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Dandeliontree
07-11-2014, 04:54 PM
Hello, I am a newly registered childminder. I'm still not sure about all of the required paperwork, what is required and what is not. How much planning is mandatory or I should say good practice? I am using a software system and I have started putting a couple of activities a day on there. Of course we do a lot more but I like the kids to have a say in what we do and it's mostly led by them. Also we have impromptu outings some days. What does everyone else do?

moggy
07-11-2014, 09:16 PM
As long as you know where all your children are in their learning, what they are working on and moving towards and you are arranging activities to support that then you are doing fine. How much you write down depends on your style- do you like it all in your head or do you like to write lots of notes? Do you feel happier with a folder to refer to with typed up sheets, or an A5 with hand written notes on the wall to look at? Or a diary to write it all in?

I often have days with no plans at all, but I have loads of resources at the ready and we make things up as we go along. The monthly Play Plan in the Free Resources on this forum is good- I do my own version, just as somewhere to note what each child might be interested in for each month- I have it on a kitchen cupboard door and we do some of it but not all! I do not do themes but we have seasonal activities I note on the Play Plan.

For under-3s I hardly plan weekly at all, except 'Mon- toddler group, Tues- out to woods, Wed- messy play at home etc' that kind of thing, but still if the sun is shining on Wed we might just forget the messy play and go to the park! Or if child asks for playdough and we are enjoying that we might skip the trip to the woods and do that another day. Sticking to a plan is not important- thinking about supporting the children's learning across all Areas and moving them on is what matters.

Over 3s you might want to start building up the adult-led activities with a bit more structure (school-prep) but still I would not tie myself to doing any particular thing on any particular day.

Writing next steps and following them up is planning in itself- do you write next steps? That is the basis of a lot of plans.

Just get started with a method and change it and change it again until it suits you. I have changed mine a million times!
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Simona
08-11-2014, 10:59 AM
Hello, I am a newly registered childminder. I'm still not sure about all of the required paperwork, what is required and what is not. How much planning is mandatory or I should say good practice? I am using a software system and I have started putting a couple of activities a day on there. Of course we do a lot more but I like the kids to have a say in what we do and it's mostly led by them. Also we have impromptu outings some days. What does everyone else do?

It sounds like you are following the HighScope method: Plan Do Review
It is the children who plan...review their experience and Plan again...in a way this is following their 'interests'...exactly what EYFs says.

Ok...non verbal children cannot do this but you can follow their interests and link broadly to the Next Steps
There are many trainers who are warning that there is too much planning...some unnecessary and too burdensome

You could look at this website...Kathy Brodie has written a book on planning but there are plenty more to get ideas from
Early Years Training and Coaching from Kathy Brodie — Page 7 (http://www.kathybrodie.com/page/7/)