Nursery Schedule
As kids lose interest in the activity they can go back to playing with toys for a few minutes but, they will benefit greatly from your efforts in helping them participate. At the beginning and end of each activity put forth all of your effort to involve each child, this includes cleaning up the toys!
- 10:10 – 10:25: Activity at the table (Play-doh, blocks, puzzles, coloring, art project, etc.)
- 10:25-10:40: Lesson (Jack-in-the-box)
- 10:40-10:50: Lesson hand out
- 10:50 – 11:05: Treats
- 11:05 – 11:30: Toys
- 11:30 – 11:40: Story time, Games
- 11:40- 11:55: Music time, Games
- 11:55 – 12:00: Clean up, Bubbles
- Doing an activity at the table to start the day is useful in so many ways. The children will have a much easier time coming to class without their parents if the class is doing something together rather than just playing with toys. Chaos is scary to children; they function much better when there is order. If the child has to sit on a chair and participate in an activity that everyone is involved with they will not cling to their parents as much. It will be easier for the parents to say, “you just sit in your chair and I’ll stand over here for a minute”. They need consistency, they need to know that every time they come to nursery the first thing they will do is sit in their chair at the table. This is also a good way to teach them that in nursery we do things together as a class. (I have seen some wards who start out with a snack because it gets everyone sitting down together doing the same thing)
- Always start out your lesson with an activity that gets the wiggles out and indicates the lesson will begin soon. I always played jack-in-the box: everyone hides behind their chair and we sing, “Jack –in-the-box, all shut up tight, not a bit of air, not a bit of light. Open the lid and POP!” (Everyone POPS up from behind their chair.) Some of the younger kids will have a difficult time sitting through a lesson. This is where you take advantage of having multiple teachers. If one particular kid isn’t able to sit through the lesson the teacher not teaching should quietly take them to the other side of the room and help them look at a book or do some other quiet activity. Nursery lessons should get progressively longer as the year goes by. This will help to prepare them for primary.
- Each lesson already has a handout prepared for you. I encourage you to do the handouts as they are demonstrated in the manual. It takes time to be prepared for nursery. You may have to spend 30 minutes during the week to copy and cut out the handouts but the kids will benefit from your efforts. You may also try making handouts on colored paper and/or cardstock.
- Part of having treats is teaching the kids to clean up after themselves, each child should to take their napkin and cup to the trash can when they are finished. Once again, this is a great learning opportunity.
- Children learn through play. Teach them by getting on the floor and playing with them. Help them to learn to share and be considerate of others feelings. Involve everyone in cleaning up.
Bring books or games that everyone can play. The Internet is full of ideas for playing organized games with young children. www.sugardoodle.net
- Talk to your music teacher and decide on a time for her to come. Express how important it is that she comes when she is scheduled.Or, if you don’t have a teacher that comes in for singing time do it on your own at a scheduled time.
- Kids love popping bubbles while waiting for their parents. One leader can blow while one distributes the kids (and their handouts) to their parents.
This schedule involves a lot of preparation and a lot of cleaning up the toys (you may have to clean up toys 6 or 7 times). Do your best to keep the toys organized so they do not get lost or broken.
Examples of Songs to Sing
3 Little Ducks
3 Little Speckled Frogs
5 Monkeys jumping on the Bed
3 Monkeys swinging in the Tree
Wheels on the Bus
Head Shoulders, Knees & Toes
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Popcorn Popping
Once there Was a Snowman
Do Your Ears Hang Low
Rain Drops, Lemon Drops
Thumpkin
Hinges
IF You’re Happy
Frowny Face
Rainbow
Do as I’m Doing
Give Said the Little Stream
Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam
Love One Another
Wiseman and Foolish Man
I am a Child of God
The Chapel Doors
Book of Mormon Stories
Follow the Prophet
I am Like a Star
Pray in Faith
I Hope they Call me on a Mission
I Lived in Heaven