Scheduling

Some child day care providers like to follow a daily schedule, doing the same activities at approximately the same time every day. Others like to be more spontaneous, responding to everyone's moods and the opportunities that come along. If you like tight schedules, you may need to be more flexible, because young children are spontaneous; they have their best moments without any warning.

A good child day care provider observes the children for activity ideas. Sometimes these activities require planning and sometimes they don't. Put your planning energy into setting up a rich environment -- set the stage for children to come up with their own ideas. Everyday living will provide many of the activities. Learning to put on a jacket, spreading peanut butter on a cracker, playing peek-a-boo with a baby -- these are important activities for young children. Ideally you should have a variety of activities on hand. Keep a list of possibilities to choose from when something is needed.

Watch the children's natural tendencies to help you plan an effective sequence for the day. If they are creative during the morning, that is a good time for learning (e.g., alphabet, numbers, art activities). If they tend to get rowdy after a snack, that is the time to go outside. If they are sleepy and cuddly after waking from their naps, reading stories might be a successful activity. If school-age children resist structured activities when they arrive, they should be allowed free-play time.

You will need to adjust your routines as new children bring different needs and personalities to the group. Each group of children is different. You can plan activities, but make sure you flow with children's natural tendencies rather than oppose them. A good policy for planning is to alternate between active and quiet times, structured and unstructured activities and together and private times.

Be sure to inform parents what has happened during the day. If you follow a schedule, post it on the bulletin board or include it in your parents' handbook. If you don't follow a schedule, you can list the day's activities. Parents are usually eager to find out what their children have been doing. Informing them builds communication and helps parents recognize your efforts and respect your perceptions.

Related Articles:

Curriculum for Child Day Care

Developmental Activites for a Child Day Care