…learning through play

Activities

I will work together in partnership with parents and carers to ensure their child’s routine suits their needs and ages. To include naps at the usual times for younger children and required snacks and meal times, so that the children feel safe and secure. More like a home from home experience. The parents and carers are kept up-to-date with what their children are doing.

Relevant permission forms and routines will be discussed and confirmed before any child starting.

Meals can either be from home or I can provide meals for a small daily charge.

Obviously each day will differ dependant on the children’s ages, length of time spent here and likes and dislikes and prior arrangements made with parents and carers.

Basic Routine of the day …

Due to different children’s interest, what they are interested in at the time and ages, we have a very flexible routine to enable the children to expand their own interests and choose what they would like to play with – alongside more structured activities and learning to expand their knowledge and interests, working inline with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

When I arrive – I put my name sign onto a peg and put my coat, bag and shoes with it, then say hello to my friends and have a bit of free play.

We may go out on a listening walk, talking about what we can hear and see, about the weather, possibly a trip to the park or to a local shop and help choose items.

Throughout the morning – I get time to choose my own games and I also get involved with short, focused activities to help me learn through play, with lots of reading, singing, dancing, puzzles, building, may do some yoga, painting, lots of use of expressive materials and opportunities to explore nature. We also love to grow potatoes and other small vegetables – looking after them by watering them, digging them up and using them for our dinner. We always get outside at some point.

Mid-morning – we would have a snack, small glass of milk if we want, water is always available. We help to sort out the calendar so that the correct day, date and weather is showing.

We often do Jolly Phonics Letters and Sounds Phase 1 songs and actions.

We have a chance for one-to-one focus time and in groups.

Lunchtime – I wash my hands and sit at the table with my friends. I help out where I can. We can either have a cooked lunch from Stacey or bring our own packed lunch.

We then brush our teeth after lunch before either having a nap or quiet play. (With naps we try and follow the same routine as at home).

Stacey then sends a WhatsApp message to my parents / carers with a quick message about what I have been doing and possibly a photo of me.

Afternoon – time for more play or a different activity. 

I have dinner normally between 15:30 and 16:00 ish.

Home time – sometimes after a busy day I may watch a bit of TV, or play games, puzzles etc, Stacey sends another WhatsApp with the dinner information on it.

We also have a library system and book bags, so if we want to borrow a book for a while we can take it home, then bring it back once we have finished reading it.

Activities will be linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage to help your child progress and learn in a fun way.

Example of Activities.

I have various toys and activities that link to the different areas of learning and development.

For example, regularly use puzzles, which can help with problem solving skills, communication, social skills, fine motor skills, decision making skills, reasoning, concentration and attention span, intellectual / cognitive.

Bats and balls, improves their physical skills, fine motor skills, movement, gross motor skills, palmer grips, foot / eye co-ordination, throwing / catching, keeps children healthy, eye-hand co-ordination, kicking, spatial awareness, jumping movement.

Figures, food toys, these can be excellent role play toys, to expand Knowledge and Understanding of the World, social skills, communication, language and literacy, sharing, emotional development, self-confidence, listening skills.

General routines to help create a sense of well-being. Food and drink served at regular times so children know what to expect, feel more secure and emotionally stable and builds up self confidence. Also following guidelines from home regarding any routines. Encourage personal hygiene like washing hands before / after meals, to stop spread of germs and to help with self care and their independence.

Making play dough, learning about texture, colour, weight, change of state (wet / dry), quantity. Helps build social interaction, taking turns, sharing resources. Talk about texture and feel and shapes, helping with vocabulary and communication. Builds physical skills such as fine motor skills, develops strength in hands / fingers, hand / eye co-ordination. Can help them to express emotional feelings such as anger / joy, therapeutic to use. Intellectual growth such as imagination, creativeness and problem solving, mathematical development – shape and measures.

We love to do painting and drawing, which can help in a manner of ways to include, showing curiosity and positive approach to learning, being interested and motivated, helps with concentration / attention span, sense of care which all help with Personal Social Emotional Development. Using tools for a purpose for Knowledge and Understanding of the World. Communication Language and Literacy – using painting / drawing to make marks, using large motor movements to draw large circles. Interest in shapes and spaces, use big / little. Language such as positional next to, above, below by the side, shapes and patterns. Physical Development – hand / eye co-ordination, using one handed tools / equipment. Skill control, making improvements. Creative Development – colour, texture and shape, making structures, mixing colours.

Various local parks in walking distance with different equipment for the children to explore and promote physical development.

I use WhatsApp to send daily details and photos, if possible, for preschool children to the parents, which may include having other children in them, (You are not to use photos with other children in on Social Media sites without permission from the parents’). which states what sort of activities the children have been up to, details on meal times, snacks and any nappy changes.

Plus various other activities and toys.

    stacey@staceyroberts-childminding.com