| Day care activities can help draw many new | | | | they could be encouraged to play with and 'help' |
| customers. More and more parents want | | | | the younger babies. |
| someone to not only look after their children, but | | | | Pre-schoolers need books in any day care activity. |
| to help them learn and have fun. Introducing | | | | Books and reading are crucial at this age. Read to |
| stimulating day care activity to a child's day can | | | | them as often as possible. Keep plenty of colorful |
| help them physically, mentally, and emotionally. | | | | picture books and encourage children to create |
| Any day care activity should be tailored to the | | | | their own stories to go with the pictures. |
| ages of the children. Infants and young toddlers | | | | If you are dealing with multiple age groups, day |
| will need more basic, gentle play, while older | | | | care activities should be scheduled for each. You |
| children will need more challenging activities. When | | | | could, for instance, have preschool activity during |
| you are dealing with a wide range of children, it | | | | infant naptime, or vice versa. All schedules should |
| may be more challenging to come up with day | | | | be flexible however, as children do not always |
| care activity to meet all of their needs. With a | | | | cooperate with your plans. Combining age groups |
| little creativity and patience, however, it is possible. | | | | for day care activities when possible is one option, |
| Infants and toddlers need good day care activities | | | | but you may need to make sure you have at |
| as much as older children, but they need activity | | | | least one adult for each group if you are dealing |
| suited to their age. Younger infants need plenty of | | | | with a large number of children. |
| floor time to help with muscle strength and | | | | Outdoor play is an important day care activity for |
| mobility. They will also love playing with brightly | | | | all age groups, even infants. Older children may |
| colored rattles and soft toys. As they get a little | | | | prefer games such as baseball, tag, or hide and |
| older they may enjoy pull toys, riding toys, large | | | | seek. Most children of any age group love to |
| blocks, and stacking toys. Games like peek-a-boo | | | | swing and slide. Babies may simply enjoy the |
| are very popular at this age, as is music and | | | | sunlight, but many like to swing or play in the |
| singing. | | | | grass. |
| Older toddlers need day care activity that helps | | | | With a little careful planning, you can easily find |
| them learn new skills and concepts. Puzzles, | | | | suitable day care activities for any age group you |
| building blocks, arts and crafts, and outdoor play | | | | are working with. Above all, listen to the children. |
| are all important at this age. Memory games | | | | If they enjoy certain day care activities, try to |
| would be a fun day care activity, as well as dress | | | | find other similar things to do. If they don't like |
| up. This age group is learning not only mental skills, | | | | something, look for alternatives. Even the most |
| but social ones as well. Try to find activities that | | | | well intended day care activities will be worthless if |
| help in both of these areas. Older toddlers also like | | | | the children do not cooperate. |
| to help adults. With close and careful supervision, | | | | |