Younger children

**gemmcd** · 02-01-2008, 10:11 AM

Hi - just wondering what kind of things you do with children under one. I have a 9 month baby and had him for a few weeks before Christmas - I did hand prints, made gloop, let him play with different materials whilst my 2 yr old did sticking, but it was really hard as he just wanted to eat everything! I have an 18mth starting next Monday and on her visit she didn't have much language and though liked painting was just mark making. How much can you do with younger ones? I have planned to do an all about me topic for the first month and winter stuff too, but though have lots of activities planned which I know my 2 year old will be able to do and maybe the 18mth old - I am slightly concerned that the baby won't be able to do much! Is that ok - I always put him on my lap and let him explore the art stuff but he does just try and put evrything in his mouth - is there stuff I could do with him that I am not doing at the mo?

Sorry - this is all a garble!!!

Thanks,

I love this forum!!!

Gemmax

**sarah707** · 02-01-2008, 10:15 AM

I'd have a look through Angel's birth to 3 stuff at the bottom of here...

http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/fo...splay.php?f=19

I've adapted loads of it for under 1s... and as for him not doing much, he's learning huge amounts simply by interacting and watching the others, so don't beat yourself up so much!! xx

**gemmcd** · 02-01-2008, 10:22 AM

Thanks Sarah - just looked and have a few more ideas now!!!

Right time to go and get dressed and get my own kids dressed - I have just noticed the time!!! The joys of holidays!!!

gemmax

**bubbly** · 02-01-2008, 02:01 PM

Gemma, I'm minding a 10 week old baby and know exactly what you mean. I'm struggling to write things in his Daily Diary because all he does is have his bottle and sleep.

**Spangles** · 02-01-2008, 05:33 PM

I care for a 9 month old and he does loads of stuff with me but I know what you mean, it feels like I'm not doing much but I know that I am!

I have started baby signing with him - we look out of the window and I talk about things we see and I've started doing the sign for 'bird' and 'dog'. I talk to him about birds, clouds, houses, the weather..... I know he doesn't understand much but I did it with my son from when he was first born and his language now is amazing!

I have a treasure basket thing he explores.

I have an activity box from Argos that he loves - getting things out, pressing the buttons and the drum, playing with the balls in the funnel.

We play ball - mainly me rolling it to him and things like that!

I blow bubbles for him which he tries to 'catch' and burst.

I sit with him and sing nursery rhymes to him.

I go on this baby site with him which is listed in the resources section and we go on the farm animal site - he hits the space bar so different animals come up and then I do the noises!

Poor little man - I've only just noticed what nonsense he has to put up with! Ha ha!

He only comes for 3 hours twice a week over my sons nap times at the moment so we can't go out but I still think we do quite a bit?

Hope some of that is helpful?

**manjay** · 02-01-2008, 05:50 PM

That doesn't sound like nonsense Lorri! It's sounds like fun to me and especially if you only have him for a few hours a week.

amanda xx

**LittleMissSparkles** · 02-01-2008, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Lorri

I care for a 9 month old and he does loads of stuff with me but I know what you mean, it feels like I'm not doing much but I know that I am!

I have started baby signing with him - we look out of the window and I talk about things we see and I've started doing the sign for 'bird' and 'dog'. I talk to him about birds, clouds, houses, the weather..... I know he doesn't understand much but I did it with my son from when he was first born and his language now is amazing!

I have a treasure basket thing he explores.

I have an activity box from Argos that he loves - getting things out, pressing the buttons and the drum, playing with the balls in the funnel.

We play ball - mainly me rolling it to him and things like that!

I blow bubbles for him which he tries to 'catch' and burst.

I sit with him and sing nursery rhymes to him.

I go on this baby site with him which is listed in the resources section and we go on the farm animal site - he hits the space bar so different animals come up and then I do the noises!

Poor little man - I've only just noticed what nonsense he has to put up with! Ha ha!

He only comes for 3 hours twice a week over my sons nap times at the moment so we can't go out but I still think we do quite a bit?

Hope some of that is helpful?

sounds fab Lorri he's a very lucky little boy xxx

**bubbly** · 02-01-2008, 07:55 PM

I'm struggling to write my weekly activity plan for the 10 week old. The Daily Diary is a little easier but the weekly plan is baffling me completely! He's too young for a treasure basket, although I plan on doing that when he's slightly older. He's just started taking notice when I speak to him and gives me lovely smiles. He's also just beginning to take notice of his baby gym. Lorri, what you do sounds wonderful and I want to do it too but he just seems too young. Has anyone got any ideas?

**angeldelight** · 02-01-2008, 08:01 PM

Why not use the actiivity ideas that I did for the Birth to Three ?

They are aimed at young babies and go up to children of 3 you just have to adapt them for whatever age - most of them are common sense

Have you looked at them

You can write them very much the way I have - use that in your diary

The weekly plan - why bother with it ?

I do not my days are all different and I very rare plan anything - just go with the flow there is no big deal

You can use the activities though that I have put here and use those to plan what you are going to do that week

If you are minding the baby for say 5 hours you do not have to do activities for that length of time
You can adapt normal playing so much

Stop worrying so much about your paperwork and have fun with baby

You will then notice you are doing most of what you should be doing anyway without even trying

Angel xx

**bubbly** · 02-01-2008, 09:05 PM

Thanks Angel (I always seems to be saying that lately

). I'd already reached the conclusion I need to ditch the weekly activity plan - it just doesn't work for the baby and surely by keeping a Daily Diary the week is covered too. I'll certainly be doing activities with the baby that I've written in my B23 medium-term plan. Those activities will be written in the Daily Diary too.

I'm going to keep a weekly plan for the 3 Year old as I think she benefits from knowing what we're going to do. But I won't be sticking rigidly to it. If we decide to walk to the shops one afternoon instead of staying-in painting, then so be it! Spontaneous is good