Sensory and Free Play and Hours…

[Polka Tots]

Hello,

I’ve been on this forum for some time. I ran a mobile gross motor/toddler/art business for years. I am finally getting licensed for a family childcare on the 18th of November. This way, I can just work out of my house and not have to be on the carrying large equipment/supplies everywhere.

My question to you all, I need to market my hours/program before the licensor arrives. I have a following because of my party business, so I will not have a problem filling up (I have people waiting for me to announce my schedule). I just don’t know what route to take though…. I am torn.

If you had choice, which route would you choose? Please note- I am in Massachusetts and live in an affluent area, where people pay to send their kids to activities left and right…. 🙃

1) Offer 3 days per week (I only want to work part-time) and market the day as a “play group” day, where a parent would be able to get a little work done. Hours would be 8:30-3:30. This route I would only have to set up one time. And it would be a good bulk of income. I would run a school schedule.

2) Offer a more broken up schedule (more like play group sessions). For instance:

Monday 9-1pm would be the play group for 3-5 year olds, 4:30-6pm would be an process art/sensory play group for 5-8 year olds… and then Tuesday would be for another age, etc….

Play is my passion. I was a professional nanny for years and I saw first hand the lack of downtime and child-led play children had. I love sensory play and I would love to run “sessions”, but being licensed, I would only be allowed 6 children (5 because one child would be my own).

I could charge more for the shorter sessions, but the other part of me says…. I’m getting older and it’s a lot of work setting up and cleaning… and the cost of supplies… that I should just take an easier route and offer 3 days per week and be done with it. And that way, I don’t have to plan what I am going to put out either (for the older kids in the afternoons).

But, I literally have like 20 kids from town in the 5-8 year old range waiting for me to put up my calendar for an art club (session).

Thanks for any feedback (maybe there is someone who runs a more loose drop-in type daycare?). ❤️

[e.j.]

I can see both pros and cons to both option 1 and 2. I don't have any great advice to offer other than to maybe do an informal survey, asking those parents who have expressed interest in your program what option they'd be most interested in. I think it will just come down to what potential clients are looking for and what your own preferences are in terms of working hours. The good news is, you don't have to stick to the option you choose if you find it doesn't work well for you. As far as being ready for your visit on the 18th, if you're still not quite sure what you want to do, could you just tell your licensor what your basic plans are and that until you begin enrolling kids, you won't know exactly what your schedule will be. If you need to provide specific times maybe a general M-F/ 8:30-6:00 would do for licensing purposes? Whichever option you decide on, good luck. I hope it all works out well for you.

[Polka Tots]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. This is helpful. I am going to do some number crunching next week. And you are right. Nothing is set in stone. I can always change it. ❤️

[e.j.]

I'm also in MA and would love to hear how things work out for you. I'm not at retirement age yet but getting close enough to it to be considering what I want to do once I reach that milestone. I've often thought about remaining licensed and taking kids on a drop-in basis or doing something like you've described - a few hours of play/craft time 2-3 days a week or after school. Not sure yet how (or even if) I'd want to do it, but I'd be interested in hearing about your experience doing what you end up doing. Good luck!

[Polka Tots]

I will let you know how it turns out! ☺️

[BeeNature]

I would try doing the three days a week and see how that goes. As e.j. said if one option doesn't work out you can switch it to something else. I'm very interested in how this works out for you as this is something I would love to try. I follow a provider on FB who opporates a play school just three days a week in the mornings. She also does consulting work and advocates for letting children play. You may want to check it out if you are on FB. Her page is called "Listen to the Children".

[Polka Tots]

Thank you! I have actually followed Denita (from Listen to the Children) for years! I love her! She is an inspiration! I have seen her in person for one of her events and I just had a consultation via zoom with her a couple of weeks ago.

I will let you know how it goes! Thank you so much for responding. ☺️

[BeeNature]

Oh wow! That's awesome! I love her videos of her set up and watching the children play. I agree she is an inspiration, and gives me so many ideas of what to do in my own daycare. Feel free to message me...I hope it works out for you!

[Polka Tots]

I will message you once I am all licensed, which should be by the end of next week. I am scrambling to finish the last minute details. Thanks!

[Michael]

Thought I'd pull a thread on Sensory Play from our archives for a good conversational read: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91541