Setting up an educational scenario with a nanny?

[nkintzel]

Are there any working mamas here that have a nanny but still want something educational going on in your home? I work full-time and we just hired a nanny and took the kiddos out of daycare. My DS is 2.5 and he's having a hard time with the transition. We also have a 15 month old DD.

I guess I'm just looking for help setting up "centers" and other types of things in our (small) home that will make my DS feel more comfortable with the transition and give my nanny some sense of order and routine. I don't want it to be rigid or anything like that...but just...SOMETHING. I just really don't know where to start. I suppose I'm looking for a toddler/preschooler homeschooling ish type of situation?

Any ideas? Thoughts? Suggestions?

THANKS!

[onyxravnos]

littleacornlearning.com ! it provides weekly themes and besides story/talk/songs has one easy to do activity the relates to the craft... not to hard on toddlers not to hard on care givers.

i think they have two sample weeks on their site so you can see.

[inky leeuhhh]

i would begin by just deciding which toys or activities you want the kids to have access to, and then focusing on a routine. i think the routine part happens pretty naturally- most kids end up eating, napping, playing at approx the same time each day. are you wanting more "academic" type stuff for your older child? 2.5 is still pretty darn young, but you could have the nanny do some type of story/ song time. kids that age learn a lot just by watching people work around the house even. as far as "centers" go, just find little nooks and places to create play areas. you can rotate the toys in and out of them ( i teach preschool fwiw). it will probably take a little while for the kiddos to adjust to being home- its a big change!

[nkintzel]

Thanks!

No, nothing too academic. Just slightly more structured. Slightly. Just something that would emulate the daycare scenario a bit. I'm imagining places I can tuck centers into my SMALL house. But, I have come up with some good ideas, I think! And my husband is totally on board, so that is awesome. He will help with crafting nooks and crannies.

[mommariffic]

I write from home part time, and have a mothers helper :) One thing I say is no way on the television thing -- I normally set aside any crafty/sensory type things I want them to do for the time I'm writing upstairs, and suggest books (we have a seasonal book basket too..)

I'm working on "centers" too. One thing I'm doing, especially with winter coming is having a little garden spot indoors. I'm going to set up DD's little watering can/small tools and put our indoor plants so they are available to her to water. I also wanna set up a bird watching spot with a small chair, binoculars and her bird book [my DD is 3] 

You could also do a crafty corner with a small kids desk/have a small caddy with art things. Or sensory bins with beans/stacking cups/etc. What about a kitchen area? Or a reading nook? 

[lach]

There's a really awesome teacher resource book called A Survival Guide For The Preschool Teacher, and it's basically all about centers.  Obviously, it was designed for preschool teachers, but I got a ton of great ideas about setting up our play spaces from it.  It's really, really full of ideas and suggestions, and imo almost all of them can be done at home.