Just want to make sure

[melco]

Hi,

I have been on here a few times with questions about planning and I have been getting myself all worked up. I have asked my husband to put a template together for me for Monthly and Weekly planning, but before he goes ahead I just want to make sure that what I am doing is ok.

For my monthly planning I have a column with the themes I am going to cover for that month, a column for the different activities we can do for those themes and my last column is for the areas of learning the different activities cover.

In my monthly planning for April I have colours, singing at the library, counting.The child is only 2 and is only with me 4 hours a week on a Monday so since middle of march have only had him roughly 6 times due to all the bank holidays!! Do you feel this is enough? And how will this cover the 6 areas of learning?

For May my themes are puzzles, singing at the library, Planes (he has just been on holiday) And things that go. I was going to plan my activities around all these areas for exampla making planes and to carry on helping him with numbers I have a numberjacks puzzle.

For his little brother I would still like to cover some of these themes but he is only 1, so what else could I do for him? Again I only have him for 4 hours!!

In my weekly activity I have columns for the days of the week and then each day will have the different activities and outings for this day. I then have a board that is for my daily planning which will be filled in, in the morning and will have more details including snack and meal time, however this is a wipe away board so would this be ok?

Sorry to rant on as usual.

Thanks in advance

melco

[blue bear]

Seems to me you are over thinking.
I have an annual calendar of festivals or events to cover and a weekly plan.
Each child has a termly summative assessment where things like colours and numbers might be identified.
My weekly plan has one activity per day, we obviously do a lot more as most of the day is child led but I will lead the play into areas that I feel need developing, so if the child asked for boats in water I would talk about the colours, how many ? Biggest? Smallest etc.

Personally I would stop worrying about charts and go with the flow, knowing your child inside out will lead you in the right direction much better than any chart.

[melco]

I thought we had to do planning even if the stuff we did was child led so we have something to show ofsted that we are planning and covering all the areas of learning. Feeling like such an idiot at the moment. Once I start doing it and know exactly what I am doing I will be happy, I know I am over thinking things, just wish someone could say this is how you do it but every childminder I speak to seems to do things differently.

[blue bear]

There is no right or wrong way because what suits one minder won't suit another, if you find a way that you are comfortable with and it works then that's the way for you.

Planning does not have to be written as long as you have the confidence to talk it through with the ofsted inspector.
So you might write out activities to promote colour, I might have thought of them and incorporate them into what the child chooses to do, neither way is wrong

[melco]

OK thanks for your help. Think I may go and have a cup of tea!!!

[JCrakers]

I do a yearly planner. January might be 'white' 'snow' and 'circle' and a number
Then I incorporate religious festivals and things such as the jubilee, red nose day, bonfire night,st.georges day etc into it.
This means we cover colours, shapes, numbers, seasons, festivals and things that happen throughout the year.

My only other planning is in my observations so if I observe a child balancing on one foot for instance I plan their next steps...musical statues or balancing games.
Keeping it simple works for me :D

[Smiley]

I have a small A4 file with continuous provision all linked to themselves of EYFS and lists of resources I have and a section called vocabulary where I put the sort of questions and language to use.
I also have some individual planning for children's interests. I have never and never will have written plans for each day, so much of what we do can be spontaneous and going with the flow. It never fails to amaze me when taking the children into Pre schools and nursery, the planning usually on the notice boards and the only people that seem to read it are the childminders! :laughing:

[sarah707]

For young children the planning you write will show that you have observed their interests and needs... listened to their parents about their routines... and are doing what they need to learn and develop well.

You do not need to show group / themed planning for the little ones.

All the things you do with the little ones link to the areas of learning of the EYFS - from stroking their faces when they wake up (PSED) to counting toes as you change their nappies (Maths).

Once children are older and want to find out about things then you can start to write planning in advance for them that follows themes. Until then go with the flow of what the children want to do, enhance the toys etc with things you know they are going to enjoy doing and write some things up before and others after they have happened.

Eg. Before John arrives you have looked at obs from last week and know he likes knee bouncer songs. Your planning is to learn a new one for him.

When John arrives mum says he went to the farm at the weekend and liked the animals. You might plan to play some animal games with him.

After John leaves you realise that he has spent a lot of time today playing with his toes... your plans for next session include toe counting songs and rhymes...

Hth :D

[melco]

Thanks for all your help, I feel so much better!! X