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I was having a great little chat with Famous Carol the other day about the state of family child care. She subs for several other women and shares my worry that home day care providers are a dying breed. Between us we know several home day cares in the area that are closing. Maybe more parents are choosing centers. But it might be that for some people the workload is starting to outweigh the rewards. Carol pointed out how sad it is that we’re becoming more and more institutionalized.

It really hit me hard when she said, “It used to be like dropping your kids off at Grandma’s house for the day.”

That just sounded so sweet, and I would love to have that kind of house. It’s getting harder to maintain that family atmosphere with all the requirements we have to meet. I have to admit that I barely skate by as it is, especially since I just started a four-month-old who needs to be held a lot (as all babies do). So I got into my usual funk of comparing myself to other providers and coming up short. Carol told me to stop being hard on myself (she knows this is what I do). She tells me if the kids are happy I’m doing a great job. Well, they’re happy a lot of the time…

But then the very next day a funny thing happened. My after-schooler went to girl scouts, two kids stayed home sick, and another got picked up early with a fever. I was left with just three girls for the afternoon and quickly realized I had a lot of time on my hands.

As we came home from the school pickup (I still had my own son to get, don’t forget about him) I said, “Instead of me making a snack for you guys, how about we bake our own together?” YEAH!!! They ran in the kitchen. “Amy remember when it was Miss A’s birthday and we make cupcakes?” “Remember I got the egg on my hand and I cried?” “Do we still have the Halloween holders?” (Cupcake wrappers. Yeah, it’s been a while since we baked.)

And in a strange twist, Older helped us while Younger played video games. It was delightful for me, first to see him bonding with the kids instead of being annoyed at them (his usual state), but also because I don’t think he’s made muffins with me since he was about five years old.

So when I don’t have a four-month-old plus five other kids plus an after-schooler plus my own two kids, I am really damn good. And it’s not that hard.

Today I was down to one at the end of the day with half an hour before her dad came to pick her up. I asked if she would be scared if I vaccuumed. She said yes but I tried it. She covered her ears and watched me. I said, “Do you want to try it?” An old trick to get kids over being scared of the monster.

She jumped at the chance. Of course it’s too heavy for her to push so I took the hose off and showed her how to magically suck up the cracker crumbs and popcorn pieces. She was delighted.

While she sucked up the snack detritus from under the table, I used the dustpan on the hardwood floor. We knelt side by side and she giggled hysterically every time the vacuum hose sucked up her dress. It suddenly felt a little old-fashioned to me and I thought, this is like grandma’s house.

Until she thought it would be fun to see if the vacuum would suck up her sock. That thing was whipped off her foot and up the hose faster than I could even blurt out one word in response. It was kinda funny.

Then it was more like Grandpa’s shop than Grandma’s kitchen, and the boys were back to see me doing surgery on the vacuum, and then they all played jump rope with the hose (which I had to remove), and Older showed me how they learned about waves in science class by sending jolts of different size and speed down the length of it, and Miss M had a chance to use the screwdriver, and I had to stick my fingers into the bag to fish out the sock. (Gross.)

But we got it straightened out. And the whole scene was something I don’t think you’d see in a center. Hang in there family child care providers – the children of the world need us.

Amy Pybus is mom to two boys and has been a family child care provider for eight years. She has a Master’s in Education and gives trainings with a focus on brain development and how it affects behavior. She is a newspaper columnist and blogs about child care and parenting at www.sittingonthebaby.com.

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One concern amongst daycare providers is how technology in daycare (television, video games, computers, etc.) affects young children in their care. Daycare providers are also concerned with acceptable limits per day of access to technology.

