Free Flow Organisation

[mac20]

Hi all, I'm after some ideas and advice for our free flow in our reception classses in the afternoons. There are 2 classes of 30 children each, and we have our own (classroom sized) activity bay and outside playground, and a TA each. Until now we have only had 30 children in total in in the afternoons as the other 30 went home at lunch time. This meant that we opened all 4 areas, member of staff in each, and children had complete choice of where to go and when. Now all 60 are full time we feel that we will have to limit numbers in each area for safety. Last year at this time of year we asked the children to choose where they wanted to work and then they stayed there for the session, but we would like to introduce a little more flexibilty this year where they are able to move rooms/go outside.

Any ideas about how to make this manageable? We have tried thinking of visual systems so that children know if a room is full - like wearing a scrunchie on their wrist which is associated that area, or a peg on their jumper, so that if there are none left the room is full, but we wondered if anyone else does anything which they have found works well?

Thanks in advance!

[belle06]

Hi

In the past we have used bright coloured sashes (similiar to pe) ones for each area hung on pegs outside the area when no sashes are left the children now there is no room and have to wait for a sash to become available. I have also seen a setting use pictures of the area e.g 6 home corner pictures and the child places there laminated name/photo on one of the pictures and move there name/picture as they change areas. When all homecorner pictures are occupied no more spaces. Hope this makes sense!!

[Guest]

we use a velcro board and children's name cards to limit number of children accessing our soft play area and this works really well. This is quite a small area and the active nature of the play makes it unsafe if numbers aren't limited.

 

We used to limit the number of children accessing e.g. the outdoor area but now we find that by allowing free-flow the children find their own balance. Children don't really like being overcrowded themselves so tend to spreadout across all the areas naturally. But on occasions they do all end up outside (nice sunny days) and whilst this does make the area busy we felt we didn't want to deny some children access or limit their time if this was really what they wanted to be doing. we just adjust staffing according to where the majority of children are.

[Marion]

As nsunshine we have found that with free flow the children find their own balance and don't have any problems.