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Fun Summer Camp Activities

kids with sunglasses

 

I can hardly believe that June is already here! In fact, it seems like I was just writing my business goals for 2013 and here we are half way through the year.

This week, I thought I would share some fun Summer Camp Activities with you to provide you with more great ideas  for the kiddos enrolled in your Summer Program or Camp.

In fact, I love it when the summer comes, because it usually means; more kids, lots of warm weather, fun field trips and lots of fun Summer Fun!

Here are my Top 5 Summer Camp Activities:

  1. Painting while wearing Sunglasses. This activity is so cool. Simply invite the children to wear sunglasses while they are painting!
  2. Painting with Flip Flops. Provide the children with old flip-flops, construction paper and paint. Instruct the children to dip their flip-flops in the paint to make flip-flops imprints on the paper.
  3. Summer T-shirt Art. Simply give each child a white t-shirt, provide the children with paint and seashells to make seas shell imprints on their t-shirts. Be sure to paint the words: Summer Camp!
  4. The Tiny Tot Travel Station.  I borrowed this idea from the mailbox magazine about 10 years ago and I still implement it in my program today. Simply, provide the children with luggage, travel brochures, a telephone, luggage tags to practice writing skills, add clothing to practice packing skills, post travel deals on the wall and to enhance the children’s imagination;  encourage the children take a trip to their favorite place by boarding their pretend airplane. Be sure to make a big sign that is Titled: Tiny Tot Travel Station!
  5. Beach Ball Fun Outdoors. Be sure to take beach balls outdoors to have lots of Summer Time Beach Ball Play!

What do you think about my top 5 summer camp activities? Feel free to share your top 5 Summer time activities. Be sure to Subscribe to my weekly Child Care Business Weekly eNewsletter or Email tips. Click Here

 

Have a Great Summer!

Shiketa

 

 

Category:

Curriculum, Lesson Planning, Summer Program

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Kids Love Singing Songs

When parents walk into your childcare business, they are listening to what is going on. One of the most joy-able sounds to hear in a childcare program is the sound of children singing. In fact, I have not seen one child yet that does not like to sing.

Singing songs seem to bring a spirit of cooperation in a classroom or in your home, relaxes everyone, including you and it is great to do throughout the day.

One of the things that I have discovered about singing songs is the simple fact that you can get kids to cooperate better when you are singing songs. Today I am going to share with you how you can incorporate more songs into your program, because after all….Kids love a place where they can sing!

Moreover, when the kids are happy…the parents are happy too!

Singing Songs during Transition Times

Transition times can be chaotic. In fact, anytime that you make a change throughout the day, it interrupts the kids play and some kids may even resist the change. However, incorporating songs as kids transition from activity to another is a great way to add some joy to your transition time.

Before you or your staff tell children to clean-up, it is a great idea to give children a five-minute warning. Ex, You all have five more minutes to play and then we are going to clean-up to go outdoors, prepare for lunch, read a story, set-up cots, go potty, etc. Giving a warning, prepares the child for the change and it gives them enough time finish up their play/projects.

Here are three song ideas for busy times of the day:

1. During hand washing time.  “ This is the way we wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands, this is the way we wash our hands….. all day long.” Repeat it as many times as the child desires.

2. Singing as the kids are waiting to eat lunch. ” I smell lunch, I smell lunch, um um good, um um good.  I can smell the (name food)  I can smell the (name food) then have the kids to rub their tummies as they say, um um good. Repeat the songs until all food is named and served.

3. Transitioning to line-up. We’re going out to play, we’re going out to play, hi ho the Derry-o, we’re going out to play..hey! Repeat the song, as children line-up and begin to march outside.

This is was just a few songs that I have sung with children in my childcare program to make transition time much smoother and to assure that children have an enjoyable experience while they are in my program. In fact, many of the songs, I simply make-up as I go and the kids, seem to catch on as I song the song with them.

I hope that you are  inspired to incorporate more songs into your program. If I were to walk in your program, what songs will I hear? Feel free to share the songs that the kids in your program love to sing and what you think about the songs in this post.

Check out this Website that is full of children songs: http://www.theteachersguide.com/ChildrensSongs.htm

Thanks for Creating a Child Care Business that kids Love!

Shiketa

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Category:

Child Care Center, Curriculum, Family Child Care, Home Daycare, Lesson Planning, Music, preschool

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