Planning for under 1s

[bulldog]

I have 2 ten month olds and always find it difficult to actually write down a "formal" plan for them.
Any ideas will be gratefully received!
As far as schemas or characteristics of learning they both like emptying the toy box and noisy cause/effect toys (but dont all babies! or am I missing something!):rolleyes:

[sarah707]

You can't possibly do 'formal' planning for babies... so don't worry about it!

Baby planning covers 2 main areas -

1. Their home / family routine which you use to ensure their care needs are met

2. Activities you plan to include in their days which you know they will enjoy

The activities are based on what parents tell you they like doing at home and what you have observed.

tipping toy boxes can lead to more activities with boxes and bags of bits and bobs for example.

No, you are not missing anything! Just show how you are following their interests and learning styles :D

[bulldog]

Thanks Sarah!
I do wonder sometimes why things have to be so flippin difficult! :huh:

[sharonmanc]

I have no formal planning, my little one is 13 months, and each day I plan what to do when she arrives, as it depends if she is tired from the night before, Friday she was shattered as woke up at 1am for mum and did not settle back down for hours. I just write in my diary things we did, what she enjoyed and what i can plan next.

she has just started walking, so we go out to the park alot and explore, she likes to be independant and loves the freedom of being outdoors.

Friday we spent in all day apart from school runs, as she loves the new play kitchen i have bought for the older ones. She liked giving me cups of tea to drink, and playing with the wooden food, so we talked through what they were etc as we played.

the only things i do plan is the art gallery mini art club which is once a month, and a rhyme time group she loves, and I plan a sensory activity at .east once a week, as she loves pasta and rice play, other days I play by ear and go by her mood. wow I have waffled on sorry

[bulldog]

Hi,
I pretty much do the same! Somehow tho I feel like Im cheating by not having a "set"plan!

[sharonmanc]

Bulldog, i feel the same, especially as i have come out of teachign where i have to plan everything to now not so much. the one set plan i do have is a claendar of festivals celbrations for the year, and durint he day I plan things loosly aroudn them for my 13 month old, so sshe can join, in whther that is clour etc, so for jubilee, i did red white and boue sensory play. My 3 year old does not go nursery so i do things in a bit more detail with her, and then i have my 2 after schoolies who are 4, so I plan an activity for them but it has to be short due to time constraints, but I do not plan indepth, as more often than not the plans change

[bezi123]

I'm getting mixed messages re planning, I have 3 x 16 month olds the rest are schoolies, I wasnt planning much really just outings, toddler groups etc then doing indiv next steps, but i spoke to my support childminder last week and she said I needed to do more planning, so this wk i planned to do things but the lil ones havnt been that interested in the activities sI have who do not sit still for anything so find it hard to plan for them other than activities like jumping in puddles, crunching leaves etc

[sarah707]

I'm getting mixed messages re planning, I have 3 x 16 month olds the rest are schoolies, I wasnt planning much really just outings, toddler groups etc then doing indiv next steps, but i spoke to my support childminder last week and she said I needed to do more planning, so this wk i planned to do things but the lil ones havnt been that interested in the activities sI have who do not sit still for anything so find it hard to plan for them other than activities like jumping in puddles, crunching leaves etc

younger children need planning that is appropriate to their needs.

There is no point in planning a themed activity for an 18 month old - they won't learn anything and you'll be frustrated that your hard work isn't being used.

Once children get a bit older - usually about 3 years - they will be more ready for focussed planning as they want to learn about the world around them and start taking more of an interest in things like plants, animals etc.

Hth :D

[Babycat]

For my one year old, I just try and adapt what the other preschoolers are doing to suit her. If the children arent interested I simply write that and what I can do to make it different. Some weeks are right on plan some arent. The thing I find most though is taht my weekly plans I used to write Sunday evenings didnt work so after I finish work I write a plan for the following day and if i dont have time go ahead and do the 'plan' in my head and write it up later. Now thats some cheating right there lol

[bulldog]

Um ok babycat, you got me I do that too!:o

Id like to think of it as retrospective planning!! :laughing:

[jaswinder bedi]

Understanding and Interest is the key.... You dont have to plan dor under one follow up on the child's interest and they are picking up single words i.e. gone, noisey, empty and so on!!!