Looking for Creataive ideas! Are you a teacher, day care or school-age care worker?

Question

I’m a trainer/consultant and writer in the field of school-age care.Would you please share some of your most creative ideas in activities, your environment, and ways you meet the needs of the children we see each day? Ideas appropriate for Pre-school through middle school welcome!

Inspiration for, Incentives, Literacy, Drama, Clubs, Transitions, Program Spirit Building, Self-esteem, Random Acts of Kindness---or whatever you do that is original or done in a creative manner---would be appreciated!!!!

A resource is being compiled; you would be given full credit for anything used on http://www.After-School-Care.com or in the resource! If not original to you, would you please include information as to where you first learned of your activity or method?

Thank-you,

Barbara Shelby

Answer 1

no

Answer 2

I am a 15 year trained preschool teacher. We use so many ideas that I will just pinpoint a few for you:

1. We have a wall that is just for the children's art. It is not "cookie cutter" art. When the kids come up and give us a picture, we put it on the wall. This gives them ownership over the room.

2. We use clothespins for our centers. Each pin has a face and the child's name on the pin. The pin is taken by the child to a center of their choice. They must count how many children are in the center, decide if there is room for them in the center and then place the pin in the appropriate basket for that center. Upon leaving the center they take their pin. This method enforces counting skills and responsibility.

3. We make journals each month. The cover has appropriate clip art for that month. The children use the journals to write or draw every few days. At the end of the month they take their journals home to keep. This gives the parents a great overview of their child's progress.

4. We write each child's name on a popsicle stick and place all sticks in a cup. When it is time to pick a special helper of the day we choose a stick. We take the chosen stick out of the cup until all sticks have been picked. This way we don't have to remember who we have chosen and ensure none of the kids have been overlooked or picked twice!