Anyone know what toddlers do at nursery?

[munchkintrouble]

I'm just trying to think of new ideas to keep my 2 year old entertained at home abd thought it would be helpful to have an idea what toddlers do in a daily basis at nursery to give me some ideas?

Anyone?

Plot the overthrow of the western world?

For my 3 year old at home I have playdough, drawing, wooden train sets, painting, stamps, toys, books. Rotate different toys and activities.
Also outside time once a day.

Singing, stories, messy play, outside play, free play, arts and crafts, cooking or baking

Hi, I'm a childminder, I have 3 pre schoolers every day. We aim to the following each day:

Get outside for fresh air and run around, usually in the morning. We rotate which park we go to.

Singing and dancing. We watch some YouTube rhyme times from our local library to give us a bit of structure

Craft time each day, either painting/ glueing/ colouring/play dough

Story time several times through the day

Some time with construction toys such as duplo or stickle bricks

I find that once we've done the above, plus lunch and snacks (sometimes naps!) then the day has whizzed by.

I used to work in the pre-school (3-4) room at a nursery. Try to carve up the time into specific activities e.g. do 'storytime' and then 'song time' and then some 'free play time' (where you put out some toys, and then the next time you do it put out a different set of toys), 'craft time'. A big part of the way the day works is the fact that there is routine and specific times for different things. So try to have snack time, outside time etc and other activities in between.

I was quite good at organising all this when it was my job, but with my own nearly 2 year old its much more difficult...! I think the problem is that at home you a) also have to get on with your own stuff like doing the washing, phoning the bank etc, although you can do this when they have free play time but mainly b) they are used to having free run of the place and so even when you put out specific activities they tend to go rummaging in other cupboards or baskets and get everything else out . They are also much more obliging for nursery staff!

Mine seems to do a lot of ‘mark making’, though never in an apron grr. Projects like pumpkin carving, making cupcakes, planting seeds, lately.

They do something called Zumbini. They sing a lot of nursery rhymes, dance to music with shakers, etc.

Running about in big piles of leaves, at the moment.

At home, I don’t know where we’d be without Duplo... almost all second hand.

Lots of outside play in mostly all weathers. Lots of sensory/messy play. A big rotation of toys and activities that are changed frequently. Normally a really clear structure to the day with snack times and song times and stories inbetween free play. There's lots of brilliant ideas on Pinterest which is what most nursery staff I know use for new ideas.

Play with friends, countryside walks, painting, drawing, playdoh, science-y things (mine has recently learned about rainbows made with the hosepipe, created a bug hotel and wormery, they hatch chicks), water play (in warmer weather, obviously), story time, music time, dressing up, building with lego and duplo, a lot of it is also self care and social skills too, so you could practice hand washing, setting the table for lunch, cooking, sharing and turn taking.

I think with nursery, as the PP mentioned it's routine. Breakfast, play, snack, different things to play, lunch, play/garden, tea, home time.

You could try to break the day up like that.

I also find rotating toys help, sometimes I get out toys and put them on a little table or move them somewhere different and DD becomes interested in them again whereas when they ass in her room she may just ignore them.

I do the school run with DD which means we are out for a walk, twice a day at the same time which helps keep a routine.

Plus a mix of playing on her own and things like reading/nursery rhymes/singing together.

This is really helpful thank you all.

My 22 month old isn't getting crafty yet. Everytime I've tried with colouring or painting it goes everywhere other than where it's meant to.

@thecakebadge I feel exactly the same, as much as I like structure it's almost impossible with a rampaging toddler!!

Thought exactly the same Bigfatliar 😁

DD1 did lots of craft and practiced her writing.
DD2 did "nothing" whenever you asked.
Ds crawled round on the floor as a dog, and barked if anyone spoke to him.

Hi
I'm a childminder- remember with crafts it's not the end product that's important it is the process. I do a lot of painting outside on a tuff tray or on patio with my little ones, so it doesn't matter if paint doesn't go on the paper but they'll have had fun mixing paints with their hands. We also use big chalks. Crayola brand are the best. I just hose it all down at the end of the day. They also love water play. You can get some plastic aprons for both. We always go outside for a walk come rain or shine. I'll take bits with us, whether it be ribbons, magnifying glasses or bubbles. It's important for them to have free play too, so that they learn to keep themselves occupied as opposed to having to be constantly entertained. For this, make sure you have resources that are easy for them to reach. Always read a story and always have a song/dance.

Ours do “themes” a lot which might help you with swapping toys/not getting bored. So it’s “under the sea” or “jungles” or “India” or whatever.

They do a lot of “mark making” where they stick stuff in paint and splodge it into paper. Sponges, toy cars, potatoes, plastic animals (they make “footprints” by walking the through the paint) - easier in a setting where you have extra hands for the cleanup!

From what I can gather mine has a different topic that they explore every few weeks. October was Autumn and Halloween themed, this week it's weather. They do reading and singing every day, play outside as much as weather allows, bath their toys (I guess they help with cleaning them), paint, sensory bins and water table play.

At home trains are our best bet for independent play. They also like Duplo but not as much as the train set.

I do notice that my DC is a lot more open to things like crafts, etc when he's in nursery, my attempts are met with much less enthusiasm!

Keep trying crafts @munchkintrouble chalk or a paint brush and water outside is a good place to start

At my sons nursery at that age they spent a lot of time in the garden getting wet, crafts, story time, circle time, learning how to put their coat, shoes, hats etc on. They also do lots of free play (Peppa toys, happy land, dinosaurs). They have discos quite a lot and sometimes watch some telly.

If you have Instagram, check out Busy Toddler, Bakeful Play, Five Minute Mum, Resolve to Play and Play at Home Mummas. Loads of good ideas, and actually it made me feel relief that a box of stuff is entertainment for my son, rather than all the elaborate things I was expecting of myself

In our toddler room at nursery we have 'free play' resources out all the time such construction, small world, home corner, sand/water. We also have a free art activity such as painting, crayons or sticking and a messy tray such as 'gloop' or foam to investigate or maybe some cooking or playdough. After snack, they play outdoors in all weathers on bikes/trikes, splashing in puddles, ball games, mud kitchen etc...They will all sit down for a story and singing before lunch and have a nap after lunch. Same in the afternoon! I wouldn't try to have all that out all the time at home but it could be a guide as to what kinds of things to do and a loose routine for the morning.

@BigFatLiar

Plot the overthrow of the western world?

Ahh I see you met my ds2 while he was at nursery.

When ds1 was at nursery 7 years ago he somehow managed to organise a group of children to charge the barricades in just their nappies...he couldn't even speak yet. I stopped asking what they do at nursery after that.

Sorry OP the other suggestions are far more sensible but I always imagined secret toddler planning.

When I ask my 2 year old what she does at the childminder she says "toys and toys and toys"

I may be wrong but I think the main thing children get from nursery is to play with other toddlers.