A Facebook member asked: “If you run a home daycare do you keep the TV on during the day? I have been but simply for background noise but I worry parents may think I plop there kids in front of it all day which I don’t. So do you have the TV on or off in your daycare? “

We asked the fans of OwnADaycare on Facebook who are daycare owners for their suggestions. Here are some of the best responses:

• Play music instead! I have the TV on at drop off in the morning and they get to watch a short bit while I am getting lunch ready other than that it’s music. They get an occasional movie on tired or bad weather days. They will get used to it.
• Absolutely no TV here children get enough TV at home that they do not need any here. It’s the parent’s choice how much they get at home and if they’re getting any while not at home that is just extra they don’t need. I am not a babysitter, I take pride in knowing that I am a licensed home and the children here are playing and learning through social interactions all day! Use special toys that you only get out once in a while or special activities to keep little hands busy if you need to cook etc. Yes I use music from a radio sometimes for background noise but too much background noise in my opinion isn’t good either. Some children can’t handle that much stimulation and can cause hyper behavior without even knowing that it’s because of all the noise!
• We play toddler tunes. but when the after school kids get here we switch it to the karaoke channel. The toddlers will even stand in front of the TV trying to read the words. I have a few mic’s and we do A lot of singing and dancing. I would love to teach Zumba for kids. If the TV is on we usually have it on the animal planet or Nat Geo or other channels like it. We have plan movie days but it’s mostly music, it keeps me motivated and moving.
• I only use the TV during lunch prep for about 30 minutes. occasionally for a brief period in the am for those that arrive early but that’s it. the rest of our day is filled with activities and learning time so the TV isn’t needed.
• TV isn’t allowed for kids less than 2 in NC. I may use it to watch an educational show or use it as “treat” occasionally. Also, no more than 30 minutes per day. That is the law here in NC.
• For back ground noise, which isn’t normally needed i play cds on the radio or we sing songs but usually you wouldn’t be able to hear anything on the TV anyway. Also i play Christian music during naptime to cancel out any other noises like phone or door.
• NO TV in our daycare center. Children engage in active play and socialize with other children. We have children’s music playing for ‘background noise’ instead.
• If I turn the TV on, the kids end up watching it. So I try to keep it off unless it’s at a time when I usually let them watch something. Try turning on some kid’s music as background noise instead. That’s what I do.
• we are now only allowed to have TV on a total of 2 hrs. a day. Sometimes there is no TV on. Other days it is on, never do any of the kids sit and watch it. We sometimes have Disney on without the sound. There are a few videos I use for our music and dance time, my husband tends to use TV more than me.  If TV is used… we use is as an activity not to sit on the couch do nothing.  This is a home here. Heck, sometimes I need a break! I have a 22yr old Barney video that still is the best 20 minutes of quiet time I have to get the lunch fixed. Right now as I type this, I have 4 on my lap as we are seeing what little Einstein can teach us today. We talk all the way through it and do all the motion.
• The TV is on in morning as they come in-15 minutes maybe (Cat in Hat), on before nap while i set up cots-30 minutes (Clifford), after nap while i put cots away-30 minutes (Arthur), sometimes if it’s raining they will watch a movie or the after school kids like Wild Kratts.
• I use TV as a transition time tool. It is on in the morning for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse during my drop offs. Then while I cook lunch they watch it as they clean up the toys. On rainy days we have a movie when we can’t get outside. I also have 2 days a week where I only have 1 child for 3 hours in the morning and his mom has actually asked that I let him watch TV because he gets bored unless we are outside. I make him earn the TV time with books. Each book we read he gets one show. He also has to help me sort the toys while he watches. This is our time to check them for broken pieces, or missing parts.
• I’m a little strange, the day care has its own room & there is a TV in there, but it’s never on during day care hrs…it is only for my own kids after closing.
• In my living room though, I turn the TV onto the news as soon as I wake up (to check the weather & find out what’s going on) & I leave it on that channel all day, even though I’m not even in the room. It’s really just a habit I guess.
• We own several daycares and TV is only on at nap time for music. State law says a maximum of 2 hours screen time. I feel TV on in background gets the kids over stimulated which in the long run gets harder on us. one of the first questions parents ask is if there’s a TV. Even if you have music on all the time the kids don’t appreciate the music anymore because it’s always on.
• I sometimes need noise but don’t care for most ‘kids-music.’ My one exception is Sesame Street so I’ve gone on YouTube and made a playlist of some of the better tunes. Also on Pandora I have a station that is mostly tunes from Disney movies and everyone sings along. My computer is pretty centrally located in my house so to have music there just makes sense for me.
• TV is a rare treat for us. Sometimes I use it while preparing meals, but it’s very rare. I just don’t feel like my parents are paying me to put their kids in front of a TV for background noise we have a CD player with kiddy songs playing.
• TV only on drop off and when i need to cook lunch so they sit down quietly. Other than that the radio is on pretty much all day. Some parents don’t like for the kids to watch TV all day and i always put myself in the parent’s shoes I wouldn’t want to drop off my son at a daycare and for him to just watch TV all day.
• I am allowed by the state to use the TV only 2 hrs. a day and I hardly ever turn it on, my kiddos get so excited to get to watch it! I record Calliou and Sesame Street so that is what they get to watch. It is on more on cold weather days. So for us it is a real treat.
• I don’t have a TV in my child care area. I do have one in my living room. I was having the TV on during nap for the children that would wake early or nap different than everyone else. When I joined 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go, my goal was to come up with activities for the children to do so we would have less TV. If you are working on accreditation, they want less than 2 hours per week of screen time. We now use no TV at all. My children make enough noise playing; we don’t need any background noise for sure We do use music for song/dance time and at nap time.
• TV is not a developmentally appropriate practice ever and the kids get enough at home!
• I do not like silence so we listen to A LOT of music. The television is actually placed outside the daycare area and a rare treat and only on for about 20 minutes if that. My children actually do not like watching television here because they would rather play.

