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Hi friends!
I’m Alyssa (aka Lisette, my middle name)- the mom and daycare provider behind the blog! I’m here to help make things a *tiny* bit easier for you by providing fun kids activities and real-world advice for my fellow home daycare providers.
I’ve been working with children for over 15 years and have a BS in early childhood education. I’ve worked in many positions over the years from a preschool and kindergarten teacher to parent support advocate and even as the director of a large daycare center.
However, by far the most rewarding career choice has been running my own home daycare and private preschool while raising my daughter.
Every day I get to play, laugh, and observe my little people discovering new things! What could be better?
But let’s be honest here, working with children can be stressful and overwhelming at times. There are days when you want to crawl back into bed and start over. Where Imagination Grows is here to help! I have tons of kids activities here that are sure to keep your kids busy instead of climbing the walls.
Running your own daycare but struggling? Trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve got a whole section of the blog dedicated to helping my fellow daycare providers avoid the pitfalls I went through. Home daycare is a solitary career but that doesn’t mean you are on your own! I’m here to help and I even have a Facebook community full of experienced providers willing to help! We’re all in this together now.
Have a question about my site or activities? You can contact me at Lisette@whereimaginationgrows.com.
Here are the activities ——->
Find our most recent activities or check out the index of activities.
Here are some daycare tips & advice —–>
Click the image or follow the link for home daycare tips.
Find our lesson plan packs here ——>
I’ve created a YEAR of themed preschool lesson plans (over 450 activities!) that feature hands-on learning for preschoolers. These are tried and true activities that kids will LOVE. Check out individual themes or the whole set by clicking the image below or clicking this –> lesson plans link.
Looking for more crafts and activities? Check out our index for 100+ plus kids activities! Find activities by theme, materials, skills, age and much more!
I’m a preK teacher in New York City and I get so many wonderful ideas from your blog! Thank you ! I’m particularly excited about encorporting your sensory and light table ideas! I want to subscribe to you via my e mail rather than facebook. I can’t seem to set it up. Would you set me to subscribe at the above address? Thanks so much!
Warmly, Amy
Hi Amy! I added you to the email list, it should send out a verification email. Just follow the link to verify your email address and you’ll be all signed up. Let me know if it still isn’t working for you! Thanks!
Hi! Wow are we on the same page! I “found you” through a “share” on fb with the melted beads project. I am a retired nanny. Started so I could have my daughter with me at work…… and did it for 28 years. It was my dream job. Now I am retired, (sort of as I have a product in Walmart I invented) and enjoy my 4 grand kids who next to my husband, are the passion of my existance! lol I look forward to your posts!
HI Norma,
how are you? where or who did you have carry your invention idea forward? could you share please
Thx Rose
I purchased two of your items through paypal. However, I have not received them…
Will they be emailed to me or is there a place to login and download. Thank you for your prompt reply,
Shellie Clark
Hi Shellie! I’m sorry that you are having trouble! It should have emailed you the download link immediately when your order was processed. Did you receive an “order complete” email? You should be able to click on the title of each file in your order complete file and it will download. I re-sent it to you a bit ago, but I don’t always trust technology to do what it’s supposed to so if you don’t get it please email me whereimaginationgrows3@gmail.com and I’ll email you a copy of the files asap.
Hi,
I’m Jasmine far away from Malaysia! I was searching information on toddler activities plan and I found you! You blog is amazing. I’m running my home based daycare with one infant, two toddlers and one pre-elementary kid.
Hope to learn more from you!
Thank you so much for providing the informative content!
Hi Jasmine! Thanks so much! <3 Hope you can find some of it helpful! 🙂
Hi there!!
I love what I’ve read so far. I started keeping kiddos before and after school this past school year (I’m located in VA). I have a 9-year-old boy going into 5th in Sept and a 13-year-old going into 8th in Sept. I am keeping kiddos during the summer but only have 1 maybe 2 right now. I’d love your advice!!! You seem like an expert! 🙂
Thank you –
Amanda Lindsay
Hey, everyone!
I just came across this awesome site last night! I posted something but know everyone is busy. I’m curious to know rates being charged for in home childcare for before and after school, if parents provide the snack for after school and kiddos eat ? I’ve seen a lot of different prices “out there!” 😉
Thanks!!
