Quote Originally Posted by teddybear View Post
Wow! Do I feel inferior. lol. Good for you, you sound like you run a fabulous daycare. I hope your families know how lucky they are. I'm finding it hard to get motivated for crafts right now as two of my three preschoolers (19 mths and 23mths) just put everything in their mouths, or throw it on the floor. The 2.5 yr old likes simple crafts, but has a very short attention span. My 2 schoolagers (6 and 4) love crafts, but things are too crazy after school as they always want help. I might just wait for after Christmas, when they're here full days and we can craft at nap time. I would never want to give up a weekend day for daycare, but I also don't take holidays so maybe that's why.
The Party is 3-6 so its not a full day. Yes lots of prep work, but I take incredible joy in seeing the families enjoy themselves and to some extent it is just part of the job. There are many evenings and weekends that are dedicated to daycare. Meal prepping, activity planning, interviewing and following up on behaviour plans with families. This is just another of those things. If I felt like I was giving up something then I for sure wouldn't do it. Also I know a lot of providers have young children. Mine are teenagers and so it's not like they are as depndent on me the same way little ones are which would for sure make things a little more difficult. My kids have already decided for themselves what they are doing. My daughter is putting together the veggie tray from scratch, cheaper than a bought one, and my son is going to pack up the cars with my husband of all the gear we need. Once at the rental hall my daughter is putting up the artificial tree and decorating it with the daughter of a daycare mum who is coming early with all the baked goods, and my son will be helping to set up lots of the activities and set out chairs. I get to spend time with my family at the same time too and they also contribute. Myh husband and kids are always at these parties and I really do enjoy them.

I've had my fair share of awful times during my career in daycare. My last group were honestly such a handful. We literally never did crafts and it was such a shame but I wasn't going to stress myself over it. When I have a group who don't like crafts or are hardwork to do crafts, I tend to go for sensory and maliable play instead. Even the crafts are really about the process for the child. Keepsakes are of course nice, but the kids can still get the same out of sensory activities that can be easily themed without actually crafting. What I would do with the mouthers is give them some of the dry craft supplies to play with in a highchair on the tray. No glue or anything and if things get chewed up a little it isn't the end of the world. That way they are having some kind of sensory experience, they are contained and involved, all the while I can get on with more specific crafts with those able to work independently and amicably with some assistance from me. Eventually those younger ones can come out of the high chairs and join in. That being said, as an after thought, those ages I would likely discipline. They shouldn't be mouthing and while I understand picking your battles and avoiding certain activities, I would probably be inclined to have them at my level with a sensory activity which didn't involve anything wet for any child and be on their case constantly with No's and corrections everytime they go to mouth to teach them that this is unacceptable behaviour.