Only caring for little ones

**teacake2** · 13-08-2009, 10:31 PM

Hi, my oldest mindee who is four will be starting school in September which will just leave me with a 12month and a 13month old to look after, it will seem strange just to have this age again, does anyone else have just this age to look after, and how do you go about planning activities for these compared with the older ones?

Teacake2

**katickles** · 13-08-2009, 10:39 PM

I only have one mindee as I have my own 2 children. My eldest was 2 in March & my baby is 18 weeks.

My mindee was 1 in April - so my planning tends to be round the same kind of ages.

I understand the planning issues as I have felt the same, but I guess the way I see it is just going from basics & teaching things from scratch.

You will soon adapt & it will be "normal"

**uf353432** · 14-08-2009, 07:35 AM

Since May my main part time mindee and my daughter - both 14 months - have been the main children I plan for. I actually don't plan a huge amount for them. I am guided by them and I try and be spontaneous - they are a bit like butterflies rarely engaging in any activity for 2 long but get lots of enjoyment from playing side by side - or rather should I say when one starts playing with something - the other wants it even if they have been playing with something else at the time. Its a wonderful age to look after though. But they still rely heavily on routine at that age - sleep, nappy, snack, dinner etc so the amount of time for activites is quite short in between the key elements of the routine.

Have a look at the outcomes for that age group in EYFS and that will give you an idea of the sort of things you need to try and observe - then work backwards to see what kind of activites might allow you to see those outcomes - though you may find its more developmental outcomes - like different stages of mobility etc that will be your main focus.

**ZoeAlli** · 14-08-2009, 09:58 AM

I have two mindees, now aged 16 months and 18 months, I still find it difficult to plan for them as they are quite "flitty", one does not play- they pull out toys and move onto the next thing they can pull out!! the other one plays more.
In my planning I tend to go by the Lo's and what they are interested in. They have still got a routine and time for planned activities (particularly as one is part-time) is limited!
I think the advice about the EYFS given by uf353432 is good advice!!