A Typical Day

7:00 a.m. ARRIVAL/GROUP ACTIVITIES: Children are arriving and settling in. When they put their things away, they can choose from various activities in the room. Between 8:45 and 9:00 the children go outside.

9:15 a.m.: CLASS TIME: All children have arrived at The Nurtury now. We can clean up the yard, line up and go inside. The children go to their specific class, Crocodile, Salamander or Gecko, for snack, group time and an activity time. This is the most structured time of the day.

SNACK: The children wash their hands and then join their classmates at the tables. The children pass the snack plate to each other and pour their own milk
GROUPTIME: The class gathers on the rug for books, songs, flannel board stories, music, movement, share time, and discussions of their plans for the day and/or any other important topic.
ACTIVITY TIME: The Children may choose between the set up activities: Manipulative, art, cognitive activities, dramatic play, block play and medium table activity. Within this structure there is much to choose and this is a busy time.

11:15a.m. OUTSIDE TIME: Children clean up and move outside for a multi age group activity time. The structures in the yard are changed frequently and different types of activities are brought out daily. Outside time is not a recess. Dramatic play, building, art, manipulative and cognitive activities, medium table activities, music and small, informal story circles are all made available on the yard. There is mud, water, sand and paint, so children need to wear clothes that can get dirty.

12 NOON LUNCH TIME: We all clean up outside, line up and head inside to our respective rooms. Everyone washes their hands, gets their lunch boxes and sits down for lunch. As children finish their lunch, they use the bathroom, get out their sleep things and look at books, or listen to a quiet story to get ready for nap.

1:00p.m. NAP TIME: All the children have two inch rest mats and they lay down quietly and rest while their teachers rub their backs, read, sing or play quiet music. All the children stay on their mats to rest for the beginning of naptime, but are then given books or quiet activities if they cannot sleep.

3:00p.m. WAKE UP TIME: everyone gets up, puts their blankets away, puts their shoes on and looks at books, visits with their friends, colors or plays with manipulatives.

3:30 p.m. SNACK TIME: Children wash their hands and have snack. The Geckos and Salamanders usually have snack in one room and activities in another.

4:00 p.m. OUTSIDE TIME: As children finish their snack, they clean up and go outside for more activities.

5:00p.m. (Depending on the weather and time of year.) GROUP TIME: We clean up outside and gather for stories, and/or music and movement. Usually we stay together, but sometimes we divide into two small groups.

END OF THE DAY (6:00pm): After the group time children are engaged in a variety of activities of their choice as they wait for their parents. Puzzles, markers, small building blocks and books are popular as children begin to wind down.