While most daycare owners are very happy to have the help of a daycare assistant, at times many wonder if they are getting their moneys worth. I mean are you ever bothered by staff just sitting around? Well if so, this post will help you & your assistant be productive and make the most of daycare downtime.
I will start by saying that I am totally guilty of this myself. There definitely have been times when I would get annoyed when I would see my assistant just sitting around during downtime. Like when the kids are napping, toward the end of the day. or other times when things are slow.
But as I once asked another daycare provider, when she expressed her own frustrations – “Have you told them what to do?“
I know, that seems too simple, and almost silly to ask that. But think about it for a minute. If I was honest with myself, I would have to say no.
Although I do post a schedule and have learned the importance of onboarding my assistants, in the past I will admit that I don’t think I have ever addressed downtime duties with my daycare assistant.
With that said, let’s address what can be done around the daycare during downtime. As you may have guessed, this process will involve creating a list. But never fear, I’ve created a sample list and even a template for you to make it super easy.
So let’s get into it. Ask yourself what tasks would be perfect for daycare downtime.
10 Good Things Your Daycare Assistant Can Do During Downtime
1. Clean up after lunch
One of the first things that came to mind when putting together my own list was to clean up after lunch. Since my lunch period is immediately followed by naptime, that would be the perfect time to load up the dishwasher and wipe down table & chairs.
2. Organize toys and shelves
Of course all day long the kids are always pulling something out. So downtime is perfect for getting those piles of toys organized and back in their place.
Things Your Daycare Assistant Can Do During Downtime
3. Clean & sanitize furniture and surfaces
While not in use, why not use some daycare downtime to do a real deep clean or sanitize furniture & surfaces.
4. Prepare project packs
Why not get ahead of the game and use the time to prepare weekly project packs? Just gather everything you will need to work on a planned project and put them in a small storage bag or pouch and label it. This makes project prep a snap.
Your assistant can take notes with this
Related Reading:
- How to Hire a Childcare Assistant
- Hiring and Retaining Staff at Your Daycare
- Handling Home Daycare Paperwork
5. Check cubbies for missing items
All it takes is a blow out or two to deplete the reserves. Use some downtime to inspect the kids cubbies and make sure they have extra clothing, diapers, etc. Extra points if you put them in a labeled storage bag.
6. Plan curriculum themes
Why not use some daycare downtime to plan out the whole month. Everyday, you can commit to planning out a weeks worth of books and projects. Before you know it, you will be months ahead.
7. Meal plan
Instead of waiting till the evening or (even worse) the weekend, why not use some downtime to meal plan? You can make this task super manageable by planning one day at a time then using another day to create your grocery list or place an online order.
8. Wash down & tidy up outdoor area
Get a jump on tomorrow, by using some downtime to have your daycare assistant wash down and organize outdoor equipment. Everything will be fresh and already ready for the next day.
Use This To Create 5-Day Chore List For Your Assistant
9. Paperwork
Do yourself a favor – have your assistant help you and carve out at least a little downtime for paperwork management. Those piles can get high and out of control fast. Instead, assign specific days for things like filing, file review, logging tuition payments, etc.
10. Start a load
If you wash linens daily, towards the end of the day have your assistant throw them in the washer. That way all you will have to do after work is throw them in the dryer.
Things Your Daycare Assistant Can Do During Downtime
So there I just gave you a sample listing of 10 tasks that can be done during daycare downtime. But I wonder what you would add to this list. I would love it if you would leave me a comment below and fill me in on what I missed on my list. Don’t forget to grab this FREE template so you can make your own downtime list.
