First Week Over - Now Need Some Planning Activities Advice

[VINASOL]

I've had my new mindee a week now, and I haven't really done too many structured activities as I just wanted to watch her play, observe etc.

So, mindee will be 4 in December. She doesn't know all of her colours (knows black, pink and red), doesn't recognise any numbers yet and can count up to 6.

Her attention span is very short; get's bored of something after just a few minutes. Really doens't like games where you have to say colours or matching or memory games (get's very frustrated and upset). Doesn't like playing games like I spy or anything at all to do with questions.

She likes to play with dollies and makes up scenarious (usually when dolly is being naughty), and likes to be outdoors. She likes music and singing and dancing but nothing that is structured (i.e. jump on the red spot etc).

She likes being read to, and watching action programmes (such as show me, show me) and likes to run around and being outdoors.

So I'm not sure where to go from here. My DD loves to do all the things mindee doesn't so I'm hoping that through DDs excitement mindee will follow, but this week all she has wanted to play with is dolls.

We had great fun going to a duck pond this morning and tried to get her involved in making ducks to colour in so that she could take home but it was a definite no no.

I haven't done painting or anything yet as mum doesn't like her to get dirty and I only just found some suitable aprons for her to use, but I just don't know how to plan my week.

I will have her from 8.45 until half past 6 next week and I'm already worried lol

[sarah707]

If she is happy with her dolls then I'd leave her to it for another week at least.

There will be an element of settling in going on, plus if she is pressured at home to answer questions etc she might not feel she wants to do it at your house as well.

Hopefully when she knows the pressure is off and she can just enjoy playing, she will feel more relaxed.

Hth

[pinkbutterfly]

I would just go with the flow. You don't have to do a lot of preparation for the activities. For numbers I would sing a lot of nursery rhymes (as you say she likes singing), or count the steps when going up and down the stairs. I would also get a chart with numbers (or make my own) where you have number 1 and one item next to it, number 2 and 2 items next to it. I would just have it displayed somewhere if she sees it she will learn the shapes of the numbers with time. If you talk about numbers you can associate numbers she might recognise like for example her house number or her age. I wouldn't do anything structured but I would mention numbers when the opportunity arises.
For colours painting is great. I also do a lot of drawing with chalk on my patio (it's not as messy). My mindees like to draw on all the slabs and then they wait for a rainy day so that they can decorate my patio again. You can also mention colours whenever you have the opportunity. If you're playing with building blocks or even dollies say 'ooo this doll has a beautiful blue dress' etc.
Instead of doing structured activity plan I would just mention today X played with dolls and mentioned blue, black and pink. Next step: give her opportunity to extend her colour recognition. Then when you just make a note she learnt new colours when playing with whatever it is.
Maybe take her to the library and let her choose some books. Or check if they have a singing session (some libraries do that).
My daughter has an autumn box at school ... children bring things associated with autumn and then they talk about them. Maybe that's something you could do. Collect some leaves, conkers etc
Or go berry picking ... blackberries are in season now.
You really don't have to do a lot of adult lead activities. Most of them are supposted to be child lead. Just try to extend whatever she's interested in. Or simply ask her what she'd like to do.
HTH