Organising Environment/ Using Workshop/zones

[sharonash]

Hi

 

We are trying to orgainise our provison into workshops we have two largish! sized rooms for children aged 2-5 free flow.(max 20 children)

We feel we still need to split the children at times as the 2's get tired . We try and use each room as a base for 2-3's and 3-5's for these split times , we need to use one of the rooms also for lunch tables so decided to put these in with the messy activities ie sand water malleable in the 2-3 rooms so that mess is altogether! We are finding that the 3-5s are getting a bit bored in the split times as their arent so many toys in their room. I suppose the solution is to get a happy mix of workshops!

 

Does anyone split theit children and have any suggestions for the enviroment ?

 

 

If you have workshops can you give me some advice on what works best are they highly resourced?

 

My children are playing rather loudly behind me!!! so hopefully you get the jist of what Im asking as iI cant hear myself think!!!!!

 

sharon

[Beau]

Sharon,

 

I would not split the children in this way but rather make sure that you designate 'quiet' areas where children can go to if they are feeling a little tired. I think it is a big mistake to limit the choice of activities the children have - particularly if you are taking away the messier activities from the older children. I actually don't class messy activities as quiet ones - to me quiet activities are more looking at books, doing puzzles, playing board games, doing table top activities such as peg boards etc. I have always found that to have happy children who are focussed on the activities they are playing with you need to make sure they have a full choice all the time.

[Shiny]

We have two seperate rooms, one for the quieter activitieis and one for messy/role play, as well as our large outdoor area. We don't split the children for the reasons Carol points out. Children should be given the full choice throughout the session. If you do prefer to split you could have both quiet/messy activities/areas in both rooms if you have the space.

 

If our younger children are feeling tired we have lots of cushions in the book corner in the quieter room for them to curl up on.

[sharonash]

We have two seperate rooms, one for the quieter activitieis and one for messy/role play, as well as our large outdoor area. We don't split the children for the reasons Carol points out. Children should be given the full choice throughout the session. If you do prefer to split you could have both quiet/messy activities/areas in both rooms if you have the space.

 

If our younger children are feeling tired we have lots of cushions in the book corner in the quieter room for them to curl up on.

 

 

How do you manage group time activities such as covering letter and sounds, do you do circle time altogether then if you dont split the children?. It was suggested we split them for circle time story time and structured learning?

 

It was suggested to us to do one focus activity inside and one outside for the week, thats fine however if we only have 3 or 4 staff in one tide up with each focus and one floating doing nappies etc one on the snack table whols left with the children?

 

 

We isare really struggling with having time to do any specific activities for target childrens learning, observing etc. Can someone shed some light on how their days run aetc pleazzzzzzzzzzzzzze.

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