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Enjoy this simple preschool lesson plan about flowers. The activities below will introduce children to the flowers through a flower craft.  For each activity you will find the materials, instructions and discussion starters (verbal cues). This lesson plan works well in conjunction with a daycare center unit with a spring theme or science theme.

Flower Craft
3-D Flower Garden
Materials: Construction paper, markers, crayons, old seed catalogs, empty  seed packets, Popsicle sticks, shoe box top (or other box top), butcher paper, glue, scissors
Discussion Starters: We will be making a flower garden. What kinds of things do we find in a flower garden? What kinds of flowers do you like? Let’s cut out pictures of flowers.
Instructions:  Cover box tops in brown butcher paper to create a raised flower bed. Allow children to select and cut out pictures of flowers from seed catalogs and select empty seed packets. Glue the selected pictures or packets to the Popsicle sticks. Next let children stick their flowers in the flower bed to create a flower garden.

Flower Science Activity
Pressed Flowers and Leaves Nature Book
Materials: Leaves, flowers, large heavy book, construction paper, tissue paper, glue, 3 ring binder, sheet protectors.
Discussion Starters:  Let’s take a nature walk. What are your favorite flowers? Leaves change colors. What colors can leaves be? What will happen when the leaves dry?
Instructions: Take children on a nature walk to collect flowers and leaves. Help children press leaves and flowers between two pieces of tissue paper. If you decide to put several leaves and flowers together on the same piece of tissue paper, do not let the flowers and leaves touch. Put the tissue paper between the pages of a heavy book (like a telephone book) and do not disturb for at least one week but not longer than ten days. Next, take the tissue paper out of the book to reveal the dried flowers. Children can then glue the dried flowers and leave on construction paper. Write the name of the plants beneath each one. Put the pages into sheet protectors and these sheet protectors into a 3 ring binder.

Dramatic Play Activity
Flower Shop
Materials: Plastic flowers, plastic vases, Styrofoam squares, ribbon, potting smock, tissue paper, gloves, soil, seeds, watering cans, cash  register, paper money, telephone, notepad or order book, pencil, plastic garden tools, garden hat, wicker baskets, gardening gloves
Discussion Starters: Who will be the florist? What do florists do? Where do the florists get their flowers?
Instructions: Set up a table in the dramatic play area with materials and with space to create flower arrangements. Place the cash register, phone, order pad, and pencil on a table so that children can take orders. Put Styrofoam squares in the bottom of the vases.  Children can take turns being a florist by taking orders, creating flower arrangements, and planting seeds. Other children can be customers shopping for flowers.

