Managing The Day

Caring for children means both managing time and space. A daily plan that suits your situation helps structure the day's activities and events. Attention to daily routines and preparing for hectic times can make your day go a lot more smoothly. when you post plans, parents can see them, and will know your plans for the week.

The Daily Plan:

A daily plan helps children learn the order of the day. They like to know that they can depend on certain daily routines. It also helps organize your day and plan a good balance of activities and experiences.

Follow these guidelines:

**Offer a balance between certain kinds of experiences, such as indoor and outdoor times; quiet and active times; time to play alone and time to play with others; and time to select activities and to join ones that you have planned.

**Pay special attention to transition times during the day, such, as: greeting children when they arrive and are separating from their parents; cleaning up after meals, art, etc.; getting ready to go outside; arrival and departure of other children; and preparing to go home.

**Reflect your unique situation: when each child arrives and leaves; when babies need to nap and be fed; and when the children have breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Keep these in mind: **Use diapering times for one-to-one experiences.

**Wait until toddlers are ready for toilet training.

**Make mealtimes enjoyable times for learning.

**Rest time can be difficult for some children: plan a quiet activity before rest time; have children bring sleep toys such as blankets, etc., give children time to settle down at their own pace; offer quiet time for those who can't sleep.

Dealing with hectic times:

**Offer independent activities in the early morning

**Quiet activities work well at the end of the day.

Sample Daily Plan

EARLY MORNING

6:30-8:30 Children arrive. Your own children may be getting ready for school or to begin the day with you. Some children need breakfast. After breakfast, infants are changed and put down to nap. Children help with the clean-up and play with table toys, read books, or listen to story tapes until breakfast and clean-up are finished. School-age children leave for school.

MORNING ACTIVITIES

8:30-9:30 Toddlers and preschool children select activities or join in a noisy group activity such as finger painting, water play, cooking, or puppet making. As babies wake up, they are brought in to join the group activity. Children help clean up after play time.

9:30-10:30 Get ready to go outside: use the toilet, wash hands, change diapers, and so on. Outdoor play and/or walks; perhaps a science project such as gardening.

10:30-11:00 Free play again--perhaps a special planned activity such as making and using playdough at the kitchen table.

LUNCH AND REST

11:00-11:30 Clean-up and story time; get ready for lunch.

11:30-12:00 Lunch Family-style lunch and conversation. After lunch, older children help put food away and clean up. Hands are washed, diapers changed, and teeth brushed.

12:00-2:30 Everyone (except, perhaps, for a baby who just woke up) has a rest period. Preschool children who can't sleep rest quietly on their mats with a quiet activity such as a book. It is reasonable to expect children to rest or play in bed quietly for 30 to 40 minutes before they are allowed to get up and begin a quiet activity. As children wake up, diapers are changed, hands are washed, and hair is combed. Cots are put away.

AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES

2:30-3:00 Children have a snack together. School-age children arrive and help themselves to a snack. Children discuss choices for afternoon activities. Clean-up follows.

3:00-4:00 Active indoor or outdoor play for all children. School-age children are invited to join in. A special project may be planned. Personal clean-up follows to prepare for going home.

LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING

4:00-4:45 Free play: children play with table toys, blocks, crayons, read books, or build with blocks.

4:45-5:00 Group story time or singing (nondisruptive play for those who don't wish to participate in the group); quiet group activity.

5:00-6:00 Children go home at staggered times. Projects are assembled, diapers changed, and parent information made ready. Children color, look at books, play with table toys until their parents arrive. Events of the day and plans for the next day are discussed with children and parents as they leave.

TIPS

**Your daily plan should allow for flexibility.

**Daily routines such as diapering and toileting, mealtimes, and rest times are as much a part of your program as the activities you plan for children. Giving some thought to how you want to handle routines will help you make the daily activities more enjoyable for you and the children.

**Use diapering times for one-on-one experiences. Diapering times are opportunities to share special moments with infants. They are times when providers and infants can get to know each other and interact without too many distractions.

**Wait until toddlers are ready for toilet training. Most children show signs of being ready to use the toilet by the time they are 24-36 months old. This important activity is part of the toddler's learning to develop self-control and independence. Providers need to work with parents to develop this important skill. Here are signs that parents and providers can look for that show when a toddler may be ready:

**They stay dry for long periods of time.

**They can remove their clothing by themselves or with a little adult assistance.

**They tug on their diapers and/or tell you when they are about to urinate or have a bowel movement.

**They can push when having a bowel movement.

**They say when they want to learn to use the toilet. It is best to wait to begin toilet training until these readiness signs are evident.

**Make mealtimes enjoyable times for learning.

**Rest time can be difficult for some children.

Here are some suggestions for making rest time a relaxing period of the day:

*Plan a quiet activity right before rest time.

*Have each child sleep in the same area.

*Encourage children to bring sleep toys or special blankets.

*Give children time to settle down at their own pace. Children should not be forced to sleep but encouraged to relax. Sleep usually follows. This is a good time to spend alone with each child.

*For children who can't sleep, offer a "quiet time." Children can read books or listen to a story for a predetermined time; then they can choose a quiet activity.

Dealing with hectic times:

*Offer independent activities during the busiest times, such as early morning.

*In mid-afternoon you may need several options, because school-agers have different needs than younger children.

*Quiet activities work well at the end of the day.

DAILY PLAN CHECKLIST

____ 1. The daily plan has sufficient time for routines.

___ 2. There is a balance between quiet and active times.

___ 3. There are times for children to play alone.

___ 4. There are times for children to play together.

___ 5. There are provider-led activities.

___ 6. There are times for free play.

___ 7. Outdoor activities are scheduled twice a day.

___ 8. The major events of the day occur in the same order each day.

____9. Sufficient time is allowed for transitions from one activity to the next.

source: WSMR Family Child Care Developmental Program Plan (DPP) FY 96

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