Taking over a toddler group next week.................................

[warmsummersday]

Hi. I didn't know where to post! Me and a friend are taking over a toddler group next week and im wondering if anyone has some inspiration for me. They always have the same activities out but have a range of things we can get out so I want to get some different things out.

Was thinking of a crawling tunnel and tents, then there is a baby section, a role play section and a but where we put puzzles and books on the tables.

If anyone has any nice ideas of what I can do can you please add, thanks.

Or as a parent what you would like to see at a toddler group.

paper & crayons, cutting and sticking, play doh for older children.. to be supervised by the parents

any toy cars ,push along trikes?

singing at the end, with instruments for the little ones

also, good biscuits !! and do not limit parents to one hot drink each if you have the facilities to provide more

The toddler group I go to is loveley.
They have a differnet craft every week and usually build it to a big collage on the wall, i.e at xmas we had stars and bells. At the moment there is a giant treasue chest on the wall and the littleys have made treasure, gold paper with gems stuff on, pirates, made up basically in advance and stuff together there.
We do a summer one with bugs and flowers and an autumn one with leaves etc.
They all love sticking their work up.

Thanks. I don't think we can stick pictures up on the wall in our hall.

With the craft table, how would that work as LO's would be running around and probably grad scissors, glue, paint etc off the table!

Singing at the end is a nice idea but I would have to get up and encourage everyone! ha ha!

Oh and we always have good biscuits!!!!

what about play dough? That doesn't involve glue, scissors etc

yes that's a good idea

We ask a different mum of a toddler to keep an eye on the craft table each week, so the littlies can't get stuff they shouldn't.

I bought a mahoosive colourful bedspread from Ikea for £15 which designates the "baby" area and which we sit round at the end for the sing song.

If you can find a couple of baby bouncer chairs on freecycle or similar, they're useful if anyone shows up with a very little baby. My slightly bigger baby likes to crawl around the mat and er, "pat" the other babies. First time mums get a bit anxious about it!

If you have access to a cheapie cd player, a nursery rhyme/ song CD from ELC or similar will make the singing less embarrassing.

Re; playdough. Nightmare to scrape off the floor at the end, but yes, safer than the other stuff I suppose.

You have to pre cut everything so it is more just glueing, parents have to supervise. Parents are so grateful to do doing it there and not at home that they are very good at making sure it doesn't get ut of hand.
As suggested playdoh is great.
You could make pics for Kitchen cupboards everywhere, all lo's love to take a picture or something home.