View Full Version : Do you set up the night before?
I am so out of the swing of things!
When do you set up resources for planned activities or small world scenes/invitations to play etc.?
When do you get your outdoor toys out?
Do you do it the night before? In the morning before they arrive? Or do you get stuff out just before you use it?
I think I put too much pressure on myself this morning to have everything set up and ready before 8 when mindee arrived.
Pixie dust
22-09-2020, 04:08 PM
I set up general stuff the night before if I am organised enough, I have stopped putting too much out too early as I have 2 before school children and then a 3 year old at 8am the other don't arrive until 9am and I was finding any special planned activities/small world set ups would be all messed up and finished with before the 9am children arrived even after tidying before we left for school.
loocyloo
22-09-2020, 04:24 PM
I set up general stuff the night before if I am organised enough, I have stopped putting too much out too early as I have 2 before school children and then a 3 year old at 8am the other don't arrive until 9am and I was finding any special planned activities/small world set ups would be all messed up and finished with before the 9am children arrived even after tidying before we left for school.
Same here!
Sometimes I have activities all ready to go on a tray or in a box to put out when I need it/ when I get back from school.
Some outdoor toys are always out and others i get out when we go outside.
However, when i have a new mindee or I'm settling in, I do have everything set up and ready to go ... including meals and snacks as I don't know how much time I'll have to potter and get things ready when the children are already here.
Mouse
22-09-2020, 05:39 PM
Same as Pixie Dust and Loocyloo.
Due to the times children arrive, I start my activities at 9.15am. I have one child arrive at 8.30 and the rest at 9. I have enough out for the 8.30 starter to play with, but I don't want to set anything up because they'd have finished it before the others arrive. When the other children get here at 9 they all have free play while I get the activity or small world set up ready. I usually get everything out that I'll need before the 8.30 arrival, but if I'm running late I'll sort it before the others arrive.
It's similar at the end of the day. Most of the children go home at 3.30, with just one going at 4. We pack everything away before the 3.30 pick ups, then the last child has a few quiet activities to keep them going until they go home. It means that within a couple of minutes of the last one going home, everything is packed away and I have my house back!
Dragonfly
22-09-2020, 06:44 PM
I’m still struggling with all the extra cleaning.i have one child who says that’s been touched and puts it in my cleaning area. Trying to clean as I go throughout the day but doesn’t always work.
As I get up at silly o clock, once the dog is walked I set up the main activities and put the prepared craft activity on the side.
I have a 1, 2 and 3 year old during the day so it’s jolly hard work as you know as they can’t not touch also planned things don’t always follow through with such young children.
Does anyone use paint sticks from the works? They are brilliant!
Sylvia don’t buy a Grimms rainbow buy paint sticks, excellent 👍
Dragonfly you crack me up with your hatred of the grimms rainbow :laughing::laughing::laughing:
loocyloo
22-09-2020, 08:42 PM
Dragonfly .... those paint sticks are fantastic! Love the neon ones!
Dragonfly
23-09-2020, 06:46 AM
It’s not a hatred Maza ( well maybe) I have tried to engaged all ages of children in play using them tunnels for cars, stacking in different ways , etc, etc they don’t want to know, would rather have a cardboard box! If anyone has a way of using them that the children actually enjoy playing with them please let me know.
On the plus side they look nice sitting stacked 😆
Dragonfly
23-09-2020, 06:54 AM
Also I meant to ask is anyone using playmats for the floor ie road one, farm one ? I stopped in March but we really miss them. People have carpets what’s the difference ? ( I have wooden and ceramic tiles down stairs). I use foam mats in the playroom.
loocyloo
23-09-2020, 07:25 AM
I kept my rug in my playroom and it gets sprayed and vacuumed.
We've had the car mat out ( sprayed, dried and then put away) and currently a mat made of fake green fur x that the children like to drive the cars on as it makes tracks. That one I put in the wash.
That's the only soft furnishings in my playroom or kitchen. ( only a rug and a few cushions in sitting room, as leather sofas .... but rarely use sitting room )
My thinking was, if I had carpet, I wouldn't be removing it, so my playroom rug is like my carpet, with the bonus that I can take it outside of needs be.
Pixie dust
23-09-2020, 08:36 AM
I have a rug down in the playroom which I have left there as thats our little cosy area the rest of the floor is laminate and a bit cold for sitting on at story time .
Mouse
23-09-2020, 09:58 AM
I've put my rugs back down now that it's getting colder. They're all washable so I can just chuck them in the machine.
My sofa is fabric and I've left the cushions on it. I think the risk of catching covid from soft furnishings must be quite low.
Dragonfly
23-09-2020, 11:38 AM
Okay , out come the road mat etc. I think that there is a very small risk of caching anything from soft furnishings. Have been washing the cushions in the playroom too , throws , toys. I know the virus is a serious issue but thought if people have carpets why can’t I have road mats out, they have been away since March