What exciting thing helps 2 year olds not cry first day

amother

↑ Mustard

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 7:43 pm

Chocolate /candy for kids can sometimes be magic! As a mother of a 2 year old who cried on his first day when I picked up I was wondering why they didn’t try giving the children a snack or nosh during pickup ( quite a few kids were crying during dismissal).

amother

IndianRed

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 7:50 pm

#BestBubby wrote:

Lollipops.

Snack bags.

Balloons.

Teacher sitting and playing with toys.

Singing familiar songs.

Sit on the floor.

Balloons are a choking hazard. Lollipop might also be (and your place will get so sticky.). Kids love winkies.

amother

↑ Burlywood ↓

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 7:55 pm

amother OP wrote:

Whats your basic schedule for a 2 year old class for first week of school? Just play or also do activities? What kind of activities?

Also how do you get 2 year olds to nap ? That first time? Do they actually fall asleep?

Do you have any experience with 2 year olds? And any resources/networking other than here?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 7:58 pm

amother Burlywood wrote:

Do you have any experience with 2 year olds? And any resources/networking other than here?

My own kids! But never taught a class of kids. Which is why im trying to figure out these things...a schedule. Activities to do with a group. How to put them all for a nap. My own 2 year olds would never agree to sleep on a little cot surrounded by other 2 year olds! I cant inagine it at all..

mommy3b2c

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 8:00 pm

amother Winterberry wrote:

I work with kids that age.
Expect crying. Yes. Some kids will calm diwn after a while. Others will take a while.
We had one kid in our group this year who cried almost the whole day fir at least half the year. Unless he was napping.
It takes time. And a lot if patience.
And srcind ir third bubbles. And music. Kids love music.

That’s horrible . That child did not belong in school . I can’t imagine the trauma that poor baby went through .

amother

Slateblue ↓

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 8:11 pm

amother Winterberry wrote:

That is not normal. Some Kids can cry a full day , on and off, the first week or so. Then it's only at drop off for another x amount of days. In no way is it ok for a child to cry more than a month.

At the beginning of the year when the kids still cry at drop off, I offer them a cookie or a lolly when they arrive to make them like this new place and to be comfortable with me, a total stranger to them.
I also encourage the parents to tell their child bye and to not leave when the child doesn't notice. This may cause the child to start crying and the mother will feel bad seeing the child cry when she leaves. However, the child will anyway cry as soon as it notices that the mother left and will lose trust in the mother.
I tell the mother that if she wants she may wait behind the door to listen and see that in no time the child will stop crying. And I offer the child everything I can to make him/her happy, comfortable and relaxed.
If the kids like the place, the crying will stop since they will LIKE to come. You may need to offer a treat (cookie/corn pops/lolly/pretzels/jelly bean...) every morning for a full month. take it day by day and see what works.

amother

Tulip

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 8:12 pm

amother Oldlace wrote:

Honestly if someone doesn’t need the child care, 2 is too young for school. They do much better being home with a caring caregiver or mother with one on one attention.

It depends on your child’s personality. Some two year olds do very well and the socialization is good for them for a part time day, not too many hours. Other children struggle and are not ready for it yet.

amother

↑ Slateblue ↓

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 8:14 pm

amother Mustard wrote:

agreed. It's normal for the crying to start again when the kids see a mother coming to pick up and they wait anxiously for their mother to also come.
Giving a treat at dismissal is a very good idea. Anything to give them comfort until they become used to the place.

amother

↑ Slateblue ↓

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 8:19 pm

amother OP wrote:

You can play we pass the ball.
musical chairs, where no one gets out. Just catching a chair when the music stops. They love it.
Building together with lego. Everyone sits in a circle and one kid at a time adds another lego piece.
Just be prepared that 2 year olds wont stay nicely in a circle. And that's ok. Don't force them or be strict about it.
You can build a train track together
2 year old really enjoy pegs with a peg board

amother

Cyan ↓

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 8:19 pm

I always send my toddler with an emotional support snack for the first week of playgroup. It's hard to cry when you eat and by the time they're done eating, there's usually a toy that got their attention.

OP, honestly if you were my kids Morah, I would be a little concerned. Before running a playgroup, it would have been helpful to be an assistant for a year or two. I hope you find someone irl who can help you get set up for success

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Sep 08 2024, 7:00 am

amother Cyan wrote:

Wow how kind of you. You dont know me or my ability to love and nurture children.
And no I don't run my own playgroup.

amother

↑ Burlywood ↓

Sun, Sep 08 2024, 7:32 am

amother OP wrote:

Wow how kind of you. You dont know me or my ability to love and nurture children.
And no I don't run my own playgroup.

Her comment may seem harsh but the fact that you’re trying to figure out a schedule after the year already started IS rather concerning (and why I asked to begin with.) It speaks to a major lack of experience or organization. If you’re in a school setting, isn’t your director guiding you?

I hope this doesn’t scare you off from posting your questions because you really need the help. But I also hope you have a mentor and other resources irl because you need more than this site can offer.

amother

↑ Slateblue

Sun, Sep 08 2024, 8:28 am

amother Burlywood wrote:

experience is a very very very good thing, but not necessarily a must.
If she loves kids and has patience I'd be perfectly happy for her to be my child's teacher.
Every experienced teacher started out as OP.
A structured classroom will follow in 2-3 weeks hopefully.

amother

Cerise

Sun, Sep 08 2024, 8:54 am

Im sorry op but your posts are extremely concerning. You clearly are in over your head. Please get real assistance. Those poor babies need you to step up. Its not ok to go from your only experience your own kids to morah. Be an assistant first. You could be the most loving person in the world but you clearly dont know how to manage a bunch of 2 year olds. Please dont take advantage of nieve mothers and speak up to your director. Tell them you dont know what your doing and need help.

amother

↑ Burlywood

Sun, Sep 08 2024, 8:55 am

amother Slateblue wrote:

I’m sure OP is warm and loving and will make a great teacher! But it takes more than that to run a classroom and that often comes from the experience of being an assistant. Without experience, she needs extra guidance from others but it seems like she didn’t realize that till now. In other words, she didn’t know what she didn’t know.

amother

↑ Chocolate ↓

Sun, Sep 08 2024, 9:10 am

amother OP wrote:

Schedule and activities:
In the beginning the schedule is approximate and flexible until everyone's used to it.
Write in the basics: morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and naptime.
Fill in activities: I aim for one sensory activity, one outside playtime period, one quick arts and crafts project, daily. Free play by drop-off and before pickup. We don't always have time for everything and that's ok. A calm relaxing activity should be scheduled after a more energetic one.

For naptime I'd offer a book to each child to keep them on their mats initially. Put on a sound machine or soft music.

foreverone

Sun, Sep 08 2024, 12:31 pm

I agree with the other posters. OP you may be sweet and warm but sounds like you have ZERO experience. Your asking now how to get them to nap? after you already started playgroup? You trying to figure out a schedule now? I would be extremely nervous sending my kids to you. It takes a lot to be a morah. You need to get help IRL