Routines

[NLC44]

Hi Everyone!! Just wondering if anyone can help me with different routines. I have always worked in Long day care centres and now I am working in a child care centre that starts at 8.30 and closes at 3.30. We have at the most 12 children and they vary from 10 months to 5 years. All children are in the one room. Please can you give me some different ideas on how to run the centre as it has been awhile since I have worked (stay at home mum) and I am studying again (repeating cert 111) but have been asked to run one day a week. Lack of qualified staff in small country town. I am not at all happy with how things are run, it is more like a babysitting service, but each time I mention something it , I am told it is different with a small child care centre. Half these things I know make no difference. Any information on toileting times, art and craft, morning tea time, outdoor play, indoor play etc etc. Thankyou for your help

[Lorina]

Hi NLC44,

I just got a few questions so I can help you figure out a routine for the centre you are currently working at...

1) Do you offer the children breakfast in the morning when they arrive?

2) Since the children are all in the one room, is it possible for them to access both inside/outside play areas at one time?

3) How many staff are present during the day?

Cheers
L.A

[neetlee44]

Hi L.A,
We don't offer children breakfast unless of course a parent comes in and says they haven't had breaky then they get something from their lunch box. No it isn't possible to access both inside/outside play areas at same time. If we have up to 8 children it is just 2 staff and 3 staff up to 12. Hope this helps.
Thanks
NLC

[neetlee44]

Hi L.A, Sorry about the confussion but I set up 2 accounts so it wasn't obvious on who I was with work colleagues. Woops Neetlee

[Lorina]

Hi Neetlee,

I understand that you want to maintain your confidentiality but creating multiple accounts is in violation of our site rules. If you want to keep your confidentiality you can change your username via user control panel. So, just to confirm you are also "NLC44"?

Cheers ,
L.A

[neetlee44]

Thanks for that I will change my username. Didn't know I could do this. I just wanted to know the answer to this question and keep my confidentiality. Sorry
Neetlee

[Lorina]

Hi Neetlee,

Thanks for getting back to me me with your answers to the routine questions. You coud probably have a routine similar to this ( this is kinda like the one I'm using now)...

8 :00am - 8:45am : Outdoor Free Play Activities

8:45 - 9:00 am: Toileting, Nappy Changes, Washing Hands Ready For Morning Tea

9:00 - 9:30am: Morning Tea

9:30 - 9:45am: Group Time/Music Movement (You can split this into two group 1 staff take younger children and the other take older children)

9:45am - 10: 45am: Indoor Play Experiences/ Art N Carft etc

10:45 - 11am: Toileting /Nappy Change

11 - 11:30am: Outdoor Play Experience

11:30 - 11:45am Small Group Time/Make Beds, Tranisition to Lunch

11:45 - 12:15am Lunch Time

12: 15 - 12:30pm - Settle Children For Sleep/Rest Time

12:30 - 2:00pm - Rest Time

2-00 - 2:30pm Quiet Indoor Activities/Toileting Nappy Change

2:30 - 3:00pm Afternoon Tea

3:00 - 3:30pm Outdoor Free Play/Home Time

This is just a rough idea of a routine that you can use. It's all about trial aned error but hopefully this should give you some idea on where to begin!

Hope This Helps!

Cheers ,
L.A

[neetlee44]

Thanks for that L.A. I appreciate it alot.

[thubten_399]

Hey there Neetlee. I have previously worked in large centres but I now work in a small town with less children. I have found that when doing art/craft activities to make them fun but simple. As you only have a short day, anything too involved may not get finished and the children don't alsways want to continue the activity the following day.
Just a thought
x

[neetlee44]

Hi Thubten, thankyou for that.. Any advice is very appreciated. x