Daily Schedule for different ages!

[fruitloop]

You know what, kids fall into sinc with what is happening faster and easier than you think. I would put everyone on 1 schedule. It's MUCH easier that way and you need a full break so you don't burn out. If you don't get any down time during the day you won't last very long doing this...it's imperative in this job!

[mom-in-alberta]

You put everyone on the same schedule. There is no reason why everyone is napping at different times. You ask the parents to start putting the children on your schedule before they start care so that the transition for them isn't as bad. There is NO WAY I would being tailoring nap time schedules for individual kids. That's ridiculous, how are you suppose to do anything if there is always a kid sleeping. I have 2 nap times...1 of them is from about 8:30 - 9:30 for those who NEED a morning nap (but I start to ween that morning nap at about 12- 14 months depending on the child) and my other nap time is from about 12:30- 3. There is no napping at any other time of day here.

My outside time is after morning snack, so around 10 - 11ish. In the summer we're outside twice...morning time and then in the pm after snack until p/u...so from roughly 3:30 - 5.

All kids in my care eat at the same time and eat the same thing. Obviously some things are cut up for the little ones so they can feed themselves. I don't feed kids unless it's something like yogurt or apple sauce. Then I will feed them until about 18 months...after that they learn to use a spoon and do it themselves.

Crafts are done usually before morning snack while the morning nappers are sleeping.

Yup, that's my sentiments, exactly!!

[gcj]

I also encourage parents to get their kids on a daycare-type schedule before beginning daycare (at our initial meeting, whether or not I end up taking the kid). It's best for everyone...especiall y the baby!

[lunademiel]

Thanks again everyone!

I am thinking that once my 1st little one starts in a couple of weeks she will need to change her nap times because instead of waking up at 7-8 she will now be waking up at 5:30-6:00. Yes they are starting at 6:15 every morning... So by 9 she will probably be ready for her nap. My little one will have no problem napping at 9 as well. Then they both can go to sleep again at 1:30 with the older two. For the other 1 year old that isn't starting till may, I am going to see if her mom can start putting her on the same sort of schedule in the coming months before she starts. Hopefully she'll cooperate! But I'm sure once they are all here, if they all are sleeping, then she will sleep too... Hopefully!! I think that it is best to do outdoor time at the end of the day, otherwise I really don't know when else it will work.

Thanks again for all your suggestions.

[playfelt]

Don't forget that by May the two one year olds now likely won't have a morning nap at all so you will just have one needing a nap and can work your schedule around whatever it is if need be. My little one comes a 6:30. I give her a snack - drink and cracker at 8:30 and she goes to bed right after. If you wait too late in the morning they are really tired and want to sleep too long. Earlier is better than putting them down later.

[MamaMel]

I have two one year olds, and 2 two year olds, and one three year old.
My one year olds both nap from 9:30 - 11:30, and again from 2:30-3:30. My toddlers nap from 12:30 - 2:30. I dont get any alone time, but this allows me to work on appropriate skills with my infants, while still doing appropriate lesson plans for my toddlers.

Outside time is the end of the day, assuming the weather is nice. Sometimes, we will have outside time before lunch, but this would be out on the deck that is fenced in where I can leave the kitchen door open and keep track of the kiddo's. We have a slide, and a sand and water table and a picnic table, and a climber set up out there for the times when I can't make it into the yard.

Some infants still need naps... I actually worked them into their nap times, because I was finding it to difficult to work individually with each child when they all were all up at the same time. And obviously infants have different mile stones to hit, than toddlers. So this works well for me! The infants and toddlers have breakfast and circle time together. Then the infants go for their nap and we do craft and practice our writing our letter and numbers. etc...

[sunnydays]

There is no way I would accomodate all those different nap times...and I NEED my break in the afternoon! I have 2 1 year olds who nap in the morning for an hour and another 1 year old who does not, and then everyone has the same naptime in the afternoon. I don't find it that hard to get them all onto the same schedule...they adjust quickly. You can shorten the morning nap so that they still sleep in the afternoon, but are not completely melting down by 11am. I don't know any daycare providers in my area who go with the parents' naptimes...that doesn't work for group care.

[playfelt]

I actually used to like it when the infants were on the 11-2 nap schedule as it allowed me to get lunch for the older kids and eat myself without having to feed the babies. Then had the 1-2 break to myself then babies up and fed before the big kids got up. From there they pushed very quickly to the 12-2:30 then 12:30-3:00 of the big kids.

[daycaremom9]

Last week was the first time that I had 2 children that were 12 months old. How on earth do you get 2 babies to nap at the same time? When I put them down they would both be crying at the same time and keep each other awake? What is your secret please?!

[lunademiel]

Are they in the same room? You could try a noise machine to muffle some of the noise? Eventually they may just get used to it? Both my kids have noise machines so they don't wake each other up if one is crying. The older one can scream his little head off at times and it doesn't wake up the little one. Their door's to their separate rooms are closed. I start my first 12 month old next week so we will see how my 10 month old and her will do at nap times!!!