I'm glad you plan on going slowly for the first few weeks. That's really important. You will have to learn what the children like to eat, how well they sleep at naptime, what are their interests for toys, colouring, crafting - or not! Take the time to let the children get to know each other and give yourself time to observe them closely.

Then you can make a plan for the next month once they have gotten to know each other naturally without it being forced on them. Try a song once in a while or finger puppets with songs or read a story but do these things sporadically throughout the day so they get the feel for those things before you try to get them to sit still and pay attention for any length of time.

I too let the children freeplay while I prepare meals but I prep the night before as much as possible so it won't take me away from the children for very long, especially when I have a very young group. One of my tricks when I want all the children in one place whether it's so I can cook or because they are getting a little too feisty is to put them all in their booster chairs at the table and give them colouring pages or scissors and paper for practice or playdo. Sometimes that's when I do my circle time too. A 'captive audience' haha really works!