Planning advice for an under 2

[Newtochildcare]

Hello,

I currently care for an 18 month old, all day, and his 5 year old sister after school. (Plus my own children). Up until now, I haven't been doing any long or medium term planning. I do a weekly plan, which shows the groups we will be attending each day, and the meals I will be providing. I find it hard to plan any further ahead than that to be honest, as he is so young. Other than enabling unstructured play (either at home or various groups/childrens centres) I am struggling to plan for any particular activities. Because he is so young, and really doesn't like getting his hands messy I don't bother with craft/messy play at home, and end up making sure I am out at a group every morning, but I am worried this isn't enough. Should I be doing more at this stage? I registered in September and am finally starting to feel like I know what I am doing (parents seemed really happy with his LJ when I let them take it home for the weekend when I did his first assessment a few weeks ago) but I know I am due my Ofsted inspection around March time, so want to make sure I am planning as I should be well before I get the dreaded call!

[FloraDora]

Hello,

I currently care for an 18 month old, all day, and his 5 year old sister after school. (Plus my own children). Up until now, I haven't been doing any long or medium term planning. I do a weekly plan, which shows the groups we will be attending each day, and the meals I will be providing. I find it hard to plan any further ahead than that to be honest, as he is so young. Other than enabling unstructured play (either at home or various groups/childrens centres) I am struggling to plan for any particular activities. Because he is so young, and really doesn't like getting his hands messy I don't bother with craft/messy play at home, and end up making sure I am out at a group every morning, but I am worried this isn't enough. Should I be doing more at this stage? I registered in September and am finally starting to feel like I know what I am doing (parents seemed really happy with his LJ when I let them take it home for the weekend when I did his first assessment a few weeks ago) but I know I am due my Ofsted inspection around March time, so want to make sure I am planning as I should be well before I get the dreaded call!

Your observations and assessments that conclude he doesn't like getting his hands messy is precisely the reason I would plan in small intoductions to messy play and address his learning needs at home, not fill up his time going to activities that are not designed for his personal learning journey and then run out of time to let him explore messier play.

[Simona]

I am not sure how you all feel but the EYFS does not mention anywhere short, medium or long term planning

My interpretation of it is that we take children along their learning journey in small steps until they eventually achieve the Early Learning Goals in all 7 areas...I know that by that time they will not be with us anymore but in school but we start the journey with them...slowly but surely!

The ELGs in my view are the long term planning for each and every child and we know children achieve and learn differently but that is what we aspire them to get to!

[watford wizz]

Thank you thank you thank you Iv been very worried about all the threads about planning as I plan not to plan which ofsted were very happy with but since joining the forum there seems to be so much work, time and effort spent planning. Thank you Simona for putting my mind at rest x

[Ripeberry]

Planning can seem a waste of time and paper! As long as you can show in the LJ that the child is progressing and that you are covering all possible areas of learning then you can doing what is required. At the end of the day the LJ is for the child and the parents. Not for OFSTED. It should be a celebration of the child's learning, with as many photos as possible and positive comments. Just make sure the parents take part by writing comments.