Special events that travel to daycares

I live in Ottawa and I am just wondering if any of you have programs or special events that come to your daycare. What I mean is, for example, I now have Monkey Rock Music come every week to give the kids a music class (parents pay per child and it is awesome!), but am looking into what other kinds of programs or special events (I think Little Rays Reptiles travels, but haven`t tried it yet) I could get to come out. I will soon have one too many kids for my van (5 dck`s plus my daughter) and can only go to things in walking distance, so want to see if I can get more things to come to us. Affordability is an issue of course because I don`t think the parents will want to pay for more than one program at a time, but I am open to any suggestions! Oh, and my group is ages 1-3, so it has to be geared to toddlers :)

This is a great idea? Do you mind telling me how much it comes up to per child?

Love the idea - so far we've only gone out and about to things because anything I have looked at is too expensive per child for my budget in comparison to getting it either free or cheap through an Ontario Early Years program or Library program

A lot of events have a 10 child minimum which is why two daycare providers used to share the cost and do it jointly in whoever's house was bigger.

What you might do is look into something less elaborate since the kids are little and their experiences minimal. Having a teen come over with their pet guinea pig in a cage would be novel to the kids.

Have someone come and read a story to the kids - might even be able to count it towards community service if they don't get paid - win/win for both of you. Just having someone different doing will seem like it is a lot more fun for the kids then because you have the extra set of hands you can plan some more elaborate activities/craft/snack related to the book read.

For me I feel once they are in school there are so many outings and events they have to do that I don't feel bad that I don't do them with my little ones. Yes they enjoy it but they also enjoy just being.

I am the mama behind Amama Yoga. We have a few specialties and one of them is providing yoga to daycares! Using an adventure based approach to yoga, the children are introduced to the foundations of yoga poses, breathwork and movement all while challenging them to use their imaginations. Classes are 30 minutes in length, $7 per child. Minimum of 3 participants. Special reduced rate for 7 or more children. Recommended for children 18 months to 7 years old. Feel free to contact me for more information. roberta@amamayoga.co m
http://www.amamayoga.com/templates/t...mages/logo.png

I am so excited! Thank you so much! I like yoga myself and have done a little on my own with the kids who love it! This is quite affordable and I am very interested in finding out more. I'll definitely be emailing you!

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Originally Posted by Yogamama

I am the mama behind Amama Yoga. We have a few specialties and one of them is providing yoga to daycares! Using an adventure based approach to yoga, the children are introduced to the foundations of yoga poses, breathwork and movement all while challenging them to use their imaginations. Classes are 30 minutes in length, $7 per child. Minimum of 3 participants. Special reduced rate for 7 or more children. Recommended for children 18 months to 7 years old. Feel free to contact me for more information. roberta@amamayoga.co m
http://www.amamayoga.com/templates/t...mages/logo.png

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In our city there is a lady who runs 'Salsa Tots' and they will come to your house for lessons. I don't have room for something like that at my home but I did take a lesson and buy her CD. I usually take my children out instead. We go to the library for a story time once a week and I have taken my little ones on a field trip to a firehall and to the ambulance location and a paramedic spent over a hour with us showing everything to the children. Those were awesome field trips. Also, I'm close to the park in the middle of our city where they have different festivals all summer and we go to all of those.

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Originally Posted by jazmic

This is a great idea? Do you mind telling me how much it comes up to per child?

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Monkey Rock is $75 per week (no matter how many children) and there is a minimum of 6 weeks commitment required. I just divided it up amongst the parents (parents pay per child, so those with 2 kids pay for 2) and we each paid our part. I also had a mom on mat leave come with her daughter to share the cost and her help was great too! We are doing another session, but maybe after that we will try something else (like the yoga for example). I just asked all parents if they were interested and they all were...I couldn't have afforded to pay for it myself.

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Originally Posted by Momof4

In our city there is a lady who runs 'Salsa Tots' and they will come to your house for lessons. I don't have room for something like that at my home but I did take a lesson and buy her CD. I usually take my children out instead. We go to the library for a story time once a week and I have taken my little ones on a field trip to a firehall and to the ambulance location and a paramedic spent over a hour with us showing everything to the children. Those were awesome field trips. Also, I'm close to the park in the middle of our city where they have different festivals all summer and we go to all of those.

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I take the out as well and we go to parks, playgroups and have been going to library time as well, but it is a bit to far to walk so I am going to have to stop that now that I have too many kids to go in my van. I just like the idea of adding to my program by having something new and interesting to offer the kids :)

Only extra I offer is music by a music therapist cause I get if for free. She tries out some of her ideas on the kids and they love it. Mostly they just like the instruments she brings for them to use. Boom whakers and tamboa are the favourites. But I also have to feed her supper - it's my daughter. She stops in whenever she is out this way to see a client so it works for all of us. She doesn't do group sessions as much for children as she does for group homes and seniors though. Therapists charge a lot more than music teachers too. My parents appreciate how lucky we are for sure.

I was at a Women's Lifestyle Show in our city and there was an artist there who will go to classrooms and so I talked to her about going to a home daycare. Her price was very high so I can't see myself having someone like that come in. Also, I can't remember the name of the company but they come into the home and help children make things like handprints on plates, cups, etc. and then they take them and fire them and bring them back for you. Again, above my budget.

However, here are a couple ideas for you to google for your city.

Here we have a children's farm that has a mobile petting zoo and pony rides. Kids would love that if you have the outdoor space for it.
Also, maybe see if your fire station or EMS has community programs where they would bring over a fire truck or ambulance and talk to the kids? I don't know if they'd do this for a day home or only for bigger community events, but it doesn't hurt to ask!