We're outside...now what?

[playfelt]

For those that are saying my gang plays outside just fine and those that are saying mine don't what age mix do you have?

That is an issue I have been dealing with for the last few years in the sense that only having little ones as in 2 1/2 or under most of the time or just turned 3 at max I am finding it rough compared to years past. When I do circle time or ask questions or expect them to do an activity there are no big kids to answer or lead or show the little ones what to do as in they would follow the older ones. It is just me literally "teaching" the kids what to do, where to stand, how to move, what to put where - lessons the little ones just used to learn from watching the big kids then when there was a changeover of kids they were now the big kids and started teaching the new little ones.

[Momof4]

Playfelt, I know exactly what you are saying!!!!! My old group was all 3 & 4 year olds last year, but this year I brought in babies. So today when we were outside playing all 5 of them, ages 15 mo., 16 mo., 24 mo., and the oldest are both just barely 4 were all engaged with the toys and activities. I've never had an issue with a child having problems playing outside.

Where I'm having trouble with the 3 babies is at circle time because they couldn't care less when we are in the toyroom. So I now have circle time during lunch or snack or just after crafting when they are all pinned down in their boosters at my dining room table and not able to run off or be distracted. I find I have their full attention and they will even look at a whole book while I read to them and enjoy the finger game/songs and puppets.

How do you keep your young group engaged at circle time?

[playfelt]

I am lucky that my gang loves to be read to. Usually I sit down with a book and they all flock to me. We read the story then go back and look at the book again, talk a bit, then I move on to something related to the book. I continue as long as someone is interacting with me letting the little ones wander off at will. I repeat this 2-3 times throughout the playtime and each time lasts 5-10 minutes. I use fingerpuppets, feltboard, songs mostly as the extended activities. Often I end with something like a feltboard game that I can leave out for those left to continue with.

Same as you - anything I want them all to do is done when trapped at the table - older ones will sit and younger ones are in high chairs. I don't let those in high chairs do crafts from there though as I belive they should be using the chairs to identify with eating. Only those from about 16-18 months - depends on child and able to sit at the regular toddler table that do crafts. I will set up the younger ones occasionally and stand behind them to introduce them to scribbling. Mostly we do this when the little ones are doing morning nap. By the time they are giving this up they are ready to join us anyways.

[Momof4]

It's interesting that you mention that you want the highchairs to be associated with eating only. I hope I'm not screwing these little ones up for life regarding multitasking, eek, because I've asked the parents to help me teach their children that we eat at the table and we also create at the table because I don't have space for little tables. When we are crafting, colouring, etc. I remove all sippy cups and all food items from the dining room so they learn the difference.

Thanks for the tips on how to handle circle time with young ones.

[playfelt]

I have a tablecloth I put on the playtable during crafts - no cloth no craft. That way table stays clean for meals. So they identify with the cloth. As soon as that goes on the table the older ones will come asking wha we are going to make. It is just a cheap thing from the dollar store meant to be used once for a party so nothing fancy and I just replace every few months if necessary. Easy to just pull up and stuff on the shelf with the crayons.

My thing about the food is confusion. I am trying to teach the kids not to put stuff in their mouth but then put them in their high chair and give them an orange carrot and expect them to eat it then give them an orange crayon and get upset with them if they eat it - confusing for the child. So until they are old enough to make the distinction themselves I don't let them have craft supplies in their chair and they don't do the craft if they are unable to sit on a regular child size chair at the table.

One of the reasons they get books in their chairs is that books don't ever go in your mouth even the plastic ones at my house when you are playing. Books are special and we treat them with respect. Therefore there is no confusion with books in the highchair because they already know what they are for.

[Momof4]

Haha, yes I know, I have to say every day: Yummy food goes in your mouth, toys do not go in your mouth. I have craft mats that I put at the table but the babies are creating in their booster chairs on the trays. I tape their papers down with masking tape when colouring. A cheap tablecloth is a great idea because paint always ends up on my butcher block dark brown table outside the craft mat areas, grrrrr.