i thought i am rouge, since i do not follow any themes, but i realized most of you support play base learning - or simply put "let them be kids".

i've read the preschool curriculum, and gather tidbits which is useful in my PLAN. With pre-schoolers, most of the PLAN goes to trash, but thankfully here comes what we CAN.

There is routine in my care, there are learning centers, but the most important of all, I allow flexiblity. I develop active kids, healthy minds principle by pushing more physical activity.
I call my business Active Kids Daycare. My main component is fun + nature exploration. Depends on my group, I am very outing oriented; storytime at library, OEYC playgroups, NCC pathways and some adventures along the abandoned trained tracks.

Basically, numeracy is learned by counting your bean bags for bean bag toss.
Colors are learned through outdoor observation. Green leaves, brown bug, green caterpillar.
Days of the week are learned base on our outing theme:example: wednesdays are going to O-train day, friday associate with pajama day.
letters are learned by finger painting your names.
play dough is messy, home made measured by toddlers.
spring/summer is learned by working in my backyard garden.
they learn to raise their own veggies and harvest them, and taste them.

I have a fitness leader background, so i created a program for them, structured for around 45 minutes a day. simple standing on one foot, imitating animals and integrating to action songs. it is actually funny and comical. we also sing the OEYC songs at home. We love the action songs. You can integrate this in your programming - even without fitness background. Just listen to children songs, give them maraccas and voila, they are dancing.

I have yet to try my ZUMBA for kids, as I just finished my instructor training last week. it looks fun, but i think my 3 year old need more transition from our silly dance, to an actual structured 1 hour.

There are more observation needed and working around ---- what you can with them. i notice that kids remember what you teach them, when they have fun! So, i program around play and fun stuff.

My story time includes opening a big back felt board, and i sit on the couch. I bought the animal collection of felt story from CCPRN. The kids run my story time, and I sit with my coffee. They tell me about the pig that said, OINK. and they found bingo the dog - and they started singing BINGO! and they found ducks who said QUACk, and they stop for a while. They tell me they had fun this morning because we visit the duck pond. As one parent walk in, I ask her to grab a coffee/water from the kitchen and listen to story time.

Most of my story time is base on our outings in the morning block. If we have a day at the airport, I give them the airplane shapes.....and they will tell me about the planes they saw. the small ones, the big ones, the ones that fly..the one with the luggage. You have no idea how fun this story time is and i have been doing this for a long time. My youngest 2 year old, he talks about a garbage truck - regardless if our topic is airplane or library.

I agree with someone above - let them be kids and they will teach you a very valuable lesson in life.

Angie