I just started in a new day care facility and I work in the morning. I am in a classroom that has 9 18 month to 30 month olds. The teacher that releives me in the pm asks me 'What did they learn today?' I feel that with such a large age range, I cannot teach colors, numbers, shapes in a structured circle time. I would rather devote my attention to providing sensory activities for these children. When we play I point out shapes and colors to them with they toys that they have in their hands. Is this enough? Today we colored on newspaper with blue crayons, when they lost interest in that we tore up the newspaper in small pieces, then we all worked together to clean up the mess. Am I on the right path with this? Thanks for all of your imput!
Sounds like they learned plenty - fine motor skills of holding crayons and tearing to prepare them to learn to write listening skills when they listened and followed your directions vocabulary when you spoke to them and read them books gross motor skills when they ran around and played math readiness skills and science skills when they stacked blocks social skills when they didn't konk each other on the head with those blocks pre-literacy skills when you sang a song or played music etc., etc. Think about the 10 or 20 most common activities you do and have some stock answers to give if it is bothering you.
scmom- Thank you for the re-assurance. I felt as though that they learned alot. But, I feel that I have to over explain to some people what they did learn and why I choose the activities that I did. Are there any more activities that I can do with that age range of children? I have a few ideas but I know I am going to run out of activites soon.
I think you did a great job. Just keep doing what you are doing, it sounds like you are a natural teacher. For instance, use red crayons on wet paper next time. Keep adapting the same activity over and over, and it will work as a new activity.
Tables can be cleaned. Don't rule out an activity just to avoid a mess. Be messy on purpose. Embrace the mess. Be the mess. The crayon drawing, tearing paper, cleaning up activity that you did was perfect for that age group. It sounds like you have great instincts about what activities are appropriate for your age group of kids. Just have fun with your kids. If it sounds like fun, then try it. Finger paint, jump up and down on bubble wrap, go outside and jump in puddles after a rain storm, give them glue and glitter.....:woot:
to relay to the other teacher what they learned keep it basic and simple --she doesn't need an explaination-- just a rundown-- coloring, the color blue, practiced tearing paper, practiced working together to clean up
I remember going to pick up my son once when he was a toddler and they were all in their diapers, covered in shaving cream. :lol: They'd laid out the parachute in his classroom, gave everyone a handfull of shaving cream, and they went at it. Everyone had a wonderful time and my son to this day (he's 9) loves to use shaving cream in the tub/shower.
I love the shaving cream idea but...if I can remember correctly, accoding to our minimum standards, if a product says "keep out of the reach of children" I cannot use it in our classroom.(I'll have to look that up) Tomorrow we are going to play with soap (ha ha ha, little do they know, we are washing our hands!) and play with bubbles outside!
