:30 Backyard Adventures **

10:30 – 11:45 Exploring Play Room or remain outside if weather is appropriate

11:45 – 12:30 Lunch followed by wind down for nap story time

12:30 – 2:30 Rest time / Quiet Time / livingroom quiet activities or Treehouse

2:30 – 2:45 Wake up Songs & Activities

2:45 – 3:45 Hand washing / Snack / Washroom Reminders

3:45 – 4:30 Backyard Adventures until home time **

** during inclement weather we often take a field trip into the community in the morning and in the afternoon we engage in indoor gross motor games.

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I don't believe that there is a reason in the world for anybody to ever be bored, are you kidding me? There aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done! Children especially should never be bored and if they start behaving that way the adults in their lives should nip that in the bud immediately. I admit that I like to take my daycare children outside every morning after 9 for about 2 hours but we travel places so a lot of walking or stroller riding is always involved too.

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Originally Posted by Dreamalittledream

Thanks for the link! I do admit the "shake and paint" one kinda made me twitch;)

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Shake and paint is soooooooooo much fun!!!!! and zero mess!

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Originally Posted by Momof4

I don't believe that there is a reason in the world for anybody to ever be bored, are you kidding me? There aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done! Children especially should never be bored and if they start behaving that way the adults in their lives should nip that in the bud immediately.

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Really? No reason for anyone to be bored ever? how exactly do you nip that in the bud? Children aren't adult who have 5 million things to get done. Even then sometimes I'm bored of the daily grind. Boredom can mean a lot of things: understimulation, overstimulation, needing attention, wanting to do something DIFFERENT for a change. It's not a crime to be bored.
I'm finding it funny that people think 2 years olds are fine entertaining themselves all day.

IMO There is a difference between not being motivated to do something and needing encouragement to get inspired to do something and being truly bored ... when a child or adult says they are bored IME its a sign that ones imagination has run out or they are too tired of overwhelmed with choices to pick something ... my crew as long as fed and well rested and not sick can play for hours without feedback from me at all ... and sometimes with very little toys ...like a crate and some open ended materials like plastic lids, pots and pans and fabric strips they create dress up themes or beds or whatever as the play unfolds!

While I have had kids who just want to lay on the couch and vege I have honestly never had a kid say they were bored in my program and do not have behavior associated with boredom and have kids who range from one to six years of age and in past my stepson who was here when school was out and older yet - he use to love coming to play with the crew.

Many kids these days do not know how to play and it is getting to be younger and younger children. Even as infants too many moms play "for" the child. They sit and make the toy go and make exagerated gestures while the child just sits there. They shake a rattle, they read a book turning the pages or they put the child into a confining space and that is it. Many children come to care not having had a chance to explore and experiement and discover what toys can do on their own.

With some we need to walk them through the steps of using the toys. With others we need to step back and make ourselves unavailable for play so they have to play alone or with peers and not an adult.

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.

What I would do as an alternative to more structured time for everyone is move from area to area in the room and offer enrichments meaning if some are pretending to be pirates then offer them extra props or if someone is buildign with blocks ask them if they need any trucks or people or animals for their stucture - if they say no fine, if they want then help them get. Take a toy from the shelf and feature it on a table - ie showcase an activity. You might even stand there and use the toy and the children will watch from a distance. After a bit walk away from the toy. You will be surprised that some of the kids will go over to the toy and start playing with it now that they know what it does.

The only ones who are truly bored are those with no imagination. We can be too tired to play, too overwhelmed/consumed mentally to concentrate enough to play but those are more adult issues not kid issues. 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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Originally Posted by FlexFunCare

Really? No reason for anyone to be bored ever? how exactly do you nip that in the bud? Children aren't adult who have 5 million things to get done. Even then sometimes I'm bored of the daily grind. Boredom can mean a lot of things: understimulation, overstimulation, needing attention, wanting to do something DIFFERENT for a change. It's not a crime to be bored.
I'm finding it funny that people think 2 years olds are fine entertaining themselves all day.

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Oh sorry, with respect I completely disagree!!! I totally disagree!!! I have never ever had a child tell me they are bored because I challenge them and teach them and expect the best from them.

I have grandsons who are 2 and 3 years old who are computer/phone geniuses and I can't even keep up with them or beat them at their games. I can't keep up with them at their physical games or even the things I put out for them to play with because their imaginations blow me away! I'm the Tim Horton's drive through lady then the paramedic then the Walmart cashier then the whatever, you get my drift? Why do they know about paramedics? Because on my 911-Safety Theme Week we toured the Thames Valley Ambulance and the nearest Firehall.

As an adult I never feel bored but I can't even imagine a child feeling bored. When my children used to say 'I'm bored' as teenagers I used to tell them I had lots of dishes and vacuuming, etc. for them to do and they would scatterlike ants!!!!

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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!