Are themes allowed?

[JennyM]

Each month, I think of a general theme and then plan activities that will interest them around the theme. I get books out which relate to the theme for the children to look at etc.

I also do religious festivals/special days if they come up.

A childminder friend of mine told me that Ofsted will not like it and I should forget themes. She said I am only supposed to go with what the children want to do.

Is this right? I find having a theme helps me to come up with ideas and it will be harder without one.

What do you think?

[catminder]

I have a season theme ie winter at the moment, then include festivals/celebrations as they occur like you. I have other themes for over 3 year old eg something to do with an interest they may have or a story. We may look at a topic eg. transport, animals, holidays etc.
With under 3s I tend not to introduce themes as such.

[babs]

I do special days ie. Christmas Chinese new year etc and do seasons which I add in anything children are interested in. so at moment winter theme one plays with cars cus that's what he likes have added dog with sledge as transport etc .another with animals including winter ones and little girl likes babies so we have dug out all baby figures and baby animals. fake ice cubes and after they wake up from nap fake snow...

[snufflepuff]

I don't do themes because I find them fairly useless with very young children- but I have 2 mindees who are about to turn 3, and who also go to a nursery, so I was going to start doing a theme in line with whatever their nursery are doing. (I'm not actually going to bother now though because I'll be on maternity leave soon and mindees will be leaving, so no point in bothering just for a few months.)

Themes are allowed, if that's what you want to do- as long as you are still following individual interests.

[onceinabluemoon]

I do themes about six months of the year and the other six months I don't.

At the moment I mind three children under 20 months and our 'theme' is Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes. My hope is that by the end of this theme the older two children will be able to identify various body parts but I don't really push it, it's more to keep me organised if that makes sense?

The older children are doing Chinese New Year

[loocyloo]

i have a theme ...

this months its homes, ... so i've got stories & books about different homes (around the world plus animal homes), a village/town building block set, small world houses/homes, pictures of different homes and we're building dens. i've got assorted games about homes - house that jack built ( colour ) magnetic fishing, and one with animals going home (counting/matching etc), i have various craft activities to do with homes ... junk buildings, castles, bird houses, aquariums. we'll also be going to see the fish in the aquarium, and ducks on the pond.

however, its generally just 'there' for the children to pick up and take it where they like! i have one who loves fish, so we've been looking at fish, making fish, hanging them in an 'aquarium' and will go and see the fish at the aquarium. lots of fish books, and we'll also try and spot some fish in the pond/river.

like OIABM, i don't push it, but it gives me something to keep in my mind! quite often the children go elsewhere with whatever is out, plus mine are 2 & under, so do their own thing anyway!

i might do food or music or a picture related to a special time of the year, so this week, i will have the chinese new year bits out and will try and get the older ones to say 'gung hei fat choy' ! we'll also be trying chinese food, but not making a big thing of it, just as our day goes.

[miffy]

I use themes too - sometimes to follow a child's interests, I have one who is very interested in all things China because her daddy goes there with work a lot - but this is mainly for older children although little ones can join in if they want.

Sometimes we don't do anything on our theme at all because the children want to do other things. For under threes I just follow what they want to do or what parents tell me they're interested in.

The main thing is to be able to tell Ofsted why you're doing what you're doing and how you feel it's benefiting the children.

Miffy xx

[Penny1959]

First Themes are allowed - what is frowned on is practitioners insisting that uninterested children do the theme activities also frowned on is having everything linked to a theme as it does not allow for individual interests likes / dislikes.


I have an overarching theme that I plan some activities around it , find books to support and maybe outings as well - this helps me to be prepared to ensure I have resources to support, and can also includeexperiences that otherwise might not do.

However EVERY DAY we go with the children - they are offered opportunities around the theme - but if theyare not interested than we don't bother with planned stuff.

I do not link any of my plans to EYFS or spend ages writing things in detail - as a waste of time

So for example - this year we are doing BOOKS - noideawhat books for the coming months as that will depend a lot on children's interests. But to start the year I choose 'The Gruffalo' as I had not introduced my little mindees to it but over Christmas my twin Grandsons had wanted to hear the story again and again. (plus I had brought the bargain Gruffalo that Graham sign posted us to - so wanted excuse to use him) I had a quick look on the internet, printed some stuff for the walls. Full Stop.

So each week we are looking at a character at a time - this weelk OWL - so introducing Owl Babies as a supporting book, last week it was Fox- and so gingerbread man. Next week Mouse - linking to festival of Tet and book I have 'Ten Mice for Tet' (so a bit more forward planning for that)

BUT taking this morning as an example - apart from the fact that one has carried around the toy Gruffalo Child - we have done nothing that could even be vaguely be connected to The Gruffalo or Owl Babies. They have played witrh the Brio, the bracelets, the shape sorters (so just free play of their choice) they did not want a story, they were not interested in making a picture of owl - but that is fine - no - it is great - and the owl stuff will keep for another day - or even another month / year.

Penny :)

[EmmaReed84]

I am new to this so trying out something new...

I am going to do some activities around Valentines day, thinking about love, being kind etc. Talking about families which hopefully will lead nicely on to Mum's and mothers day... Then we can make cards, pick flowers and talk about flowers and spring time leading on to talking about baby animals which again should hopefully lead on to Easter when we break up for a week.

I wont plan "activities" as such, but go with what the children want to do and try to do with the themess... If the kids want to do play dough we can look at making pretend chocolates etc.

Not sure how it will go though lol. I am the sort of person who needs a plan though lol

[zippy]

I have all my themes ready in envelopes, then I wait for the children to show an interest in something for example boats, then i will introduce pirates or floating and sinking, then see what that leads on too, I don't deck the house or anything like that it is literary just a load of ideas, colouring sheets ready to go with.

[sarah707]

Themes are mostly for over 3s who are ready to learn new things and be excited in their learning.

I involve little ones if htey are interested and change the planning to suit their needs.

Much of what I do here is themed ... allowing of course for individual likes, dislikes, interests etc as well :D

[Baildon bears]

I like doing themes as it helps me organise my self, I tryed doing a theme a month but could not keep up to it. I do one theme a term now, it's plenty of time for the children to dip in and out of do some focused plans with them, it's not so intense and you can do other things in-between.

[uf353432]

My medium term planning is based on themes and celebrations. I use themes to plan group activities for the toddler group and childminding group I run, and activities are available for the children to dip into if they want to. But I plan specifically for the child as well - so whilst I might have a theme - the activity linked to the theme is based on what the child is into.

So one child is into crafts in a big way - so her activity linked to healthy eating will be craft based. Another who likes making food - might make a healthy snack. Another who likes balls might have an activity throwing balls at various healthy snacks stuck on buckets.

[nikki thomson]

Each to there own i think, I personally don't do themes but if it floats your boat then why not as long as the children have choice in what they do. X

[jadavi]

I have started this week trying out a new activities sheet divided into days. At the top there is a line for themes and the cm who shared this with me says she often does it retrospectively .
I have just put together a lovely beach sensory table so am putting beach sensory down for this weeks theme...
I like this idea of retrospectively filling in their activities and themes....