Learner steph
LearnerForum Replies Created
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A 2 month old child should be sleeping on their back in a single-level playpen, bassinet, or crib with a firm mattress and no blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, or bottles. The mattress should snugly touch the sides of the crib, etc. it’s in, and care should be taken that the baby doesn’t become too hot or cold.
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Dancing is a fun way of getting active that a lot of classes at my center use, and I’ve noticed that children don’t need too much help getting moving once we’re outside. However, when I have a few students who need a little help to find a fun physical game, I often find it easy to play catch or kick a back and forth with a group while still supervising the other children on the playground. When I’m with younger toddlers, occasionally, playing catch with a small ball or bean bag is a huge source of enjoyment for them, and it’s always fun to work on those key motor skills at a slower pace when I only have a couple kids I’m watching.
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You can make healthy habits fun by practicing them along with your students, making them into a contest, or incorporating in small celebrations when personal care milestones are met.
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On a prospective tour through my center, I could show parents the secure entry to the facility, the reception desk, placements of fire sprinklers/fire alarms/first aid kits/AED’s, and the location of our central desk on our way to the classrooms. Inside the classroom, I would direct their attention to the secured windows, additional fire sprinklers, smoke alarms, security camera, mobile first aid kit, the first aid supplies in our cabinets, and the way we store more dangerous chemicals and adults-only supplies using childproof locks. In the dining room, I would direct parents’ attentions to the allergy binders kept on hand, and on our way to the playground, I would show parents our outdoor security measures as well.
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When my students are playing at different stations in the classroom, I like to go around and ask thought provoking questions about what they’re doing. For example, if a child is drawing a picture, I might compliment the colors they’ve picked and ask what the combination reminds them of (I’ve gotten answers such as red and green making them think of Christmastime or a variety of colors reminding them of a rainbow in the sky). If a student is drawing an outdoor scene, I might ask why they think the grass is green, or if they think the plants like being out in the warm sunshine. If a child is playing “grocery store” at the cash register, I might come “buy” an item from them and ask if it’s something they buy when they go to the store with their families. If so, and it’s an ingredient, I’ll ask what they like to make with it, and what else goes into the meal they tell me about.
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One tip I have for creating a daily schedule is to organize activities in a way you’ll stick with, and involve students in going through the order of events together every day. This could involve going through a large, colorful chart or displaying pictures and names of each stage of the day on a large homemade “clock.”
