would you rather not plan?

[ziggy]

Thankfully we dont have Ofsted here so dont have to show planning, obs etc etc. Having come from a nursery/school background I have always had daily routine and some sort of planning.

However at the moment I have one child about to go to school, two little ones, aged 3, and a 7month old baby. We go out 2 mornings a week to toddlers and soft play, get outside as often as possible with Irish weather and love going to the park.

One 3 yr old leaves after lunch and other sleeps 2hrs every afternoon.

On days we're not out and about the little ones just love to play freely. Toy boxes are in spare room and they choose what they want out. Baby is an angel so far, eating and sleeping lots in garden.

Recently I've found I hardly do any organised craft activities as they just arent interested. We do father's day cards etc.

So my question is: If you didnt have to keep Ofsted happy would you plan activities or just let children decide and go with the flow? The children are more than happy with 'free play', parents are happy with way i do things, social services inspect every year and dont complain.

[bunyip]

I'm willing to bet you do far more planning than you realise.

The whole EY sector seems obsessed with planning, and thinks if it's not written down, it ain't planning. B0110X :mad:

When, with your hands in the sink tonight, you think, "what shall we do tomorrow?" - that's planning. :thumbsup:

When you see an event coming up in the local area and think, "hey, little Tommy will like that" - you're planning. :thumbsup:

And simply knowing what interests wee Matilda, what she can already do and what might stretch her just that little bit further - you're planning, dear heart. :thumbsup:

Choosing a library book for Asif - hey, don't look now, but you're planning again. :thumbsup:

Simply choosing which resources to buy and make available for 'free play' is planning too. :thumbsup:

It's only the 'experts' (Ofsted inspectors, DO's, assessors or qualifications, etc.) who can't cope unless they have it written down for them to see.) :p

[AliceK]

I'm willing to bet you do far more planning than you realise.

The whole EY sector seems obsessed with planning, and thinks if it's not written down, it ain't planning. B0110X :mad:

When, with your hands in the sink tonight, you think, "what shall we do tomorrow?" - that's planning. :thumbsup:

When you see an event coming up in the local area and think, "hey, little Tommy will like that" - you're planning. :thumbsup:

And simply knowing what interests wee Matilda, what she can already do and what might stretch her just that little bit further - you're planning, dear heart. :thumbsup:

Choosing a library book for Asif - hey, don't look now, but you're planning again. :thumbsup:

Simply choosing which resources to buy and make available for 'free play' is planning too. :thumbsup:

It's only the 'experts' (Ofsted inspectors, DO's, assessors or qualifications, etc.) who can't cope unless they have it written down for them to see.) :p

I agree with all this and this is more or less what I have written in my SEF for the reasons that I no longer do written planning. Mrs O was fine with this at my last inspection earlier this year. I had my case all ready to argue but didn't have to in the end. Written planning is IMO a waste of time. I know my mindees well and I don't have to write down what I plan for them, I do have a memory (albeit a failing one, it's an age thing.)

xxxx

[EmmaReed84]

I plan retrospectively. I will write an observation (either a planned observation or just jot down something I can use - i.e. made a comment about carrots being carrots and not vegetable - light bulb moment for more activities)

I will write ideas down on the observation for future play ideas and how I can incorporate the "learning objective" for want of a better word.

I go with the flow, the only thing that is in my weekly planner ahead of time is their playschool schedule and toddler group times. The rest is blank, On Monday mindee might come and want to play with the cars, they might notice the marks the wheels leave on the carpet - I will then think about getting the paints out in the afternoon to continue on with their ideas.

Monday evening I will then put in the blank spaces AM - Free play. Car box- F said "Look Emma, there is lines on the carpet" PM Planned activity. Paints and cars- Mark making with various toys in the plain. The last section is an evaluation of the day and ideas for future play again.

This continues on like it. I also like the idea of children planning the activities so I will ask what they would like to do, and if I know I am working on say, sorting, then I will incorporate that in the activity they chose (If I can)

Not sure if any of that makes sense lol

[Mouse]

I do very little written planning (I would say none, but I'm sure I must write something down now & again!)

We probably do 90% free play, but it's very often with planned resources.

Eg. I will have a 2yr old this afternoon who loves dinosaurs & is learning her colours. Among all the other toys that are freely accessible, I'll put these out:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Resources-Mini-Dino-Counters/dp/B000296LQ6

along with the matching coloured bowls & tweezers. I won't direct her on how to play with them, they'll be out for her to play with as she wants. But while she's playing I'll throw in the odd question - how many purple ones have you got, can you find me a yellow one, look, that red one is the same colour as your socks etc. Or I'll sit sorting dinosaurs into coloured bowls & see if she copies.

I'm guessing she'll play for a while, then go off and get some shopping bags (put out because I know she likes them) and fill them with dinosaurs.

Tomorrow I'll have a 3yr old who is learning to write. I'll put out the magnetic boards like these:

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Number Maze: Amazon.co.uk: Toys & Games (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Melissa-Doug-Magnetic-Number-Maze/dp/B00272N8XA)

Along with the writing activity sheets I've printed out & laminated. I will give her a bit more guidance on those, but it won't be a set activity that she has to sit & do. She enjoys them, so she'll chose to do them herself.

I suppose what I do is planned free play!

