View Full Version : I just cant fit it all in!
Minstrel
23-11-2009, 01:23 PM
I have 4 children in the EYFS
Child A is 3pm till 5pm after nursery 4 days a week
Child B is 5 hours on a tues
Children C and D are ad hoc.
With all the festivals/ following nurseries plans (continuing from other provisions) / child lead play / daily routine (getting home/ snack/ lunches/ naps) / and use of continuous provisions
I am struggling to fit it all in!!!!!!
My planning started off quite good but these days its one thing a week cos i know we just wont get round to it. Subsequently many festivals and impoartant dates are being by passed with not even a mention!
HELP! How do you fit it all in when they are just part time?
patevans
23-11-2009, 01:28 PM
I am the same, just cant fit it all in I have 4 in the EYFS too!
Its a never ending battle :angry:
HELEN10
23-11-2009, 04:22 PM
Me too, what with out almost every morning, messy play, music etc etc, i then pick up at nursery at 12 then 2 year old has to have a nap (orders from mum) then its school out at 3 and she goes home at 3.45, hardly fit anything in for her.
Have one other 18mth part time and just half days so again not much time if we are out in the morning. Do more with the 3 year old who is at nursery even though he is afternoons only simply because he does not have a sleep!
HELEN10
Jules12Wed
23-11-2009, 06:58 PM
I have 6 in the EYFS: 2 are two days a week, 3 are 1 day a week and 1 is 4 days.
The one who is here 4 days is okay and the 2 days a week are not too bad but the three that are only here one day a week and one of them is at nursery so I collect her at 11.30. One I collect at 9.00 and he goes at 4.00. By the time you fit in breakfast, lunch, sleep, school runs and toddler group there is no time for anything else.
singingcactus
23-11-2009, 07:21 PM
Bah, fit it what you can and what is relevant to the kids you have. No worries about researching loads of festivals, their level of understanding is such that it is not worth losing hair over. If you feel you need to cover all festivals etc, then just provide a colouring page and quickly chat about what you see in the picture etc.
The children will learn about various festivals when they get to school, we just need to concentrate on the children's own communities in the early years. They have little concept of China or new year let alone that China has a different new year to us!
I am not saying that we shouldn't be teaching about other cultures or festivals, just that we should make good choices about what we stress over. And not telling the three year old about the ancient deer dance festival in August is not something we need to be losing sleep over. Over stimulating them and forcing too much information onto little people developing minds is.
So, forget about the festivals a bit, plan to talk to them if the time is there, but concentrate on having a blast with your kids :)
Dragonfly
23-11-2009, 07:29 PM
Agree with singingcatus so much, what does 1 1, 2 or 3 year wont to know about another countries festival???
Dragonfly
23-11-2009, 07:29 PM
that was meant to be 1,2 or 3 year old!!! 11 year old might want to know!
Minstrel
23-11-2009, 07:39 PM
Agree with singingcatus so much, what does 1 1, 2 or 3 year wont to know about another countries festival???
Your right and my mindees are even younger!
two 3 yr olds
a 13month old
a 10 month old
:blush:
i'll calm down now!
i think the same, how to fit it all in i write my plannin down n never get round to doin half of them in the wk i used to worry bout it but dont any more wat i dont do i just pass onto the next wk.
Glad it's just not me then..... I've got 2 x 2 year olds, a 4 year old and trying to fit planning around them all just doesn't happen.
I try to do individual planning for the 2 year olds and focus on their interests and their development, but being a boy and a girl their interests are totally different.
I just hope i'm doing the right thing?
Joannechildmind
24-11-2009, 05:45 PM
I just do what i can and what i dont have time 4 doesnt get done,i have got to the point now where i think my kids have got to come first.
mama2three
24-11-2009, 07:03 PM
the majority of EYFS can be covered through your routines and continuous provision without needing lots of extra 'thematic' planning. One of my 3 year olds next steps are putting on her own coat and recognising numbers to 5 - all done on the school run mainly.
I do feel for my littlest mindee who doesnt get a lot of play and learning time at home - only here 4 hrs and forever picking up , collecting , napping and because hes forward facing in the buggy I tend not to communicate with him so much 'on the move'.
its hard to get the balance for everyone and document everything positively. I am soo behind on my paperwork!!!