Flower Petal Sensory Table
Materials: Sensory table, flower petals, flowers.
Discussion Starters: Encourage the children to describe what they feel and smell at the sensory table. Look at all of the brightly colored flowers! How do the flowers smell? How do they feel?
Instructions: Add some flower petals and flowers to the sensory table.  Flower petals have amazing textures and stimulate children’s sense of sight and smell.
Alternative: Fill the table with potting soil or topsoil and add plastic flowers and plants. Also provide use plastic sized, child sized gardening tools.
*Money Saving Tip: Find flowers in your own yard or purchase less expensive flowers like carnations or daisies at the supermarket. Also contact your local florist for discarded flowers and flower petals.

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Image Source: Pinterest --Learning as We Grow

Charming, quick and easy: This hand and foot print flower craft makes a great gift for Mother’s Day. In addition, children can have fun while practicing their creative arts skills. Preschool teachers and daycare providers have the opportunity to promote creative development by providing art activities that explore media and materials and encourage imagination.

Handprint and footprint flowers are an excellent example of an activity that provides the opportunity to for expression and to encourage spontaneity in material usage. This lesson plan includes a materials list, preparation instructions and procedures for this activity to make childcare jobs easier, but also the age appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning.

Materials List
Washable tempura paints in a variety of colors (including green)
Foam paint brush
Baby wipes
Art paper or cardstock
Butcher paper

Preparation
Add the paints to individual shallow pans
Cover the activity surface in butcher paper
Set all of the materials on the activity table

Hand and Foot Print Flower Instructions

1. Invite the children over to the activity area and let them know they can make a flower out of their hand and foot prints.
2. Ask children to choose two colors for their flowers.
3. Help the children make two handprints at the top of the paper and green foot prints below the hand prints.
4. Clean off hands and feet with baby wipes.
5. Help the children paint on the flower steams using a foam paint brush.
6. Encourage the children to paint on leaves.
7. Help the children add their name and date.

Hand and Foot Print Lesson Objectives
Objective 1
To provide the opportunity for expressive activities by encouraging the children to create flowers using paint.
Verbal Cue A: Today we are going to use hand prints and foot prints to make a flower!
Verbal Cue B: Would you like to design a flower out of hand prints and foot prints?

Objective 2
To encourage spontaneity in material usage by allowing the children to choose paint colors or to blend the colors they choose
Verbal Cue A: Which color would you like to use first?
Verbal Cue B: I like the way you are choosing your colors!

Objective 3
To promote the sharing of art materials to foster social interaction and cooperation
Verbal Cue A: Please take turns using the red paint.
Verbal Cue B: Can you let Sarah use the green paint?

Kids will have great fun in your childcare center while enhancing their fine arts skills.

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Celebrate Mother’s Day in your in-home family daycare or daycare center through touching songs and fun finger plays that celebrate moms. Consider teaching the following Mother’s Day songs and finger plays in your child care center. They are great to use for circle time in your daycare and can be used in conjunction with a Mother’s day craft. In addition, they can be used for presentation during a Mother’s Day lunch or tea.

Mother’s Day Finger Plays for Preschoolers

“Helping Mother” [1] by Mel
I like to help my mother
(nod head knowingly)
To me it’s just like play.
(point to self on”me”)
I wash the dishes
(pretend to wash dishes)
And sweep the floors
(pretend to sweep)
Because it’s Mother’s Day
(broad smiles)

“Mommy, Mommy” [1] by Author Unknown
Mommy, mommy, let’s sweep the floor.
(pretend to sweep the floor)
Mommy, mommy, let’s go to the store.
(pretend to drive a car)
Mommy, mommy, let’s bake a cake.
(pretend to mix ingredients)
Mommy, mommy, let’s take a break.
( wipe brow and whisper “whew”)
Mommy, mommy, loves me so.
(Draw a heart shape in the air with fingers)
Mommy, mommy, watch me grow.
(Stretch arms up high)
Mommy, mommy, turn out the light.
(Make a click sound and turn pretend light off)
Mommy, mommy, say good-night
put hands together beside cheek and tilt head)

Mother’s Day Songs

“I Love Mother” by Author Unknown [2]
Sing this song to the tune “Frere Jacques”
I love mother, I love mother,
Yes I do, yes I do
All I want to say is
Happy Mother’s Day
I Love you, I love you.

