Running a mixed age daycare means we have infants to school aged children in our midst. There are days when they are all on the floor doing their activities. There are benefits of having older and younger children in one group. The younger children benefit from older children’s help and mentorship. While the older children help to nurture and teach the younger ones – the older ones always want to feel like the boss. Another positive is that I find babies usually talk, walk and accomplish more milestones quicker in a mixed daycare environment. Somewhat like – no child left behind, they all try to do what the older ones are doing. It is for that very reason why I, had to do this activity. You know that feeling when the helpers are not really helping but you don’t want to crush their spirit or ruin their autonomy. Yet it is important for them to know boundaries and not overstep their roles. …sort of. I know they would never intentionally hurt a baby but, this science was a demonstration to teach them not to lift babies.
The children had to see the doll and real baby were same sizes. Ohhhhhhh……
Look at their sweet innocent faces – they couldn’t hurt a fly!
I allowed them to hold the doll. My son loves babies a lot and honestly he is the primary reason for this activity.
Get the egg on the doll head and let’s do this.
Now, my son ready to accidentally slip and fall the baby.
After the fall – this is what the doll and egg looked like. “It’s not moving ….the egg is squished”…yep – that is exactly what happens when a baby falls. Their head gets squished, their brain gets moved around and possibility is they, will never physically move again.
The baby lived to see his toddler years and the doll is now in his care. How time flies. And this activity will get another round with the doll, baby, toddlers and others in my care. The cycle of life and daycare.
The moral of the story is – be careful with babies they are very delicate. Now they all know not to attempt lifting a baby or overhelping.
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