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My door is open at 7:00 a.m. each weekday morning. Usually all children are here by 8:30 a.m., but it can vary. Remember, your drop off and pick up time is up to you.
Upon arrival, the children come into the family room where they each have their own "spot" set up waiting for them. Each child has their own pillow and blanket. There are basically two times during our day which the children can watch TV(for a short period of time)....arrival is one of them. Each child is greeted, says good-bye to mom or dad and then snuggles up with their blanket and pillow on their "spot".
While we are watching "Clifford" , "Dora" or "Blue's Clue's"(or the like), each child is called for a turn (with a couple of other children) at the breakfast table in the kitchen area.
Each child is offered a variety of choices at meal times. My job is to decide what to offer, where to serve it and when to serve it. Your child's job is to decide if to eat, what to eat and how much to eat. I remind the children that they are "in charge" of their tummies, so when they are full, they may be excused from the table.
Once we all have eaten, it's free choice time for a while. There are at least six rooms or areas with varied activities going on and each child can go where they please when they please. Each day the following activities are available:
1.book area
2. computer/Vsmile
3. dramatic play-play kitchen, dolls, dress up, beauty parlor,puppets, etc
4. cars/trucks/trains
5. paper, scissors, markers, crayons
6. blocks-all sorts
7. musical instruments
8. table toys- puzzles, lacing shapes, easel, etc
9. doll houses, farm-other floor toys
10. sensory table activities- sand, water, snow, noodles, etc.
11. art activity ("project") -lots of painting
Materials are rotated frequently.
Mid-morning group time follows our free choice and art. We gather on the rug and sing our "Hello" song, review the calendar, weather and introduce the days theme. Group may include a theme-based story, an interactive activity and plenty of songs and fingerplays.
After "group" we generally head outside, weather permitting (in the winter 30 degrees or above) . In the back we have a completely fenced in play yard which includes a playscape with two slides, a play house, two climbers, a tree swing and trapeze, a giant sand area, balls and many large motor toys and lots of grassy room to run around on. Out front we have a coned- off bike area with plenty of riding toys, side-walk chalk , scooters, jump ropes, water painting and much more!
We take nature walks to the rock garden at the end of the street and take an occasional field-trip off site.
After we are all "played- out" the children head back in and wash up for lunch. As I am preparing lunch in the kitchen, the children once again get out their "spots" (pillow and blanket) and watch Disney Channel or look at books quietly while waiting to be called for lunch( along with 2 or 3 other children).
Rest time/nap is after lunch. Each child has their own room and bed to sleep on. Each child has a small white noise fan in thier room as well as a lullaby CD. Everything is made as cozy as possible for each child- stuffed animals or other comfort items from home to sleep with are welcome!
Most of the children are so pooped out by rest time that even those who don't normally nap at home tend to fall right asleep! For those who don't nap, other quiet activities are offered.
Children in the program generally rest or nap from approximately 1:00- 3:00. Anyone who is not up by 3:00 is "encouraged" to wake up with a little song or gentle jiggles.
Snack is served when the children are done resting.
We generally have another "group" after snack- this afternoon gathering is most often a time for stories and music. If it has been too cold or rainy to go outside that day, we definitely have some sort of large motor activities to get our wiggles out!
Depending on the weather, we may have free choice inside for the remainder of the afternoon or we will head back outside until pick up.
In the summer or when the weather permits, we have water activities outside. Children each have swimwear that they keep here and we play in the sprinkler, water paint with brushes and buckets and squirt water bottles. We occasionally have art or music activities outside also!
Each child has an Apple Tree tote ("school bag") to take- home projects in.
When parents pick up, each child may take a penny from the penny jar to drop into the wishing well in the front yard. Sometimes this is the only way to get your child out of the house!!! (Transitions can be tough- even going from "school" to home).
And that's our day!
Each Friday we have "show & tell" (something I brought from the classroom). Every child has a "show & tell" bag which I send home in the school bag on Thursday night. On Friday morning your child brings in the bag with a special toy or item that he has picked out from home. At group time we have show & tell where your child gets a turn to show the group what he brought. Show & tell days are the highlight of the week for many children and anything (except weapon toys) that the child chooses to bring, no matter how strange, is welcome!
Each Friday the parent receives a "report card" on their child. Actually this is basically an activity card that tells what your child did each day, the activities they chose or enjoyed the most, what we covered at group time, which goals were met. On the back of the card are photos of your child involved in various activities throughout the week. (see below)
About every three months or so, all of the digital pictures that I have saved on computer ( the photos which have been printed on your weekly cards plus many more) are burned to a CD for you to keep.
Let my camera be your eyes while you are at work!
We celebrate each child's birthday with a little party with all the trimmings. We have holiday projects where parents come and participate if they wish.
The most important responsibility I have as your child's caregiver is to be sure that your child is safe, happy , learning and HAVING FUN!
Each Friday your child brings home this weekly update card showing many of his/her favorite activities and projects. On the back of this card are photos of your child busy at these activities. These cards make a great keepsake!
A PHOTO TOUR
Let me show you around the place!
 
This is a view of the front. This is one view of the back
The cones are play yard.
used for bike riding safety.
We have a
variety of little scooters,
tricycles,
and riding toys available.
Looking back into the back yard, you can
see that the entire yard is not only securely
fenced in but also surrounded by trees.
This makes us feel sort of "woodsy"
even though we are smack dab in the middle of
a subdivision!
This is the sunroom- you can see into the back yard. The sunroom isn't a child play area, but we walk thru it to get in and out of the back yard. It makes a good place to take off shoes, boots, snowpants, etc.
Just in the front entrance are hooks for coats and
"school bags". Each child has a bag to
bring home art projects and other stuff!
This is the Dramatic Play room- always available
at free choice time....
the children enjoy the kitchenette, the beauty
parlor, dress up clothes, dolls and many other
materials to foster imaginative interactions.
 
Here is one view of the kitchen area- Here is the computer area, the
this table is used for messy stuff and table used for small motor
art projects. This is where we eat our meals activities-including crayons,
too. Not pictured: double oven, sink, scissors, etc. Doll house table
stove, counter areas. is also pictured.
 
The stair landing makes a convenient The family room is where we conduct
"Library" for us! our daily group times. Here we also
have "wheel" toys, blocks and music.
 
The family room is also our resting room. Here we are at group time!
Here are some of us all sacked out.
 
Another view of the play yard out back. We have a big sandbox with lot's of cool sand toys,
a playhouse, swings, slides, climbers and all sorts of lawn toys.
This completes our tour! Not inlcuded are shots of : bathrooms and bedrooms- but you can see those when you stop by for an interview! |