“ Love My Mommy” by Author Unknown [2]
Sing this song to the tune: “Up on the Housetop”
I love my mommy, Yessiree!
She is very good to me!
She makes me cookies and yummy treats,
That’s my mom and she’s real neat!
Oh, oh, oh, who wouldn’t know,
Oh, oh, oh, who wouldn’t know,
I love my mommy and she loves me,
That’s the way it’s supposed to be!

“Mommy Song” by Author Unknown [3]
Sung to the tune of “BINGO”
I love her and she loves me,
And Mommy is her name-o.
M-O-M-M-Y
M-O-M-M-Y
M-O-M-M-Y
And Mommy is her name-o.

“Mommy’s Song” by Andrea [3]
Sung to the tune of “Daisy, Daisy”
Mommy, Mommy,
You know that I love you.
You’re my mommy-
Nobody else will do!
Oh, Mommy, when we’re together,
We have the best time ever!
Oh, Mom, it’s true:
I do love you!
Mommy, nobody else will do!

“On Mother’s Day” [4]
Sung to the Tune of “Old Christmas Tree”
On Mother’s Day
On Mother’s Day
Oh how I love you, Mom…
On Mother’s Day
On Mother’s Day
Oh, how I love you Mom…
You give me joy and happiness
I give you love – a hug and kiss
On Mother’s Day
On Mother’s Day
Oh how I love you Mom

Resources

1. Whattoexpect.com
2. Mothersdaycelebration.com
3. Stepbystepcc.com
4. Yakaberry

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Supplies necessary for running a daycare business can be very expensive. Fundraising for supplies and extras are a huge topic and one that many daycare providers or those that own childcare centers have shown interest. A daycare owner asked: Have you ever organized a fundraiser for needed supplies/equipment for your home daycare? We asked the Own A Daycare FaceBook members for suggestions. Here are some of the best responses:

• I have had fundraisers before but the only ones that have worked for me are the raffles. On my last one, I bought a boys bike &a girls bike and parents could buy either a pink or blue raffle ticket for $1 or 6 tickets for $5. It went over really well and the drawing was one week before Christmas so the parents of the children that won were extremely excited!  I got permission from local stores to set up shop in front of their entrances for a certain amount of time and my kids asked people if they would like to buy a ticket. We had signs up letting them know what we were raising money for. I spent approximately $200 on the bikes and my PROFIT was slightly over $450!
• We are getting started on one for a fieldtrip. All of the parents have agreed on a raffle. Therefore one of the parents has offered to handle it. We will take pictures of the baskets with goodies, dinner for 2 somewhere nice, and movie tickets. . You can also look at Crazy Cookies for your fund raiser. .
• We are doing one now. Very similar to what the schools do with chocolate and jewelry. In the past we have done Avon, especially close to Christmas does well. We have also had a yard sale, during which time we offered tours of the facility and handed out info on the center. Actually got several children this way.
• We had two fundraisers. One was a Tupperware party and one was a 31 bag party. From the Tupperware party, I was able to purchase a shelving unit. From the 31 party, I received a rolling cooler (perfect to pack for the park) and 2 tote bags that I use as emergency evacuation bags.
• I did. Didn’t go over well. Parents agreed to my face it was a good idea. But in the end, never bothered to sell anything. It’s kind of sad, because the fundraiser was for there kids so they could have a nice play structure for the back yard. Oh well.
• I’m working on one now. There is a local pizza place that sells coupon cards to the business for $1, then we sell them for $5 and keep $4 per card sold. The card has $35 worth of coupons on it. Hopefully it goes well. Otherwise, Tupperware, Pampered Chef and most of those kinds of business will help you with a fundraiser by the consultant donating her profits to your business.
• These days everyone is fundraising for something and most do not want to give to a small organization that does not benefit a large number of people. What I have done in the past, is start by asking your parents if they have any things at home they are getting rid of. I have several ex clients whose kids have moved on, that regularly drop things off to me they are weeding out. Toys, equipment, even extra clothes. If I don’t spend money on these things, my income is freed up to purchase other things that I have to get new, like curriculum materials.
• I just did a yard sale for my family childcare! We raised enough funds for our new back yard fence and fun outdoor equipment!

