Worried about becoming stale???

[Newbie1!]

Happy weekend everyone - Im hoping you lovely peeps can give me some tips and advice (as usual!!)

I have been thinking a bit lately about the activities we do, outings etc and I am concerned that all the things i do are getting a bit samey.

Toddler group, park, craft, painting - there never seems to be anything any different - or maybe a variation to painting - crayoning!!

Im just concerned that the parents of children who I have for a few days a week are thinking that the activities we do dont vary much. Ive read back through some handover diaries and its park, soft play, sure start centre, painting, park.........

Can anyone give me any new ideas to liven things up a bit which will keep the mindees and parents happy?? I do lots of crafts and creative things but they all basically seem to end up the same (but a variation!) halloween craft, christmas craft, autumn craft...!! Im sure you get what Im getting at so any help much appreciated!!! xxxx

[nikki thomson]

Hi, I take mine swimming, every week they love it, so do the parents as not many cm do it. Xx

[The Juggler]

visit a farm, have a change of toddler group, just go the park and feed the ducks, go on a big park adventure through the woods (buggies permitting).

get the kids mark making outside on the patio, chalks, water and paintbrushes. Get them dressed up and digging for wiggly worms.:thumbsup:

don't forget all the playdoh, cornflour, water and sand play too. Fantastic learning opportunities and easy to set up. Dress em up warm and out to the sandpit.:thumbsup:

[Wendybird]

Depending on the ages you've got - I love sensory boxes/bins. I've got a simple clear plastic underbed box which I put christmas lights in and the lid on - light table to play with light and shadow, paint on the lid, play with clear plastic or glass nuggets (I have some agate slices). At the moment the box is filled with blue rice and I have various water themed toys in there - following interests as my new mindee just got some new fish and loves ducks. You can do book themes as well - I want to do one for Goodnight Moon. There are loads of ideas online using stuff you've probably already got or that is cheap to pick up!

[Newbie1!]

Brilliant stuff....thank you all so much.....keep em coming guys...am printing this thread off :) :) :) :thumbsup: xxx

[Fraggle1]

I like this thread :)

Also though although activities may seem 'samey' to us and possibly the parents little ones love the same routine and activities, I remember going on a course and it said that sometimes we are too quick to put a book back once we've read it once, where really we should read the same book for a week or maybe even 2! I think that can be the same with activities :) xx

[Wendybird]

Actually if you want a load of ideas in one place check out Play at Home Mom on Face Book or google it - they have a blog as well :clapping:

[green puppy]

I like this thread :)

Also though although activities may seem 'samey' to us and possibly the parents little ones love the same routine and activities, I remember going on a course and it said that sometimes we are too quick to put a book back once we've read it once, where really we should read the same book for a week or maybe even 2! I think that can be the same with activities :) xx

Agree with this.:thumbsup:

[Newbie1!]

Thank you thank you thank you :thumbsup: :thumbsup: This is really helping to lift my very downhearted spirit at the moment :( :(

I was thinking about investing in some new games too now the weathers getting a bit grim....bukaroo maybe?? Any other suggestions for games suitable for 16 months to 7 years?!? xxx

[watgem]

my older ones(4-8) love hot potato and soundtrack games, also alphabet lotto and manic martians, and plop trumps!

[watgem]

and the younger ones like pop-up pirate, snap and i think the game is called Lucky Ducks? I've long lost the box but little ducks with shapes on the bottom go round and they have to try and collect the same shape, hope that helpsxxx

[leeloo1]

I feel the same about the home diaries sometimes, also about the photos I take... i.e. when a child 1st starts tentatively climbing up a climbing frame you take a picture - a year later they're climbing up confidently so you take another picture (plus a million others you've taken in between, just because they were smiling/the sun was shining/it was what you were doing that day) - there's not really that much difference, although they've learned and changed a lot... I guess the comments are different but even then, its still samey!

not sure that makes any sense? lol

For different things to write - you could try either doing, then commenting on a theme (so its the same activity, but with a different focus/learning objective), so mention what you wanted the child to learn... so 'when we went to the park today I talked to Sam about what colours she could see. We then tried to collect leaves that were different colours and she was very excited to find a red one and said 'look, look''. Or mention something they've said - as this can be more interesting in showing progression... so 'Sam said 'lef geeeen' when looking at the green leaf' or 'John said '1,2,3 green leaves, 1 brown leaf. Brown leaf all crunchy'.

Other activities - instruments & music & singing/dancing, pieces of fabric for freeflow tent making/dressing up, balls of different sizes and textures - plus different things to hit them with - racquets/sticks/clubs and different goals to aim for; messy play; colour mixing or lumpy paint - mixing rice/flour/sand with it (to add to your painting!), gluey collages, construction toys (building) - especially good with a theme 'can you make houses for the crocodile/teddy/3 little pigs?'.

Any help? I'll be looking with interest to see what other people come up with too, as new ideas are always good! :)