I like to know what is coming up and what to expect and so do children. Having a plan not only helps you to know what you're doing, but also builds some routine and structure for your child. This allows your child to feel secure which is extremely important.
I also found that organising my week like this meant that I wasn't scratching my head on a daily basis trying to come up with ideas on the spot for things for them to do. I was able to ensure that my child was fitting in all the areas of learning that I wanted her to experience each week and making sure I had the materials or supplies I needed to support this.
Below is an example of what one working week in our lives looked like. (I include various learning areas under all my activities. This is for me but obviously most of you would not find this necessary. You don't need to include it! :D )
Here is the link for this example if you'd like to see it larger
Here is a copy of a blank proforma. You can click here to get your own copy* to use if you'd like.
*Note: Apologies about the font change on this downloadable document but the font I used was not compatible with Google Docs. Once you have downloaded the document and opened it in Microsoft Word, you can change the font to whatever tickles your fancy :)
Handy tips:
- Just remember that timetables and routines can change very quickly with young children so you must ensure that you keep it flexible. This is why my overall design of the proforma is very basic.
- If you have extra naps in there (lucky things!) then you just add those in etc.
- Having a "catch up" day/morning/afternoon is a great idea for all those activities etc that you planned that for one reason or other you just didn't get to do. Let's be realistic, these things happen!
- I only include the working week in my timetable as I like to leave the weekends free and open for whatever might come our way or wherever our mood takes us. If you'd prefer to timetable the weekend as well, just add in the extra days.
- I use different colours to quickly identify if the activity is around the house or outside the house as well as for alternating weeks etc. Setting up your own colour scheme can also make things quicker and easier.
Debs :)