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Celebrate Mother’s Day in your in-home family daycare or daycare center through heartfelt poems with that celebrate moms. Consider teaching the following Mother’s Day poems in your child care center. They are great to use for circle time in your daycare and can be used in conjunction with a mother’s day craft, gift project, or Mother’s Day Tea.

“Mommy, I Love You” by Nicholas Gordon [1]
Mommy, I love you
For all that you do.
I’ll kiss you and hug you
‘Cause you love me, too.
You feed me and need me
To teach you to play,
So smile ’cause I love you
On this Mother’s Day.

“Wonderful Mother” by Author Unknown [1]
God made a wonderful mother,
A mother who never grows old;
He made her smile of the sunshine,
And He molded her heart of pure gold;
In her eyes He placed bright shining stars,
In her cheeks fair roses you see;
God made a wonderful mother,
And He gave that dear mother to me.

“The Sweetest Mother” by  Author Unknown [2]
Our mother is the sweetest and
Most delicate of all.
She knows more of paradise
Than angels can recall.

She’s not only beautiful
But passionately young,
Playful as a kid, yet wise
As one who has lived long.

Her love is like the rush of life,
A bubbling, laughing spring
That runs through all like liquid light
And makes the mountains sing.

“Your Arms Were Always Open” [2]
Your arms were always open
when I needed a hug
Your heart understands
when I needed a friend
Your gentle eyes were stern
when I needed a lesson
Your strength and love
guided me and gave me wings
to help me soar.

“Mother” by Author Unknown
You filled my days with rainbow lights,
Fairytales and sweet dream nights,
A kiss to wipe away my tears,
Gingerbread to ease my fears.
You gave the gift of life to me
And then in love, you set me free.
I thank you for your tender care,
For deep warm hugs and being there.
I hope that when you think of me
A part of you
You’ll always see.

Poems for Mother’s Day Handprint Gifts


Poem 1 [4]
I miss you when we’re not together
I’m growing up so fast
See how big I’ve gotten
Since you saw me last?

As I grow, I’ll change a lot,
The years will fly right by.
You’ll wonder how I grew so quick
When and where and why?

So look upon this handprint   (these handprints)
That’s hanging on your wall.
And memories will come back of me,
When I was very small.

Poem 2 [4]
Sometimes you get discouraged
Because I am so small
And always leave my fingerprints
On furniture and walls.
But every day I’m growing -
I’ll be grown some day
And all those tiny handprints
Will surely fade away.
So here’s a little handprint
Just so you can recall
Exactly how my fingers looked
When I was very small.

Resources

1. Iloveindia.net
2. Shirley’s Preschool Activities
3. Mother’s Day Celebrations
4. DTLK Kids

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Source: Pinterest Claire Bone

When developing curriculum, daycare providers must include age-appropriate activities for young children that develop fine motor skills. This Cinco de Mayo flower craft will support a creative arts unit as well as promote visual motor coordination, bilateral coordination, and hand strength.
Fine motor skills are actions that involve the small movement of hands, wrists, feet, fingers, toes, tongue, and lips. In contrast with gross motor skills which involve larger muscles of the arms, legs and feet, fine motor skills focus on small muscle movements in coordination with the eye. Some important fine motor concepts and skills that preschool age children learn to master are bilateral coordination, visual motor coordination, grasp, hand use, manipulation skills, pincer grasp, wrist rotation, pre-writing grasp, hand strength, and tactile awareness.

Children learn fine motor skills through practice. Activities which involve writing, drawing, cutting, stringing, and buttoning are great examples of activities that promote the development of fine motor skills.  The Cinco de Mayo creative arts activity includes the preparation instructions, procedures, and materials list for this activity. It also provides age-appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning.

