Preschool Classroom Daily Programming: Setting Up Schedules

Preschool Classroom Daily Programming: Setting Up Schedules
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Planning Ahead

Much of having effective preschool classroom daily programming is dependent on you planning ahead. This should be done in your free time, after the daycare has closed or while the children are napping. Use the information below to help you create an effective schedule.

  • Do your planning when the children are not there or when they are napping. Otherwise you will end up being frustrated by the disruption as you try to concentrate.
  • Center your schedule around arrival times and meals. It’s important to get children into a routine. Meals should be eaten on a schedule and everything else worked around them.
  • Make sure to include educational elements such as math, writing, reading, history and science. Children can be smarter than you think and they need the guidance you provide to learn how to develop their intelligence. It’s easy to simply let a child play all day, but you are trying to run a preschool so you need to make sure the children are educated.
  • Take frequent breaks. Children have difficulty sitting still for too long. Never fear though as your “breaks” can be useful too. Take the children on a science journey in the backyard and talk about the things you see.
  • After naps and about 20 minutes after meals you should have a scheduled bathroom break. This is especially helpful if you are potty training.
  • Schedule some active time. Children need to be up and moving or they get themselves into trouble. Try to get them outside as much as you are able to because everyone needs fresh air and room to stretch out.
  • In general, you will find that the day flows smoothly if you use the following format for your schedule; Wake up, breakfast, school, break, school, break, school, lunch, break, reading time, nap, activity, break.
  • Before you do the afternoon activity, make sure to sit the children down and discuss any problems that there were during the day. This gives them the chance to show what they have learned during the activity.
  • Try to schedule a special activity on Fridays. Adults look forward to the end of the week and so should children. You can make this the day for field trips or the newest movie they have all been looking forward to seeing

If you use these tips for creating your preschool classroom daily programming, you should have no problem getting through the day and will feel a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day.