2nd interview, nursery tips

[immyiyfh]

I have a second interview tomorrow, for a nursery (i qualified 10 years ago but have been nannying) I need to plan a activity (they haven't said I need to do the activity) for 1 year olds and plants, any suggestions that may be better than my idea? I also have a play and stay any tips? Thank you I just get nervous!

Anyone?

It’s been years since I’ve done anything within a formal setting as I left but 8( it needed to include plants, the obvious ones are painting leaves / using flowers / sticks etc to mark make in paint / other material like flour etc , potentially planting plants BUT you’d need to do a risk assessment to ensure any compost etc won’t get eaten and it’s safe. In the warm weather you could also freeze some leaves / plants etc in different sized ice blocks for exploring and have some dry ones and wet ones etc.

In any plans ensure you note that you’d check the leaves / plants aren’t poisonous should a little one try to explore with their mouth.

For play and stay, just be engaging, get down to the children’s level and let them lead the play, you can give some direction / ask questions but essentially let them lead their own learning. If a child has a snotty nose then wipe it or ask the staff if it’s ok to be wiped, it really wound me up when staff just left the kids with a streaming nose! Also move around the room, don’t just sit and spectate.

Not sure what your activity would have been but hope that helps and good luck!

Thank you @Frankie789 I was thinking plant hands in paint and also growing cress!

I've no experience but what about something with scented plants e.g. mint, lemon, flowers?

Go for sensory stuff with no big emphasis on the 'end product'. It's the doing that counts.

For the stay and play just show that you like children and can interact in a gentle, caring and fun way. And move about a bit.

A couple of weeks ago I cut back a rosemary bush at home. Next day's activity sorted! Lots of little sticks of it on a tray with toy animals to hide in it.

Thank you all for your ideas!

Don't do cress. They are 1, so it needs to be all about the here and now. Growing cress is meaningless to them. If you were coming for a job at my nursery, I would want you to demonstrate that you understand the development stage most 1 year old are at so think sensory. I would want the children to be able to move as they see fit, so no sitting at a table for example. No end product, all about exploring whatever you provide. 1 year old love filling and emptying.

Okay thanks @3teens2cats

Sensory bottles or similar with different colours or smells? Herbs to smell, small stones that make a noise, etc.
Have a look on Instagram at some hashtags like #babyplay or #eyfs or similar, loads of accounts solely dedicated to early years play activities!
(Caveat - not a teacher etc but my best friend is a nursery teacher and has one of those accounts, hence why I know haha)