Cinco de Mayo Flower Materials
For each child you will need:
Butcher paper
Coffee filters
Food coloring in variety of bright colors
Eyedroppers
Chenille stem
Basket

Activity Preparation
Cover the activity table in butcher paper or newspaper
Set out all materials on the table

Coffee Filter Flower Activity Procedures

1. Invite the children to the activity and let them know they can make festive flowers for cinco de Mayo.
2. Show  the children how to use an eye dropper to add food coloring to several coffee filters in a and encourage them to use a variety of colors.  Allow to dry.
3. Help the children assemble the flowers: Place one coffee filter decorative side down on the table. Next, place the other coffee filters on top with decorative side up.  Fold coffee filters in half and then scrunch the middle of the coffee filters.  Hold the scrunched area in place by wrapping the chenille stem around it.
4. Straighten the stem. Arrange several flowers in a basket.

Learning Objectives
Objective 1: To provide the opportunity for increased visual-motor coordination by folding and scrunching the coffee filters
Verbal Cue A: Can you fold the coffee filters in half?
Verbal Cue B: I like you are scrunching your coffee filters.

Objective 2: The child will practice spontaneity in materials usage.
Verbal Cue A: Which color of food coloring would you like to choose?
Verbal Cue B: I like how you choosing to decorate your flowers!

Objective 2: To practice cooperation and sharing through the sharing of art materials.
Verbal Cue A: Can you let Jason use the green food coloring when you are finished with it?
Verbal Cue B: I like the way you are sharing the red food coloring with Kerry.

Children in your child day care center will create a unique work of art while enhancing their fine motor skills.

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Preschool teachers and daycare providers can help children learn to recognize and write the letter Q through fun activities that support clear learning objectives. Implementing activities that support clear learning objectives, preschool teachers can create brilliant lesson plans that help young children learn the letter Q.

Learning Objectives
The students will identify the letter Q.
The students make and recognize the Q sound.
The students will correctly trace and write upper and lower case Qs.
The students will identify objects that begin or end with the letter Q.
The students will play a flashlight alphabet game.
The students will listen to books about things that start with the letter Q.
The students will decorate a letter Q.

Handwriting and Phonetics Activities for the Letter Q
Create a letter Q poster board which shows both the upper and lower case Q. Glue pictures of objects cut from magazines that begin with the letter Q. Alternatively, you can draw or paint objects that begin with Q.

Next, introduce the children to the letter Q along with simple objects that begin with the letter Q. Demonstrate the Q sound and ask the children to make (repeat) the Q sound.  Ask students what items they can think of (objects, names, etc.) that begin with the letter Q. Let children practice tracing the letter Q in both upper and lower case using letter Q worksheets. A good example of such a worksheet that focuses on the letter Q is available on the KidsLearningStation.com website. Additionally, children can practice tracing upper and lower case Qs on blank sheets of paper using pencils or crayons.

Cognitive Learning: Letter Q  Sorting
For this cognitive learning activity, place toy or real objects or even cards with written words which begin with a long Q sound or contain the letter Q sound in a box or other container. Examples include: Quarter, quiet,  quilt, Q-tip, question mark, queen, quail, and quarterback. Along with these items, place objects beginning with various other letters. As you pull each object out, students will sort (recognize) those that begin or contain the Q sound from those that do not.

Story Time: Letter Q Books
Quentin’s Quiz and the Letter Q (Alphabet Friends) by Cynthia Fitterer Klingel and Robert B. Noyed (Aug 2003)
Quinn’s Q Book (My Letter Library) by J. L. Mazzeo (Mar 2007)
The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood and Renata Liwska (Apr 12, 2010)
Quiet! by Paul Bright (Apr 30, 2004)
The Quilt by Ann Jonas (Oct 15, 1984)
Little Granny Quarterback by Bill Martin Jr., Michael Sampson and Michael Chesworth (Oct 2001)
Quarters (Welcome Books: Money Matters) by Mary Hill (Mar 2005)
The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill and Laura Huliska-Beith (Feb 1, 2002)

Flashlight Letters Game
Get a flashlight and turn off the lights in the room or close the blinds so the room is dark.  Using the flashlight, make giant letter Qs on a wall.  Encourage each child to practice making upper and lower case Q’s with the flashlight.

