My Setup/Activities Today - What Could I Add?

[SunflowerMama]

So I stopped with my pre-packaged curriculum and want to make sure I'm providing enough for the kids during the day.

We still do circle everyday and usually 2 guided crafts a week. The rest of the time I just like to leave activities out for them to choose from.

I'm just wondering if this is enough or if I should provide more. Not pictured are our wooden and cardboard blocks, kitchen home living area and dress up and I always have at least 2 puzzles out for them to work on and barbies.

Do you think this is enough?

[countrymom]

looks good to me, I also have a sorting tray out and locks (you know the ones where the kids find which key fits, its their favorite all time activity)

[daycare]

I am doing the same as you are... Looks like from the pictures you were also using MGT...

I have decided to change my entire schedule around and am actually wondering the same as you are.

I have decided that every monday is going to be all about building relationships, sharing, communicating, probelm solving, social skills. Lots of free play. The reason for this is that on Monday's most of my kids are still in "weekend mode" and I have a hard time getting them to jump straight into a rountine of learning right off the back. We will have free art in the afternoon after nap.

Tuesdays: we are focusing on reading, language arts, dramatic play, follow directions art and doing zoo phonics/ writing

Wednesday: is split with math and science as well as more free play. This is the day I bust out all of the blocks and things for them to build with.

Thursday: back to zoo phonics, reading and more dramatic play, free art and writing.

friday: We use tuesday-thursday lessons and do a recap of everything we learned.

every day we have circle time, dancing/singing/music and some sort of free play....

[DCMom]

They should be busy little bees today ~ it looks good!

ps: I LOVE your reading corner

[SimpleMom]

I think you've got quite a bit of fun and exciting things for the kids to enjoy...structured and/or unstructured!! :0)

The only thing I can think of off of the top of my head (and more than likely you do this already) is maybe a sensory table or bin for them for water/sand/beads/oatmeal/hay, etc.).
Have fun and great set-up by the way!!

[DancingQueen]

So jealous of your craft table.
I used to always have one out for my kids but i can't with the daycare kids. They are just too destructive right now. Maybe their age? I don't know what I'm doing wrong. But even your reading area wouldn't work. The pillows would be used for throwing them at eachother etc. I really hate it

[SunflowerMama]

Originally Posted by daycare

I am doing the same as you are... Looks like from the pictures you were also using MGT...

I have decided to change my entire schedule around and am actually wondering the same as you are.

I have decided that every monday is going to be all about building relationships, sharing, communicating, probelm solving, social skills. Lots of free play. The reason for this is that on Monday's most of my kids are still in "weekend mode" and I have a hard time getting them to jump straight into a rountine of learning right off the back. We will have free art in the afternoon after nap.

Tuesdays: we are focusing on reading, language arts, dramatic play, follow directions art and doing zoo phonics/ writing

Wednesday: is split with math and science as well as more free play. This is the day I bust out all of the blocks and things for them to build with.

Thursday: back to zoo phonics, reading and more dramatic play, free art and writing.

friday: We use tuesday-thursday lessons and do a recap of everything we learned.

every day we have circle time, dancing/singing/music and some sort of free play....

See I think this is great. Gives a little structure while still allowing a lot of freedom. That is what I'm looking to do and I think if I sat down and tried to come up with a consistent weekly schedule it would really help me in my planning.

[daycare]

Originally Posted by SunflowerMama

See I think this is great. Gives a little structure while still allowing a lot of freedom. That is what I'm looking to do and I think if I sat down and tried to come up with a consistent weekly schedule it would really help me in my planning.

seriously I was pulling my hair out trying to live by a darn book. (MGT) I felt like i had to jump through hoops sometimes to get it all in and then I was always stressed when we could not. I felt like the kids were also not responding as well with the MGT and that it did not offer the free creativity that i wanted the kids to explore.

your setup looks amazing. I have all white walls right now and am thinking about doing something like you did.. I am gonna have to steal that tree with the swing...so so so cute..love it

BTW I set up our calendar at the start of the month. I use to write the exact things we would do, but now I just use the schedule I gave you and I find the kids and I a LOT happier...

[SunflowerMama]

Originally Posted by daycare

seriously I was pulling my hair out trying to live by a darn book. (MGT) I felt like i had to jump through hoops sometimes to get it all in and then I was always stressed when we could not. I felt like the kids were also not responding as well with the MGT and that it did not offer the free creativity that i wanted the kids to explore.

your setup looks amazing. I have all white walls right now and am thinking about doing something like you did.. I am gonna have to steal that tree with the swing...so so so cute..love it

BTW I set up our calendar at the start of the month. I use to write the exact things we would do, but now I just use the schedule I gave you and I find the kids and I a LOT happier...

I'm definitely going to give it a shot. I felt like I was getting so stressed out too with MGT and I was doing 80% of the crafts for them which took away from it. So I'm going to try something loose and see how it goes! Thanks for the tree comment btw. I love that thing!! A friend of mine did it for us...so great!!

