Activities with young group

Me again.

I am wondering how those of you with (or had) a really young group do 'activities'. My group is 5 kiddos 14-19months old.

Our day is pretty much routine (diapers, meals, naps, outside) and free play.

They all free play amazingly...they either play off on their own or together...3 of them are very advanced socially when it comes to playing together.

We do a long story time each day and many mini storytimes at their requests.

I feel like some of them are ready for more 'advanced' activities but some are not and as a whole it just won't work. I can pull off colouring and stickers...with a fair bit of crayon and sticker eating by all.

My daughter loves mr potato head and stacking/sorting but she does this after daycare hours. I'd love to pull out the mr potato head in the daycare but I just sit here thinking that kid will eat and swallow the ears and eyes...those kids will run off with the feet and hands and the other 2 will melt down because they actually wanted to use it properly but have no pieces left.

How do you all pull it off? Do I just wait longer? Do I somehow contain them with the activity while the others free play. Our table and chairs are all toddler height so I can't just sit at the table with a few...the others would run up and grab the pieces (tried this with colouring) and leave me playing interceptor/referee.

Maybe I need to get a gate and close off the side playroom leaving a few in the main room and a few with me in the sideroom with the 'activity'? Not sure they would be impressed with being gated off but they'd learn soon enough I think.

Any suggestions? what we are doing now is working everyone is busy and happy...but I think I'm getting bored and I know a few of the kids could use a new challenge!

For now just stick with what you are doing and think January for starting more intense programming. As for your own 2 year old setting up a play yard and putting her things in it so she has a place for the more advanced activities is ok.

I have a mixed group ranging from 12 mos to 3 years. I have the toddler sized table and stools and do more advanced crafts with older kids while little ones free play, then do (often) a different craft with the younger ones, if they're remotely interested. The little ones will, of course, come and check out what we're doing, but will generally leave the materials alone once told a few times. If you're sitting right there, it shouldn't be an issue. You could, since the weather is lovely, do a messy craft that everyone can participate in outside. A bucket of water and some washcloths for an easy clean up and you're good to go! A fav here is to take a long piece from a roll of paint paper (maybe 6 feet or so) and bowls with different coloured paints. The kids (even the little guys) love to all contribute to the giant picture. Or they can walk in the paint, then walk on the paper. Or splatter painting with watery paint. Bubble bath or dishsoap in a water table or couple inches of water in a paddling pool is heaps of fun too! Treasure hunting in the sand box (draw treasures or faces on container lids and bury...or larger shells/painted rocks). These are really fun and the younger kids will participate once they see how fun it is. They're naturally curious about stuff and these are some of the more fun activities we do.

When I do things in a group setting but need to do a bit of one on one things, I give them all paper and crayons to use while I'm helping the one with the paint (or whatever it is we are doing) and than they take turns doing this one on one thing with me.

I have done things at the table and call them by name to take turns. Ya the other ones run up and want to see but that is okay. They can either sit at a chair and watch xxx glue their art or they can come and go but they can't touch xxx's art. They all learn...some cry because it's not their turn but I feel it's part of life and something they need to learn so I just deal with it lol.

And sometimes I have lucked out and had a group where they could all paint or glue or pudding play or whatever all at the same time and only need minimal help from me. They all hate to be the first one to get cleaned up though and that's sometimes our only real problem!

This isn't directed at you or anyone in particular and it definitely changes with each group dynamic but.........I find kids are better at doing things than a lot of adults give them credit for. I do a lot of art and activities with my group but I am super organized(all supplies are near me) and enforce the rules. Yes of course we have had our fair share of mishaps and mistakes (and glitter in every corner for months....damn you glitter!!lol) but for the most part...it works beautifully! I start young with them so they grow up knowing my expectations. I adapt to their ages as much as possible but I constantly have parents say "my child did that??" in awe and disbelief. I have even taken video of them doing it as proof because I have had parents think I did it!! LOL

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Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys

When I do things in a group setting but need to do a bit of one on one things, I give them all paper and crayons to use while I'm helping the one with the paint (or whatever it is we are doing) and than they take turns doing this one on one thing with me.

I have done things at the table and call them by name to take turns. Ya the other ones run up and want to see but that is okay. They can either sit at a chair and watch xxx glue their art or they can come and go but they can't touch xxx's art. They all learn...some cry because it's not their turn but I feel it's part of life and something they need to learn so I just deal with it lol.

And sometimes I have lucked out and had a group where they could all paint or glue or pudding play or whatever all at the same time and only need minimal help from me. They all hate to be the first one to get cleaned up though and that's sometimes our only real problem!

