Planning timescale

[donnahay0]

Once you have made observations on your child(ren) and noted any current or new interests how soon do you try put your planning into action for these interests. Do you try and put them into the next weeks planning or is it more likely that you will do them over the next few weeks allowing for research and getting resources, books together etc.

Not sure if that made sense or not.

[sarah707]

It made perfect sense!

I try and follow up little interests almost immediately eg. today W was really into the cars, so we made a car track together, rolled wheels through paint and looked at patterns, counted cars / wheels etc... that's following his immediate interests.

With stuff they are doing at nursery / preschool, I try and include it within a few days eg. M told me end of last week she was doing some junk modelling at nursery and was quite upset that she'd not had a turn at decorating it yet, so we've done some here today.

Hope that helps!

[donnahay0]

Yes, it is more or less what I am trying to fit in.

My little one recently developed an interest in cheethas and Africa after watching something at home on tv with his Mum. I wanted to turn it into a theme on Africa and it took a while to put together as I wanted to find books from library etc - I was also in the middle of something else and also planning for Spring stuff. I guess it didn't matter too much as his interest in cheetahs didn't just go away. This particular little boy loves saying to me "what are we learning about this week", just as long as we are doing something new he is happy.

It's just Ofsted that I am trying to keep happy which seems all wrong to me.

[JOANNE]

I couldn`t agree more, it seems like we are having to gear all our time towards "pleasing Ofsted" instead of the children, i was told the other day by a childminder who had been on a planning course (EYFS) that no longer can you just say "Ok kids lets bake a cake" the idea has to come from the child! WHAT!!! What if the child you mind doesn`t have much of an imagination and its like getting blood out of a stone where ideas are concerned, are you just supposed to sit and do nothing with them and wait until they have a flash of inspiration???????????
Rant over!

[Tatia]

There is still value in adult-led activities. Our job is to provide the resources and opportunities for the child to engage in. Now, if you got all the cake baking gear out and the children were not interested (which I doubt! ) and you forced them to participate, that would be unwise. But if you set up the baking bits and then gently guided them through the process, well that's scaffolding and is the underpinning theory of childhood development.

I was talking with my network coordinator about planning last week. She said by all means, plan for activities, celebrations, holidays and provde the materials needed. But what they don't want to see is your written planning being followed to the letter. They want to see you veer off to follow child's interests.

A child couldn;t follow his or her interests if we didn't provide the structure, the resources and the time for the child to discover what their interests are!

[Blaze]

Your friend is right...you shouldn't be...Let's bake a cake (to which the kids obediently do as they are told)...you should say instead...Shall we bake a cake?...(to which the kids say yey )...splitting hairs in my opinion!

[Blaze]

There is still value in adult-led activities. Our job is to provide the resources and opportunities for the child to engage in. Now, if you got all the cake baking gear out and the children were not interested (which I doubt! ) and you forced them to participate, that would be unwise. But if you set up the baking bits and then gently guided them through the process, well that's scaffolding and is the underpinning theory of childhood development.

I was talking with my network coordinator about planning last week. She said by all means, plan for activities, celebrations, holidays and provde the materials needed. But what they don't want to see is your written planning being followed to the letter. They want to see you veer off to follow child's interests.

A child couldn;t follow his or her interests if we didn't provide the structure, the resources and the time for the child to discover what their interests are!

Well put!!!!

[JOANNE]

It is just getting very confusing on "how" to put things, like you said, "Shall we" as opposed to "Lets" makes all the difference in Ofsteds eyes doesn`t it.

[sarah707]

Eyfs makes it clear that it's a balance of adult and child initiated activities...


'Shall we bake?' always gets lots of enthusiasm in my house!

[venus89]

Eeeekk... I'm not sure the babies will want to bake cake!!

[Tatia]

Bet they'd love sitting in the high chair and banging wooden spoons in a mixing bowl and maybe having a feel of a bit of cake flour, though, while the older kids do the baking.

[sarah707]

Eeeekk... I'm not sure the babies will want to bake cake!!

Face paint with the mixture maybe??

[Tatia]

More like body, floor and wall paint!

[venus89]

ooohhhh... you guys are good. Bet they would, too. I think I will ty cooking with them soon, my husband certainly wants us to make cakes for him!

[venus89]

More like body, floor and wall paint!

Perhaps something to do before we redecorate the kitchen..... lol

[MissTinkerbell]

According to all the courses I've been on, we should be doing 50% adult-led and 50% child initiated which gives plenty of scope for everything.

[buildingblocks]

What if the child you mind doesn`t have much of an imagination and its like getting blood out of a stone where ideas are concerned, are you just supposed to sit and do nothing with them and wait until they have a flash of inspiration???????????Rant over!

In my case if I was child led 100% they would all be sat in front of the TV or computer constantly and as for working with parents wishes 9mth old baby's mum said best way to keep him occupied is to sit him in front of the Baby Channel it keeps him happy for hours ARGGHHHHH

[JOANNE]

Unbelievable!!!