In-Home Daycare Activities

when I did home daycare We made bread, jello peanut butter. We got to go on a lot of field trips. make play-dough do science experiment. We were never on a time limit. If the kids wanted to do it longer they could

I can answer this as a provider...

I wash my daycare children's clothing when they are soiled and change them as often as needed to send them home clean.

I work with them individually towards getting them ready for school and take the time to know them personally, talking with them about life, family, and their interests. I think it would be hard to do that for a larger # of children.

I am able to cater a little more to their individual likes and dislikes where food is concerned. I always have them in mind when I'm buying toys for my daycare because I know them all so well.

As a family we are able to spend more time passing babies around and treating them like part of the family. We treat all our kids just like our own and many of them call us grandma. I've been known to change my schedule and take them in on days they wouldn't ordinarily come just because I was planning an activity I didn't want them to miss.

We are better equipped to try various soaps and types of diapers and creams as well as working with elimination diets when trying to find the cause of various rashes or skin problems. When one of the kids is suffering some ailment we research and help the parents in any way possible.

I bet that the big daycares can do some of these things. But I also imagine more things slip in a big group because it's just way less personal.

As a provider, I simply loved SLM's answer as those are the same things I was going to say. In addition, we have time to hold not only babies, but the big kids too, simply because they need "arms."

We have time to help them develop their language...th and k seem to be difficult ones!

We do the "potty dance" every time someone has success while potty training..it looks a little nutty but it sure is fun and the kids love it when when dance for them!

We have time to paint fingers and toes and to blow on bellies (my favorite) and play airplane (me on floor, kids on my feet) and Farmer Joe (when I "look" for my animals and then here come all the cows mooing, the puppies barking, the horses neighing, the pigs oinking, etc.)

The list goes on and on. If you find a great in-home provider, treat her like a queen. Our job is very difficult but for those of us who love it, we change your child's life, simply because we have time to do so.

By the way, can you tell just how much SLM and I love our jobs?

I run an in-home daycare myself. One thing my families always comment on is birthdays! Not for the children, but for their parents. When a child's parent has a birthday coming up, I work with that child to make a card and gift for their mom/dad--Both hand made, of course! I know it's nothing important, but it's special for those parents & they all love it!

I'm not a provider, but a parent. In the course of my full-time job, though, I have to visit a lot of day cares and in-home providers. So I have chosen my provider carefully and am so pleased that I found her!

My in-home provider may not be typical, because she is a former kindergarten teacher. However, she left teaching not only to take care of her own kids, but also came to realize that academic standards of the last 10-20 years are pushing kindergartners to do first grade work, and preschoolers to do kindergarten work.

Many child development specialists think that today's academic standards (developed by politicians, parents, and teachers) don't necessarily reflect individual child development. Standards are an imperfect science, but nowhere is it more important to let a child be a child than in early childhood.

My provider lets the kids play outside every day. In snow, dirt, water, and in tall grass. Yes, there is playground equipment, but kids gravitate toward the fringes of her shady backyard, where the berries grow, ants crawl, and where there are sticks and mud for open-ended creative play. (We parents want our kids to get dirty and be kids. If she returns our kids clean, then we parents know it either way too rainy to play outside, or our provider is ill!)

The day's structure is flexible, but there is a structure: check in, breakfast, snack, story, lunch, nap, play. She sets out a story/play theme (such as "bugs") for each week, depending on the seasons. Kids can play with items on their own terms. Older kids are encouraged to help with younger kids; and younger kids watch the older kids to learn good behavior, potty training, etc.

Having visited a lot of these centers, I don't recommend preschool centers for full-time care. Too structured, too much plastic, and not enough personal attention. Otherwise, if you're only going to use it a few days or hours a week, then go ahead.

they did a talent show the other day. the older kids planned it and the younger and older kids did the talents at least the ones who would cooperate. and she loves birthday parties. she does a lot of plays and stuff like that among coloring and games. mine got a bubble thing for his birthday and I had to buy her one cause the kids ate it up. she also does pool time. wading pools with toys and such. they make like easter bunnies on plates and the easter bunnies do a dance. she loves doing dance stuff with the kids. mine is constantly dancing to everything. she reads. she loves face paint for everything too. paint them up for the talent shows and easter and anything else she can find a reason to paint faces.

she is a kid at heart with a very creative imagination. she does balloon games not sure what but she does them. and of course dress up for the talent shows. and dances for the birthday kids. skits puppet shows and the kids put it on. there is not much she doesn't think of.

As in inhome provider I do all the things the others have stated. Also, the kids get to help prepare meals and bake snacks and treats. I can let them have more of a flexible schedule depending on the children needs in my care. We play outside a ton doing things from ball games to picnics to walks to "camping with a tent and all, and swimming in my pool every afternoon in the summer. The kids can cuddle up with me on the couch and in my lap for stories. Basically I think my care is more in line with the way a child would be cared for at home as opposed to a more school type environment of a center. I can take the time to rock a fussy baby to sleep and to sit and talk with a child who is having a bad day. Also, the children have continuity of care because they have me the entire time they attend daycare. In a center children typically move to different rooms and teachers several times.

I am not a provider but a mom who brings her son (and soon newborn twins) to a in home provider and I love it. One of the best parts is that my son is with kids of all ages - he learns for the olders ones and cares for the younger ones.

For me, the love my son gets from our sitter is wonderful. I know she cares for my son as much as I do and we have a lot more give when he is sick.

I feel it is up to parents to help kids get ready for school so I am happy to fill in where our sitter doesn't, but she does work with the kids some.