U

stage for children to come up with their own ideas. Everyday living will provide many of the activities. Learning to put on a jacket, spreading peanut butter on a cracker, playing peeka-boo with a baby -- these are important activities for young children. Ideally you should have a variety of activities on hand. Keep a list of possibilities to choose from when something is needed.

Watch the children's natural tendencies to help you plan an effective sequence for the day. If they are creative during the morning, that is a good time for learning (e.g., alphabet, numbers, art activities).

If they tend to get rowdy after a snack, that is the time to go outside. If they are sleepy and cuddly after waking from their naps, reading stories might be a successful activity. If school-age children resist structured activities when they arrive, they should be allowed free-play time.

You will need to adjust your routines as new children bring different needs and personalities to the group. Each group of children is different. You can plan activities, but make sure you flow with children's natural tendencies rather than oppose them. A good policy for planning is to alternate between active and quiet times, structured and unstructured activities and together and private times.

Be sure to inform parents what has happened during the day. If you follow a schedule, post it on the bulletin board or include it in your parents' handbook. If you don't follow a schedule, you can list the day's activities. Parents are usually eager to find out what their children have been doing.

Informing them builds communication and helps parents recognize your efforts and respect your perceptions.

Activities Your choice of activities will be influenced by the developmental levels of the children in your center. The idea behind the concept that children learn and play in different ways depends on their experience and interest, ages and special needs. For example, one two-year-old child might climb better than another four-year-old child, or a younger child who has played with a material frequently will use it in more complex ways than an older child who has not had any experience with that material.

Provide many chances for children to make real choices and explore ideas or objects on their own.