Letter Q Craft
Children can decorate the letter Q. Cut out large Q shapes using heavy cardstock.  Encourage the children to decorate their Q’s using Q-tips and paint in various colors.

Alphabet recognition activities will greatly enhance preschoolers’ language learning. The key is to have fun with your daycare job through lesson planning and make each moment of learning fun and creative.

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Separation anxiety is a stage of development in which children become anxious, nervous, or scared upon separation from a parent and is normal in preschool and daycare. Children may cry and cling to parents at daycare center drop-off time, need a carry a security item throughout the day, and/or cry at pick up time. Separation anxiety typically peaks between the ages of 12 months and two years.

Our interview with Jennifer Brackett, intervention specialist for Little Sprouts, discusses the issue of separation anxiety in the daycare and preschool setting.

OwnADaycare: Can you give some tips to help preschool teachers or daycare providers manage separation anxiety in their students?
Jennifer Brackett: Some common strategies that parents may use to reduce the chances of their child developing separation anxiety are:

• Use babysitters occasionally beginning by six months of age to help the child tolerate short periods away from the parent and encourage them to build trust in other adults.
• Begin contact with peers by twelve months, using play dates or play groups.
• Begin some form of preschool by the age of three.

In the classroom there are things that the teacher can do to help children deal with their anxiety:

• Never criticize the child for feeling sad or anxious.
• Do not bribe the child to mask the distress for example, “if you calm down you can be my special helper.”
• Do not give excessive attention to the distress.  Confidently let the child know that mom or dad will be back and tell them what you have planned for the day.
• I have on occasion made small daily schedule books for especially anxious children that they can carry with them. This way, they are able to look at the activities they have accomplished and how many activities are left before they go home.
• Play with the child and then invite another child to play with the two of you.  This helps connect the child with others in the classroom.
• Don’t give up!  You may think things are going along great and then after a month the child may have a day or two when they feel that anxiety all over again.

Allow them these feelings and reassure them that your classroom is still a place where they are safe and cared about.

OwnADaycare: What are some suggestions for preschool teachers or daycare providers for dealing with anxious parents?
Jennifer Brackett: As Early Childhood Educators, it is our responsibility to assist the children in our care as well as the parents through periods of separation anxiety.  The most important thing that any caregiver can have to help alleviate separation anxiety is an open and honest relationship with the parent(s).  This creates a sense of trust and will reduce the anxiety the parent has when leaving a child who is clearly upset.  It will also demonstrate to the child that you, as a caregiver, are someone their parent trusts and this is a safe place to be.  Some suggested strategies that we give parents are:

• Help the child become familiar with new surrounding and people before leaving the child there.
• Have ritual when leaving for example, read 1 book and then wave goodbye or blow kisses from the window.
• Allow the child to bring a “lovie” item to school, something that represents the parents.
• Do not give in! Let the child know that he or she will be all right and that you love them. Give a quick kiss and hug them cheerfully when saying goodbye.
• Remind children of other successes that they have had with separation, for example, when they stayed with a baby sitter or grandparent.

OwnADaycare: Do you have any additional comments or suggestions?
Jennifer Brackett: Some books that may assist children, parents and caregivers who are dealing with separation anxiety are:

The Good-bye Book by Judith Viorst

Into the Great Forest: A story for children away from their parents for the first time by Irene Marcus

Going to Daycare by Fred Rogers

I Don’t Want to Go to School: Helping Children Cope with Separation Anxiety (Let’s Talk) by Nancy Pando and Kathy Voerg

Helping Your Child Overcome Separation Anxiety or School Refusal: A Step-by-Step Guide For Parents by Andrew R. Eisen, Linda B. Engler, and Joshua Sparrow

While it is impossible to draw a clear line as to when to seek professional help, generally speaking, if the anxiety persists and/or is causing marked distress or interference in a child’s development or functioning, it is worth consulting a mental health professional, such as a Clinical Psychologist or pediatrician for advice. (separationanxiety.com.au 2007)

Some of the information above has been taken from:
Separationanxiety.org.au
Massgeneral.org
Baltimorepsych.com
Childrenshospital.org

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