Stations or set times for certain activities

[Daisy123]

In the past if I've had a mixed group etc and don't want all of the activities available all of the time, I've created shelves that I can close. I hinged two small shelves together (wheels on the bottom optional depending on how easily they can be moved). The back side of the shelf can be set up with a mounted felt board, chalk board or posters to "pretty it up" if wanted. It's great to hide away activities that you don't want used at certain times!

[AmandaKDT]

In a school setting the kids don't usually have free access to arts and crafts, it is always teacher controlled and initiated. The supplies may be available for them to access independently (perfect in a school setting, but not a mixed age daycare setting) but they don't get to use them whenever they felt like it. Also, going by the mood of the group is a great way to go through the transitions of your day. When I was teaching I would do the same thing, go by interest and mood of the class (and myself) to determine how the day went. Of course I had a plan for the day, but activities would be shortened, lengthened, dropped totally or added on the fly depending on how the class was that day. I have taught every grade from kindergarten to grade 8.

I have three 4 year olds, an 8 year old, a 20 month old and an 18 month old right now in my daycare. I have my toyed organized in picture labelled bins and a designated pretend play area, but I don't worry about access to certain toys at certain times of the day. I give options to the older kids whether they want to colour, do play do or board games at certain times of the day based on our schedule. Doing art is always something I preplan and it is not a free access thing.

I personally wouldn't have a free access to glue, scissors, Pom poms, etc because of concern about safety. I am extra cautious now because my youngest daughter spent a week in hospital at the beginning of December because she swallowed a board game piece and it got stuck in her throat. She had to go into surgery to get it out and then had to be on IV antibiotics because a life threatening infection started forming in her throat. She is okay now, but I think I will never get over that experience.