This isn't directed at you or anyone in particular and it definitely changes with each group dynamic but.........I find kids are better at doing things than a lot of adults give them credit for. I do a lot of art and activities with my group but I am super organized(all supplies are near me) and enforce the rules. Yes of course we have had our fair share of mishaps and mistakes (and glitter in every corner for months....damn you glitter!!lol) but for the most part...it works beautifully! I start young with them so they grow up knowing my expectations. I adapt to their ages as much as possible but I constantly have parents say "my child did that??" in awe and disbelief. I have even taken video of them doing it as proof because I have had parents think I did it!! LOL

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I can't help but giggle reading this. I cannot just give them all crayons while I focus on someone else...even for a minute. They seriously all eat the crayons still. They colours some...but the darn crayons keep going in the mouth...and they like, chew them up...and swallow. lol. They are just way to young. If I had even one partially older child to show them how to do it properly I'm sure it would make a huge difference but they all just eat.

I completely agree that kids, even at 12months can do a whole lot more than us adults typically expect. I am reminded of this daily with my group BUT...we are so, so, so far away from major art projects due to them ALL being under 19months. I know they would learn quick with me there telling them what is expected but when I turn to tell little 'jimmy' to stop eating his crayon, 'johnny' starts eating the paper and 'jenny' starts eating the stickers...and we are just not there yet :-)

Soon...soon.

I don't do a ton with younger kids but I do start once they show an interest and can sit with me and follow direction. My 18 mos old colours, does stickers and paints but she is also a second child so she does a lot of things earlier then most. What about art that they can eat e.g. paint with pudding, homemade finger paint (food based) or one idea I've heard on here but haven't tried is a piece of paper in a freezer bag with some squirts of paint inside that they can mush around on top, take the paper out and voila. Clean and they can't eat it.

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Originally Posted by Lee-Bee

I can't help but giggle reading this. I cannot just give them all crayons while I focus on someone else...even for a minute. They seriously all eat the crayons still. They colours some...but the darn crayons keep going in the mouth...and they like, chew them up...and swallow. lol. They are just way to young. If I had even one partially older child to show them how to do it properly I'm sure it would make a huge difference but they all just eat.

I completely agree that kids, even at 12months can do a whole lot more than us adults typically expect. I am reminded of this daily with my group BUT...we are so, so, so far away from major art projects due to them ALL being under 19months. I know they would learn quick with me there telling them what is expected but when I turn to tell little 'jimmy' to stop eating his crayon, 'johnny' starts eating the paper and 'jenny' starts eating the stickers...and we are just not there yet :-)

Soon...soon.

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LOL...sounds like you have your work cut out for you! I have had kids chew/eat crayon before but they get seated beside me and learn fairly quickly that we don't do that haha. I usually always have a younger crew but I've been blessed with kids who enjoy art so they've always caught on quickly what the rules are! As soon as anything goes in their mouth, it is taken away and they don't get another chance until the next time. I usually plan for it to get messier than it does so this sometimes means they do art in just diapers...makes clean up easier and the process less stressful because I'm not overly worried that they'll make a mess.

Good luck!! Soon they will learn the expectations!

Oh, just thought of this....for the ones who like to eat crayons or put marker where it's not meant...the colour wonder markers and paper work great! (As long as they don't bite the tips lol, that has happened!)

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Originally Posted by torontokids

I don't do a ton with younger kids but I do start once they show an interest and can sit with me and follow direction. My 18 mos old colours, does stickers and paints but she is also a second child so she does a lot of things earlier then most. What about art that they can eat e.g. paint with pudding, homemade finger paint (food based) or one idea I've heard on here but haven't tried is a piece of paper in a freezer bag with some squirts of paint inside that they can mush around on top, take the paper out and voila. Clean and they can't eat it.

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Mess free painting is a favourite around here for the under 18 mos! So is pudding paint!!

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Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys

Mess free painting is a favourite around here for the under 18 mos! So is pudding paint!!

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I tried water painting with paint brushes outside the other day. With 2 of the older girls (16 and 19months). Makes me laugh, again. they painted the ground...which got the brushes dirty, which got the water dirty...which they continued to slurp off the brushes...over and over. I spent the whole time trying to keep the water container from being dumped (or drank) and to show them how it was done...but they were just so darn excited about the brushes they kept slurping. Yet another activity that went on the shelf for just a little bit longer.

I did the mess free painting a while back too...in the ziplocks. They tried to eat the bags. Hahahahahaha okay my group is starting to sound really bad. They are an amazing group of kids. They play tea parties, and feed and change their dolls and heck 3 of them were holding hands playing ring-a-round the rosie yesterday (initiated by one of them (16,17,19months old). They play great...they just are soooo young and inexperienced when it comes to anything art related they just assume it is meant to be eaten :-)

No way I would attempt pudding painting. They would 'paint' with any and all food for the next month lol.

Lol, this is why I start young....they learn quickly!

I'm imagining your group and having a Good chuckle! It will Become easier with more exposure to it all. And if not....oh well! An artless daycare isn't the worst thing lol. ( I've banned glitter from dc! )

I hung up paper in the tub on the far wall and gave them paint filled water guns before....maybe they could do that?