| As a daycare provider, it is important to have a | | | | most young children will enjoy hearing familiar |
| long list of activities that your children enjoy, as | | | | stories told by a puppet! |
| well as plenty of daycare supplies, such as art | | | | Face Painting |
| supplies, toys and games. Active play is essential | | | | This activity has nothing to do with actual paint, |
| to brain development, so bring out the active in | | | | but is a soothing activity when little ones are |
| your daycare activities as much as possible! | | | | grumpy. Invite the children to come to you one |
| Dancing | | | | at a time to have their faces painted. Then, |
| Move the daycare furniture aside and encourage | | | | gently draw all over their faces with the tip of |
| your children to move freely around the room | | | | your finger. Most children will feel soothed by this |
| with colorful scarves or fabric used for dress-up | | | | little bit of touch, although some will be tickled by |
| time. Spinning around in circles, jumping, and | | | | it. |
| moving all relieve stress, promote brain | | | | Shape Sorting |
| development, well being, and believe it or not, | | | | Very young children love games and toys that |
| restore a sense of calm in young children. | | | | involve shape sorting. Provide children with plenty |
| Sing Along Time | | | | of shapes in the form of wooden or plastic blocks |
| Teaching nursery rhyme songs, seasonal songs | | | | and containers to put them in. You can also have |
| and other simple songs to your children is always | | | | them sort objects by color and shape for a little |
| a big hit. Most young children love to express | | | | variation or to make it a little more interesting. |
| themselves with their voices, and sing along time | | | | This helps children learn the names of shapes and |
| provides them with an appropriate way to do so. | | | | colors. |
| Look for songs that teach simple life lessons | | | | Tall Towers |
| about sharing, manners, cleaning up and healthy | | | | Plastic food containers collected over a period of |
| eating. Your children will enjoy singing the songs, | | | | time are great for stacking. Children can build |
| as well as retain the lesson. | | | | towers taller than themselves, but will mostly |
| Circle Time Rhythms | | | | enjoy knocking the towers down. The advantage |
| Circle time is also a perfect place for practicing | | | | is that the containers are very lightweight and |
| rhythms and getting out the sillies. Have the | | | | won't hurt if they fall on a child. They are also |
| children sit or stand and teach them simple | | | | easy to clean up by having the children stack |
| rhythms that incorporate clapping and stomping | | | | them together again. |
| combinations. Once they learn the rhythm, speed | | | | Play Dough |
| up the tempo until everyone is rolling on the floor | | | | Play dough is a classic child's activity and an |
| laughing and exhausted. | | | | essential part of the daycare supply closet. Moving |
| Shaving Cream Art | | | | hands are essential to child development, and play |
| You may not typically think of shaving cream as | | | | dough is fun, creative, and builds hand and finger |
| a childcare supply, but when working with children | | | | muscles. |
| who are beyond putting everything in their | | | | Indoor Parade |
| mouths, shaving cream makes a wonderful art | | | | The indoor parade incorporates music, dance and |
| medium. Spray some out on a table top and | | | | dress-up. Have the children pick their outfits from |
| encourage the children to draw pictures, letters | | | | the dress-up closet, then chose several songs |
| and numbers in the shaving cream. It will delight | | | | that everyone knows and march around the |
| the children with its cool, soft, and squishy nature. | | | | room singing, dancing, stomping and clapping. It |
| Puppet Shows | | | | uses up excess energy and generally puts a smile |
| Capture the attention of your daycare children by | | | | on everyone's face. |
| turning story time into a puppet show. Simple | | | | This list of delightful daycare activities can be |
| puppets can be made from old socks, | | | | implemented easily with a few simple daycare |
| miscellaneous fabric pieces and imagination. And, | | | | supplies. |