SUMMER WITH MIXED AGES OF CHILDREN
Summer is a great time to encourage the children to teach each other. If younger children come to you for help, try to enlist one of the older children to help out. This teaches the younger children how to ask the older children for help and it makes the older children feel special.
The activities for multi-age groups of children do not have to be complicated. Children learn so much from just playing house with each other. If you set up play areas that are interesting, the children will need very little instruction from you.
Older children love to help out,but sometimes they need their own space too. What about having a special room where they can go “to get away from the babies.” How about keeping board games in that room.
Caring for children of all different ages can help see each child as an individual. You can make a point to celebrate each child’s accomplishments.
Try focusing on doing activities that are more individualistic so children can interpret it according to their skills and interests. For instance, try providing a paper sack to decorate with an assortment of crayons, stickers, markers, fabric scraps and magazines pictures.
Help the children develop self-help skills by having involvement in day to day home life.
Children love to help. Washing dishes can be real life water play. Setting the table or putting away silverware is valuable sorting experience. Preschoolers often love to help feed the baby and with guidance may become quite accomplished at the task.
Check out your Community Ed flyers. See what they are offering for your school aged children. What can you offer that is comparable? What activities can you make available for children to attend?
Think about your yard, nearby parks, playgrounds or neighborhood have to offer as resources for your program and plan times to take advantage of them. Today rediscover a part of your yard that you have not enjoyed for a while. Do a little wedding with the children. Trim away the dead branches from your trees or hedges. Children love to help seasons come alive.
Suggested toys for 8 to 12 year olds-musical instruments, sports equipment, models,
arts and craft materials. Any kind of construction sets especially electric trains. 26 inch bicycles work great for outdoor play.
School-agers suggested reading. Trip to the library will be a great field trip.
“Mary Poppin,” by P. L. Travers
“The Wind in the Willows,” by Kenneth Grahame
“The Jungle Book,” by Rudyard Kipling
“Little House on the Prairie,” by Laura Ingalls Wilder
“Winnie the Pooh,” by A.A. Milne