We do at least one craft activity a week. This week it is planned as one of the children is leaving, so the others are making cards for him. More often than not though we do something on the spur of the moment, in response to something we've seen, or something the children tell me. Eg. a mindee came one day, full of excitement that he had a new kitten. We looked at some kitten pictures on the internet, then made cat collages.

I tend to do spontaneous planning, if that's not an oxymoron!

[jackie 7]

Thanks you so much mouse. While they are sleeping I will order both. I have wanted the magnetic board since I saw it at a friends. The dinosaurs look great. Thanks for the ideas. As for planning yes we all do it every day I just don't write it down but will start as ofsted coming at some stage.

[clareelizabeth1]

I do plan in my head but never write anything down. It never goes to plan anyway so there is no point writing it down just a waste of paper.

[jadavi]

I agree totally with bunyip - we should print her post at the front of our planning files as it is a lovely 'catch all' letter!
I go with the flow too and found the 6 long term continuous provision sheets and individual mindee planning sheets covers everything. (See my other posts - am happy to share)
I have just ended the cycle of individual planning sheets and filling in the small assessment box and starting the next ones ( every half term)
I really like them - it takes 10-15 mins a child every 8 weeks and I stick them in the LJ
It's like a little written report every two months with the follow up assessment and parents appreciate it. Continuous play provision takes care of the rest . They don't need to be redone. That way you are justified.
i used to do it only for Ofsted and resented it hugely especially when they didn't even look at it. These sheets however are for me and the parents and its a bonus that Ofsted loved them.

[FussyElmo]

Im sure bunyip would be delighted if we did. Not so delighted at you have changed him into a woman though lol lol lol

[smurfette]

Great thread Ziggy as I am in same boat as you so interesting to hear responses ..
Bunyip is right we do more than we think!

[BlondeMoment]

I think I'd plan a few things on a weekly basis so I could be prepared for dull moments etc.
But I wouldn't be writing it all out like we have to :)

[JCrakers]

Im sure bunyip would be delighted if we did. Not so delighted at you have changed him into a woman though lol lol lol

:laughing:

Im a lot like Mouse... I dont plan as such but everything I do is planned around the child. I know my children and know what stage they are out so for instance, I wouldn't sit my 4yr old down with a 4 peice jigsaw when I know for a fact that she can do a 40 piece one. :D
I know my 3yr old likes to draw and is writing her name, I know she loves the dolls and the farm set so plan around these.
My two yr old loves dinosaurs so activities planned around these but I don't write them down.

[bunyip]

Im sure bunyip would be delighted if we did. Not so delighted at you have changed him into a woman though lol lol lol

I was thinking of joining the W.I. - they have cake. :D

[donna porter]

Thankfully we dont have Ofsted here so dont have to show planning, obs etc etc. Having come from a nursery/school background I have always had daily routine and some sort of planning.

However at the moment I have one child about to go to school, two little ones, aged 3, and a 7month old baby. We go out 2 mornings a week to toddlers and soft play, get outside as often as possible with Irish weather and love going to the park.

One 3 yr old leaves after lunch and other sleeps 2hrs every afternoon.

On days we're not out and about the little ones just love to play freely. Toy boxes are in spare room and they choose what they want out. Baby is an angel so far, eating and sleeping lots in garden.

Recently I've found I hardly do any organised craft activities as they just arent interested. We do father's day cards etc.

So my question is: If you didnt have to keep Ofsted happy would you plan activities or just let children decide and go with the flow? The children are more than happy with 'free play', parents are happy with way i do things, social services inspect every year and dont complain.

I'm up in Northern Ireland and we don't need all this planning stuff either . I pretty much do the same as you. I think it's better for their imagination anyways. Sometimes I think all these rules etc can force play on children. We all played freely when we were kids x

[ziggy]

thanks for replies, was feeling that maybe I should be doing more.

Went to soft play today as end of holiday treat, then took baby for lovely walk in sunshine.

Gonna just play it by ear in future and enjoy

[SteffiM]

Of course!

[The Juggler]

I'm willing to bet you do far more planning than you realise.

The whole EY sector seems obsessed with planning, and thinks if it's not written down, it ain't planning. B0110X :mad:

When, with your hands in the sink tonight, you think, "what shall we do tomorrow?" - that's planning. :thumbsup:

When you see an event coming up in the local area and think, "hey, little Tommy will like that" - you're planning. :thumbsup:

And simply knowing what interests wee Matilda, what she can already do and what might stretch her just that little bit further - you're planning, dear heart. :thumbsup:

Choosing a library book for Asif - hey, don't look now, but you're planning again. :thumbsup:

Simply choosing which resources to buy and make available for 'free play' is planning too. :thumbsup:

It's only the 'experts' (Ofsted inspectors, DO's, assessors or qualifications, etc.) who can't cope unless they have it written down for them to see.) :p


ditto! well said bunny

[jackie 7]

Dinosaurs are great. Just got them and sorting bowls just trying to stop 2 1/2 year old eating them.

[smurfette]

Dinosaurs are great. Just got them and sorting bowls just trying to stop 2 1/2 year old eating them.

Are they very small
Jackie?

[jackie 7]

No they are great about 8 cms or a bit bigger. Such fun difficult child had with them. Must find tweezers.