I have worked with that age a lot, and they are a great age! They love to listen to music and dance and play. When I worked in a two year old room at a daycare, they had circle time where the kids would go over the colors and numbers and shapes. Some might know them, and some might not, but they will enjoy learning. We also did some crafts…usually seasonal. We did a lot of drawing, or playing with playdoh. They like stimulation and free play time is good. Having stations in the class will help (you can only play with blocks and trucks and dress up). At that age, it is hard to get them to clean-up, but if they have a cue (like a cleanup song) they will learn that it is time to clean up.

Have fun! This age is a great age to work with!

(P.S you could have them play the 10 little monkey’s song….10 little monkeys jumping on the bed…)

You’ve had some great suggestions so far that were right on cue, but I thought I would give you a decorating suggestion for your door or outside of you room… I did this last year and it was too cute…

Purchase from a teacher supply store or draw an enlarged monkey and tree with the phrase… “Swing into Ms. ____’s room!” Have the children’s names on individual bananas in the tree, in the monkey’s hand, etc.

Why are you scared? besides, monkey has always been an easy theme…get butcher paper (brown + green) and make trees to decorate the room, and ask the parents to bring a monkey from home so the children can hang their own monkey…and it’s a good way to have the parents participating in their children activities…

For a Welcome Board you could make a large barrel that has your name on it ‘Ms. ???’s Class’. Have a monkey hanging off the rim with your name and little monkeys (each with a childs name) all over the board ***just like the Barrel of Monkeys game** and you could put ‘ Is a Barrel of Fun’.

Go down to your local library and browse around the children’s section as you can find lots of stuff for Teacher’s in that area (games,songs,bulletin board books, art/craft ideas).

You could put up more monkeys ( at child height) and again each with a childs name and every morning when you do Attendance, each child that is present could give their monkey a banana (laminate a paper banana, put a piece of velcro on each monkey’s paw and it’s mate on the banana)…you could put their picture on the monkey’s face until they can pick out their name.

Don’t be scared, just go in there and have fun and remember to use lots of positive reinforcement and if you tell them to do or not do something stick to your guns and follow through.

The interesting thing about twos is you will find that some are more like toddlers while others are more like preschoolers.

Check your library, teacher resource store, or on-line for the books “Things to Do with Toddlers and Twos” and “More Things to Do with Toddlers and Twos”. Those were my favorite and most used books when I taught twos.

For art ideas, check out the many books by MaryAnn Kohl. She has some free ideas on her website as well. http://www.brightring.com/

http://www.ghbooks.com Great books and also some free sample activities from many of the books.

Great teacher resources on-line

http://www.redleafpress.org (many of the books may be available from your library)

Monkeys? Fun!

Things two year olds need to learn

colors

shapes

letters

they love singing

they love dancing

they love reading too

try ebay or google

This age was a lot of fun. They love to sing, dance, play, art, stories.

Believe me they keep you pretty busy.

Playdough, gack, goup, anything messy that they can get their hands into.

Bubbles, sidewalk chalk, art of all kinds expecially glue, crayons, washable pens.

Lots of singing, dancing, music, stories, fingerplays, puppets.

Do you have your qualifications to work with children? If you did, you would have some knowledge of child development and what the interests of children at that age are.

i think of you will be able to desire to get off the pc and preserve those little ones. in basic terms play with them, colour, paint, examine, etc…….the comparable situation you enjoyed to do once you have been small.

try making up a game