Amanda
Hi Amanda! I’m happy to answer and questions that you have. I’m just seeing this comment today as I have been out of town. What to charge really depends on your area, prices can vary significantly from place to place. Even within the same city there may be different price points for different areas of town. I’d check your local craigslist or even FB groups for babysitters/daycare for ads from other providers offering the care you want to provide. You could also call around and shop other providers in your area. You may also want to think about no school days and holidays. Some providers I know charge a before/after school only or a before/after + school holidays (teacher in-service, spring/winter break…) monthly tuition. So for example (these are random numbers) $200/mo for before/after + no holidays or school closures or $280/mo which includes school holidays and in-service.
As for snack, in my personal experience and in talking with other providers, most providers do provide snack for afterschool kids rather than having a parent send it to school with them. Most providers I know offer a breakfast usually an hour before kids leave for school and do snack 30 mins or so after kids arrive (if not right away).
Hi, I am living in New York. Basically I am from India and all my education is from India. I’m confused between two careers Day Care or Teachers job. I used to teach in India to different grade students in an Institute. But I don’t have teachers degree So when I came here last year I just got a job in a nearby Jewish Daycare. I started it because I didn’t have any other choice. I liked the job because the people there were nice and I love the children a lot but it was very stressful working with kids. My husband is very interested in opening daycare but i feel it’s too much stress to work in a daycare. My real interest is in teaching but getting teachers license in New York will take at least 2 years and right now we are planning a baby also, So I’m not sure if I’ll be able to go to college that easily. I am really not able decide what career I should take?
Hi Varsha! That is a hard decision, I’m not really sure what advice to give you as it really is a personal decision. If it was me I would ask myself a few questions to begin with that would help narrow my options. Questions like: what hours am I willing to work? What age group do I feel most comfortable with? What age group is most challenging? Is there a group size I like? How many kids feels overwhelming? How much money do I need to make monthly? Can I afford school costs? Will I have time to study and complete coursework? These types of questions can help you figure out where you want to be.
Where you have already worked in a daycare center and found it too stressful you may not want to try opening your own daycare. It’s much more stressful owning a home daycare than it is being employed in a daycare center because in addition to watching children for 9+ hours a day, without any coworkers, you have the business side to take care of as well. However, daycare centers are usually much larger so if it was the large numbers of kids your found stressful it may be good to keep in mind that with a home daycare you could have a much smaller group as long as your finances allow for that. If you are interested in teaching, maybe you can get a position as an instructional assistant with the school district? I know several teachers that did that while working towards their degree. Hope this helps! Good luck!
I am interested in purchasing your curriculum
405-254-3147
carey
Hi Carey,
Do you have specific questions? You can email me at whereimaginationgrows3@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to help answer and questions you have!
Hello,
I am very interested in purchasing lesson plans. I am wondering whether you might be able to recommend sequence in teaching material (are some more basic while other might require previous knowledge)? Also, I’ve been looking at your monthly calendar activities and would like to incorporate monthly activities that reinforce lessons. Again, would you be able to list which lessons plans would best match month to month?
Thank you in advance,
Amanda
Hi Amanda! I’m happy to offer suggestions on the sequence of lesson plan units but really they can be used whenever you see fit. The units are made to be able to be used as standalone in addition to a full bundled curriculum, none of them require another unit to be useful. We did this so some teachers/homeschoolers could use individual units as a supplement to their own curriculum rather having to purchase the whole set when they just needed a few themed units.
I generally do them in this sequence (starting in September) All About Me, Five Senses, Community Helpers, Fall, Construction, Transportation, Space, All Around the World, Farm, Winter, Colors, Dinosaurs, Animals, Habitats, Spring, Bugs & Butterflies, Flowers & Trees, Weather, Ocean, Summer. This sequence is not required, you can arrange them as you see fit. I also tend to swap units around if it seems like my group of children is showing interest in a different theme at a specific time.
You can also view a sample here: https://www.preschoolunitlessonplans.com/Sample_PULP_Printable.pdf
Hope this helps 🙂
Hello, My wife and I have been officially in business since 2013. I looked over your “Creating a Daycare Contract.” It contains vital instructions regarding policies and Parent Handbook. I would love to learn more of the suggestions you have and ways to improve upon the polices and handbook we have, along with the “Contract” idea.
Thanks for your time!
Hi Jacquetta! Are there any specific questions that you have? I’m happy to help answer any questions that I can 🙂 I have a combined contract/handbook. My parents have to read through, initial each page, then sign that they have read and accepted my policies and the payment schedule. This is what I use as my “contract” and when parents have issues I refer them to the contract they signed and accepted. The biggest suggestion that I have is that a contract/handbook should be ever-evolving. You should be updating it and adding things that you find happening that you didn’t think about before or are beginning to have issues with. 🙂