Nursery Schedules

[zippy_do46]

We meet from 12-3. I teach the Nursery during the last 2 hours. How do you schedule your time? We are so having trouble with sticking to any schedule. It seems we have to "plan most of our activities" as we go because this is their normal eating and nap time. Any one have a schedule that seems to work?

This is all new to us. First time we have had more then one ward meet in the building. I must say this seems to be the hardest time for these young ones to meet. I have 3 "little ones" that do not even come in because they sleep. I have some that make the first say 40 min.( this is when I have tried having a lesson and activity.) After this, one or 2 of the others fall asleep during play. We lay them down on blankets under tables and in corners so the others will not step on them.

We have had some laughs out of this though. The other Sunday we were talking to some Mothers about how fast they are out once they start going to sleep. One of my "little ones" ran up to us... she was so serious... "Sister, Sister, Come there goes another one! She was talking about another child that had fallen asleep with his little head down and his little bottom up in the air. She knew we were trying to move them to safer ground before they were stepped on. I love the Nursery but I hate this schedule.

[xenic101]

I have no answer for you. But I understand. We meet from 11:35-2:35, so we run into a lunch issue as well as the kids getting rowdy because it's nap time. Best advise I can give? Endure to the end!

(there are 3 wards in our building, 9-12, 11:35-2:35, and 2-4 (or something, it's the singles ward, so I don't pay attention, I just know they're having sacrament meeting when we're done) so there's always a shuffle for about 10 minutes after our sacrament meeting while we wait for their classes to let out so we can move in.)

Edited February 21, 2010 by xenic101

[AELK]

We were on that schedule last year. It was difficult as often it was naptime for the children. And the ones that were really tired were just allowed to sleep. What I found helpful and this goes for any teaching experience with toddlers, is that we have a set routine. We also are very flexible. Now those two things don't sound like they mesh, but really we do. Our routine is for them to have social time (which might be called freeplay, but it is more than that, as with 1s,2s, and 3s- they are just learning about peer interaction, and we help them have positive interactions, redirecting problems, helping them learn to be kind, and gentle, plus praising any prosocial behaviors we see). After that, we have clean-up, as it is important for them to learn the value of taking care of the environment. The children do most of it. I call them to lesson with a fun song, and incorporate singing (often to them but sometimes with finger plays and their participation) throughout the lesson. I have a brief lesson. Children are never forced to come, nor are they scolded for not. We use no form of punishment in our group (no scolding or other verbal reprimand, no isolation-aka "timeout") all children are respected and guided when needed. I think this is what makes our program work like it does. The stake nursery leader says that the children are very comfortable and happy. We also respect the child's needs- sometimes they just need their papa or other significant family member. So either myself or a nursery assistant takes them to their parent. Forcing them to stay would erode their trust in us. Recognizing and responding to their need is respectful and humane. I understand that these little ones because of their cognitive development cannot keep the image of a loved one in their minds, so for many of them they are suffering as if their parent no longer exists. Anyway, back to our routine. After a lesson, and I use a variety of teaching methods that are developmentally appropriate for this age group.. we go for a walk. Sometimes outside, but because we live in the Pacific Northwest and it rains 300 days of the year, more often we walk inside. We have a walking rope with loops that the children hold. They do very well, and it gives them a different enviroment and a break from the nursery room. Once we get back, we have snack and may do an art activity. After that I put our manipulatives that children can use together and we might also have bubbles... which takes us to the end of nursery time.

I hope this was helpful, and not too wordy (as I know I can get) and please feel free to leave me a message.

[dizzysmiles]

we had church from 3-6 once. We meet together, I take all the crying kids away from their parents and direct their attention elsewhere, make the parents leave. If the parents stay then usually the kids will expect it and get more teary. I turn on some primary songs. Then from 4-5 we have play time. 5:00- 5:15- Lesson time. Even though they are small they do learn. I always told them "Jesus loves you" and had a picture of Christ. We let them color after the little lesson. 5:15-5:30- we did singing time. I made felt smiley faces for them to sit on the floor and let them chose little cute figures with songs on the back. 5:30-5:45- Snack time. They all used hand sanitizer (they love it) and they ate and threw away their napkins. 5:45-5:55- Ring around the rosies, bubbles, or story time. 5:55 line up and get all your papers and sing the "Clean up song" if anything needs cleaning up. 6:00- parents came. If they have problems getting their attention I would flip off the lights. the kids would stop in their tracks and I would say "UH OH LEts blow the lights back on 1...2...3.." And we would all blow them on and all th ekids loved it! good luck

[Elgama]

I was 1-3 when I had nursery. I found starting with packed lunch/picnic time helped, and having a dedicated sleeping space. We also did walks round the outside of the building when possible and I found some jumping/running games.

[FairChild]

Bubbles, they love bubbles.

[FairChild]

You may not be teaching them as much as you want, but you are teaching them important social skills, the skill of coping without having a parent present, conforming to a schedule, even though it may not be the Primary schedule you want, listening skills, so many more things that I have mentioned. You are doing a far better job with your nursery than you could possibly imagine.

[zippy_do46]

Oh, yes but I became smart on the bubbles :0) I bought one of those cheap bubble machines from Walmart. lolol it is so hard to sing and blow bubbles at the same time. lolol ;0) Before I grabbed a visiting parent to help blow.

[dizzysmiles]

Oh, yes but I became smart on the bubbles :0) I bought one of those cheap bubble machines from Walmart. lolol it is so hard to sing and blow bubbles at the same time. lolol ;0) Before I grabbed a visiting parent to help blow.

lol I had a fan do the blowing!