[daycare]

my ex husband is here in town right now and he is an amazing artist.. I am going to ask him if he will paint somethingt like that for me before he leaves to go back...keeping my fingers crossed..

let me know what you come up with for your weekly lessons, sounds like you and I are use a very similar approach to teaching the kids..

[godiva83]

Looks great! I am sure the kids will enjoy their day!
Good job, and I love your space very fresh, bright and engaging

[AfterSchoolMom]

I think your set up is awesome!!! I adore that wooden marker holder thing. Where'd you get that? I have mine in a big basket and have to throw out dried up markers w/ no tops ALL the time.

[daycare]

Originally Posted by AfterSchoolMom

I think your set up is awesome!!! I adore that wooden marker holder thing. Where'd you get that? I have mine in a big basket and have to throw out dried up markers w/ no tops ALL the time.

great point... I throw away a ton of markers..they are all in little buckets and the kids toss them in without lids all the time.. That is a greaholder you have it will force them to have to recap to put it away....

[jen2651]

Originally Posted by countrymom

looks good to me, I also have a sorting tray out and locks (you know the ones where the kids find which key fits, its their favorite all time activity)

where did you get your keys and locks? I would love some!

[Abigail]

SunflowerMomma and Daycare......
I'm on the same page as you, just not opened yet! I don't want to waste money on a curriculum because the general cost of running a family child care is expensive when you add everything up. Especially when I first start I need to buy infant items.

I have a decent supply of school supplies so I'll be ready for all the arts and crafts possible! I'm trying to come up with a M-F routine for what we focus on. What topics did MGT recommend you do daily? It looks like it followed some sort of routine that you bounced your current schedule off of?

Right now I'm planning just art and science activities with a certain topic and will then assign the topics to a certain time of year of specific week like the holidays would have their own specific week and the rest could rotate each year. I was thinking 2 art and 2 science per week, is that too much? I plan to do music, physical activity, the basic k skills during circle time, and reading many many books every day. I'm looking for a weekly schedule of each day I guess.

[daycare]

I would say that you need to find what works best for. You. I have gone through a lot of trial and error. The schedule I have posted here I recenly started and am loving it. I think that different things work with different groups. I really like to let the kids set the tone and then I try to plan around that.
I can share with you some pages from mgt that I scanned so u can get an idea of how it is....

[SunflowerMama]

Originally Posted by AfterSchoolMom

I think your set up is awesome!!! I adore that wooden marker holder thing. Where'd you get that? I have mine in a big basket and have to throw out dried up markers w/ no tops ALL the time.

I got it from Discount School Supply and LOVE it!! If I could do it again I would have purchased 2. The kids are great about using one marker at a time and recapping it before getting a new one. WONDERFUL!! And it's only $9...totally worth it!

http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/...&Brand=&Price=

[countrymom]

Originally Posted by jen2651

where did you get your keys and locks? I would love some!

I bought them from the dollar store, they are the big heavy duty ones. You should see their faces when they discover that they can open a lock.

[countrymom]

I need to buy the marker holder, one for the daycare kids and one for my own kids

[SilverSabre25]

I need the marker holder and some locks and keys.

[Country Kids]

I just ordered MGT last week because I was so exhausting myself trying to do "My Own Thing". It was costing me more in ink, paper and supplies than what I will be spending ordering MGT. My parents love that I do "Pre-school" with the children. I have been doing this 14 years and the years that I did MGT went alot better than doing my own thing. I love doing my own thing but it was taking me about 2 hours a night to get everything ready plus the cost. We will have lots of free time still and things like that but still have an opportunity to do things.

Your set up looks so fun! How do you get the children to keep everything at the "station"? Mine take things all over the room-its small so maybe thats why. I rotate my toys out though and don't have a ton out anymore so that does make clean up so much easier!

[Sprouts]

Sorry but what is MGT???

[SunflowerMama]

Originally Posted by Mstein

Sorry but what is MGT???

Mother Goose Time. It's a pre-packaged curriculum. Love their CDs and a lot of their supplies are fun and colorful I just wasn't a huge fan of the crafts just because I ended up doing most of it for them.

[ninosqueridos]

I don't have any ideas but just wanted to tell you your setup is beaauuuuuuuutiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[countrymom]

I wanted to add, that I switched over about 2 months ago, and its working out pretty good. I find that the kids love the art caddy (the drawer on wheels) I keep it stocked with stuff and they love that they can do art any time they want. I always switch up and find that they love it, like wooden puzzles or I bought these new snap toys from tru. The train table lets them build anything they want, its amazing. I find that I'm not so stressed out doing cirriculum. We are still working on cleaning up the stations but its going.

[Sprouts]

oooh ok thanks....has anyone tried funtime express?? i orderred the trial curriculum and my daughter loves it, oh and btw I can't see any pictures???? I would love to though