Another Summer Behind Us

Summer holidays are nice ... but it is always good to get back to the fall routines. Even though the routines change from year to year in the childcare world, it is nice to fall back into a day that is predictable.

I think the kids are ready for school by the time it reconvenes as well. I believe that they thrive on structure, routine and challenging themselves at school.

The biggest challenge to me, in the daycare world is keeping a wide variety of ages equally entertained. 'Free play' seems to encompass all ages and stages so that is what our day largely consists of. Going to the park is another thing that works - everyone can play at their own level. Whether it is simply playing in the sand or climbing on age/size appropriate play equipment, I find there is usually something for almost every age at the park. They can run, play, holler and just let off kid-energy. And this is good.

As the kids are all heading off to school, I think that they are excited to be in among their peers, doing what is challenging and fun for their age group. Not to be held back by 'the babies', who limit what they can play with and what they can do when they are at my house.

I would like to incorporate more learning (in a fun way) into our days. An opportunity for the kids to have fun and learn without even realizing it, is what I'm after. I used to have a 'toddler' computer game that had songs, counting, letters and all sorts of learning tools on it, I found that the little ones that watched and heard it were learning unconsciously. Then out of the blue, they would sing a song that they had to have picked up from this program. When the older kids played hide and seek (and counted out loud), once again I would hear the counting from their game eventually echoed in the voices of the ones just learning to speak.

Kids are like little sponges and the more educational things that they are exposed to, the more they can absorb.

As I find myself in a house with a lot of 1 to 2 year olds (turning 2 to 3 year olds) this fall, I would like to find age appropriate ways for them to absorb some knowledge during the day. As my world is now filled with younger ones, close to the same age I can do my best to expose to opportunities to learn.

A new season ... a new approach.