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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

Photo Credit

Category:

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

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Kids Love Dramatic Play!

One of the most popular centers at my facility is the Dramatic play area. In fact, the teachers normally have to remind the children to choose other centers until there is more room to play in the dramatic play area.

let’s think back to your childhood. Did you like to dress-up in your moms clothes or wear her make-up? Think about how that made you feel?

Kids love to role-play their parents and they love to pretend. Recently, my school-age teacher, thought it was a good idea to encourage the children to make their own store. Check out the picture below.

Source: Learning Days

The kids made the sign and the pretend money. We also added an old credit card machine and some change for the toy cash register. The objective for the store is to teach the children how to count money, how to use a credit card, how to answer the store phone and how to greet customers.

In fact, there will be many skills gained from this center. One of the children wrote me a pretend check as they prepared the store. Check it out below.

I was so excited to receive that check. Too bad I could not take it to the bank to cash it, lol. When the school-age child gave me the check, I realized the importance of having dramatic play…it enhances a child’s creativity.

Have you ever thought about creating a Dramatic play wish list? Recently I was shopping in Sams Club and I spotted a playhouse that I would love to have on my playground. (see photo below)

On my Wish list!

I hope that you have been inspired to get creative with dramatic play and create a childcare business that kids love!

If you need more ideas, check out the following sites below. I would love to hear about your dramatic play ideas. Feel free to share your comments below and send a photo of your dramatic play area to childcarenews@aol.com.

Your photos may be featured on the Child Care Business Owner network!

Have a Great Week!

Shiketa

Resource Links

Dramatic Play Area ideas

Dramatic Play and Prop boxes

Kelly’s Kindergarten.com

Dramatic Play in Early Childhood

The importance of Dramatic Play