Formal programming

[DaycareLady]

I don't think you are being lazy! This kind of goes with my earlier post about wanting to run more of a pre-school so I could do more teaching but it is SO hard with the different age groups. I will be following this post to see what others say.
My group loves circle and I don't make it an option...we have special mats and everyone gets their own, we review the month, the day of the week, the weather, the season...I have a "days of the week" song and a "weather song" that all my 2 year olds know now and I think this will benefit them when they go to school as all JK classes do a similar circle and I think it is important for them to learn to sit and listen at this time. We then do a few songs, mostly action songs that keep them moving and jumping around, and then we do some stories where I teach them signs for some of the things in the stories...followed by stretches and yoga. All of this takes about 20 mins but I feel like they get the most learning at that time and I love hearing them repeating some of the stuff the have learned at circle later on in the day! My babies love circle too and will sit and dance. My 14 month old will actually get the circle mat, sit on the carpet and point to calendar! If anything, I say continue with that. I was for some time, following circle, setting the toddlers up at the table with a colouring sheet to do and going over how they write their name, the letters in their name, etc.