What exciting thing helps 2 year olds not cry first day

amother

OP ↓

Thu, Aug 29 2024, 9:34 pm

Teaching 2 year olds for first time. very nervous.
I heard they spend the first few days just crying. Do I even bother to set up a schedule or just anticipate holding crying toddlers ?
I keep thinking what if a kid cries for hours how will I take care of the others?
And is there something exciting that will make a 2 year old pause mid cry and say hey that looks cool to check out!

amother

Mimosa

Thu, Aug 29 2024, 9:47 pm

amother OP wrote:

My daughter’s teacher this year who has been teaching this age for over 10 years told me the biggest thing is that the teacher needs to exude confidence. The kids feel if you’re overwhelmed and getting nervous from all their crying. If you’re calm, know they will calm down, show them that they are safe with you, it can help in many ways.

In terms of activities, bubbles are always a fun one:)

amother

Periwinkle

Thu, Aug 29 2024, 9:56 pm

Yes to bubbles. Also definitely do activities because if they just sit around they’ll cry harder. Sitting in a circle and singing davening and familiar songs should work for most. You want to keep them busy and distracted. Also building towers out of magma tiles works well.

amother

Winterberry ↓

Fri, Aug 30 2024, 10:02 am

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.

amother

↑ Winterberry

Fri, Aug 30 2024, 10:03 am

#BestBubby wrote:

Lollipops.

Snack bags.

Balloons.

Teacher sitting and playing with toys.

Singing familiar songs.

Sit on the floor.

Please do not give 2 year olds lollipops. They dont all know what to do with it. If can be dangerous.

amother

Mocha ↓

Fri, Aug 30 2024, 10:12 am

I've been a 2yr old playgroup morah for over 20 years.
Find a toy that has light and sounds when you press buttons!
If kids are quiet(not screaming!!)they can take turn pressing the buttons to hear what sounds it makes!
Look at a picture book and ask the kids to name the pictures!
Sit on the floor and hold the ones that scream the most!
Even if kids gets paci only in their cribs the first few days I'm very chilled about letting them have their pacis and blankets! Anything that will make them feel better!
Offer a drink!(you can't scream and drink at the same time!)

After a few days of crying (some kids cry in a tantruming kind of way, more upset to be left at morah than sad to leave mom) I handle it as a tantrum. Give the child a place to cry away from the group and tell them you'd love for them to join when they are ready to play! They usually join and play very quickly after that!!

amother

↑ Mocha

Fri, Aug 30 2024, 10:19 am

amother Winterberry wrote:

Please do not give 2 year olds lollipops. They dont all know what to do with it. If can be dangerous.

Most 2yr old figure it out pretty quickly! LOL

A better idea is chocolate chips. Small enough that you can give a few!(one at a time!)

amother

Outerspace

Fri, Aug 30 2024, 10:20 am

I validate. "Oh, you love your mommy and wish she could stay...I love my mommy too. Should I call her and ask her when she is coming to get you? I need you to stop crying for a minute to do that."
Then I "pretend call" and have a fake conversation with the "mommy" and say she went to the store and when she is done she is coming to pick you up. She said you should play toys meanwhile.
I or other morah can then distract with stickers, snacks, magnatiles, cars...(ask the parent what child likes to play with) etc..
That usually calms them down temporarily...so you can deal with next kid crying one at a time...same conversation...same process...
If this doesnt work, I actually prefer a parent stays with child for a few minutes.

amother

Daffodil

Fri, Aug 30 2024, 10:24 am

I set up a few stations. Something at the table and something on the floor. I put the kids who are crying on my lap and start playing as if they aren’t crying. I talk about what I’m doing, I offer it to them and they usually stop crying in 5 minutes and join or they just watch quietly. I found talking about the crying or mommy or even looking panicked over it makes them cry more. Just have them on you or near you and proceed as if they aren’t crying. They move on fast when there is something in the room to be busy with.

amother

Burlywood ↓

Fri, Aug 30 2024, 2:13 pm

amother Daffodil wrote:

This is the best answer, along with bubbles and music. Talking about their mommies coming back is good for the first few moments, but then you want to move on to give them something else to focus on. They can’t be reasoned with at that age, but they can feel comforted by you and distracted with fun toys.

I didn’t teach for that many years but I never had a child who cried all day and definitely not the whole year. That sounds terrible 😢 as a mother, I’d want to know if it was my child so I could figure something out.

amother

Chocolate ↓

Sat, Aug 31 2024, 10:56 pm

Stickers. It's my go to activity. Big smiley face stickers to stick on a colorful paper or on shirts.

A lights and sounds toy

Something with tracks they can push cars or balls down again and again

Plastic toy food with velcro they can cut with toy knives. Pizzas are especially fun

Decorate paper crowns

amother

↑ OP ↓

Fri, Sep 06 2024, 6:56 pm

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?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 8:31 pm

Any help with getting a class of 2 year olds to nap?
Also thanks for all the suggestions of light up toys and bubbles it worked for all but 2 kids who screamed the entire day.

amother

Green

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 8:46 pm

If this is your own private playgroup, I would try to hire an extra assistant fir the first few days to be able to give e tra attention to those who need it and to try to get the group into a routine.

Rachel Shira

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 9:24 pm

amother OP wrote:

Any help with getting a class of 2 year olds to nap?
Also thanks for all the suggestions of light up toys and bubbles it worked for all but 2 kids who screamed the entire day.

Turn the lights off and put quiet sleepy music on. Have each kid rest on their mat and sit with the ones who won’t lie there on their own. Rub their back, just sit near them or whatever they need to help them relax and hopefully fall asleep. You can sit between two kids and rub their backs at the same time. When one is settled, move onto the next. You’ll learn who can fall asleep on their own and who needs you.

amother

Mustard ↓

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 10:21 pm

Lots of great ideas above.
Just an idea….. some non working mothers whose child is crying nonstop albeit all distractions and comforters would appreciate a phone call saying that their child had enough for the first or second day of school. Ask if they’d like to pick her or him up to ease the adjustment….
Also a phone call to a parent whose child calmed down and is playing nicely goes a very long way…..

amother

Chicory

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 10:23 pm

amother Winterberry wrote:

Please do not give 2 year olds lollipops. They dont all know what to do with it. If can be dangerous.

I don't think that I know of any 2 year old that doesn't know what a lollipop is......
It's not dangerous for them.

amother

Oldlace ↓

Sat, Sep 07 2024, 10:35 pm

amother Winterberry wrote:

Did the mother know? That’s terribly sad. What didn’t the mother pull her child out?
No child should suffer like that.