Let's Play!
Family Daycare: 26 Marie Street, Tewksbury, MA 781-439-0240 ChristinesCuties@gmail.com
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Daily Routine
A day at Christine's Cuties...
Every day follows the same general routine, so children know what to expect when they attend Christine's Cuties Family Daycare. Children participate in many activities to help them get ready for preschool. The timing of the activities may vary a little, depending on infant nap time and weather.
Our general routine:
The children have free play until everyone has arrived. If there is a significant amount of time until all kids arrive, we do a planned game or activity together.
Once all of the children have arrived and are settled in, we have Circle Time. We sing our hello song, our days of the week, and read our stories based on the theme for the week. We are currently going through the Alphabet, one letter per week. We have also spent time learning colors, numbers, and shapes. Infants are included in every activity, including circle time. My lap, a playmat, and different seats are available for the infants.
Following Circle Time, we make our craft for the day which is also based on our theme for the week. When infants are awake, the swing, exersaucer, jumperoo, or seat is set up next to our craft table facing the children. For holidays and special occassions, infants will make a special craft.
The children then have free play, while I spend time with infants working on their developmental goals and playing. I often encourage the other children to join in play with the infants.
Afterwards, the children all sit down together for snack. During snack time, the music is turned off so we have conversations together.
While I clean up from snack, the children clean up the toys, and we get ready to play outside. We spend time outside daily, weather permitting. The children play with the toys in the backyard, running games, ride various tricycles, cars, and push-toys in the driveway, we color with chalk, blow bubbles, jump in the leaves, go on walks throughout the neighborhood, and sing and dance. On the rainy days, we spend time on the covered back deck. We often bring our musical instruments and form a band. Kids (and I!) play music, sing, and dance while getting fresh air and getting out some energy! On the warm days, we may have snack at the kids picnic table, play with the water table, and even set up the wading pool.
Depending on the time we go inside, we either get ready for lunch or do a structured activity together.
We again sit down at the table together, with booster seats and highchairs for the kids. The music is turned off, and we talk about our theme for the week. We talk about the color of our foods, the letter they start with, what they like to play with, the holiday coming up, etc. Infants will join us at the table, either in a highchair, my lap, or in a swing or seat facing the table, depending on their developmental level.
After lunch, we clean up the food and toys, brush teeth, and get ready for nap. Each child has their own mat and sleeping bag. We have storytime all together in the nap room, including the infants, and then quiet music is turned on during naptime.
As children wake from nap, they have free play. Once all children are awake, we sit down together at the table for snack.
Afterwards, children participate in various activities I have planned, inside and/or outside depending on the weather. As the end of the day approaches, children help clean up toys and have free play until parents pick up.
The day flies by and we have a blast!
* Children wash hands before and after eating, when coming in from outside, and after messy crafts.
* Diapers are changed as needed.
* Infants sleep as needed, working towards a set naptime schedule. I set aside many times throughout the day to spend playing with infants, and working towards reaching their developmental goals.
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