Reid Elizabeth: tales from life with a girl on the go
I am trying to figure out whether to use the photo gallery or a Web page for photos. The photo gallery truncates captions but this one requires that I learn a graphics editing package. Neither is as convenient as Kodak Gallery but I won't be required to buy something and they won't delete my photos and captions.

Daycare diaries: Life in theToddler Room

The first rule of Toddler Room is that you don't talk about Toddler Room. Fortunately, there are lots of clues to tell us what happens during Reid's day.

 
There are cubbies for each of the 15 kids that are in the toddler class. Reid's cubby is right between Anthony and Basil's. Basil and Reid started out in the Infant Room within days of each other but Anthony is new.
      
The menu is posted so that we can see what they're eating, or at least what they are being offered. On Monday, they had spinach rice casserole and turnips. Reid ate three servings. The write-on board tells us which teacher is on what shift and what the theme for the week is.
                              
The daily routine is quite detailed:

7:00-8:45 Greet children
8:00-8:30 Opening morning snack
8:30-9:15 Diaper routine
8:30-9:20 Creative Programme (or Sensory play) /Different centres open
9:20-9:45 Tidy up
9:45-10:45 Outdoor play
10:45-11:30 Cloakroom / Diaper routine / Circle
11:30-12:15 Lunch
12:15-2:20 Sleeproom
2:20-3:15 Waker program / Diaper routine
3:15-3:45 Cloakroom
4:00-5:00 Outdoor play
5:00-5:15 Cloakroom (Actually, they stay out until dark as long as the weather is decent)
5:15-5:45 Diaper routine /Free play


We have to sign Reid in and out on the sheet on the keyboard. They check every once and a while and make us adjust our "time contract" if we are way off. The bag has emergency stuff in it. When they go out to play (or during a fire alarm, I imagine), they take the clipboard and bag with them. The photos hanging next to the board are for sale.        
I caught Reid by surprise as she was reading to herself. On the way out, I try to read the binder to see how Reid's day went. She often wants to read it herself. The binder notes what Reid played at - only in teacher-speak, like: sensory, gross-motor, imaginative play, etc - as well as if she ate what she was offered, how long she slept, if there was anything unusual about her bathroom routine and a sentence or two as a general comment. It seems like lots of information but there is less detail than what we got when she was in the Infant Room and so we miss knowing more.

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