We regularly have different transfer moments in the groups. Children leave and new children arrive. But how do you make sure that the new children feel welcome and make contact with the other children? And not only at daycare, but also at home or on holiday, you can lend children a helping hand to talk to each other instead of letting them hide behind an iPad or smartphone.
We recently had a transition moment at the group of children who left our group and children who joined the group. Very sad to say goodbye! Even though I've only been there for half a year, I had already built up a real bond with the children. But the arrival of new children also offers space to build new bonds that can last for years, as they spend up to 3 to 4 years with our group. Of course you want to get this contact off to a good start! In the meantime, the children have landed nicely, but you sometimes see that contact with each other can still be a bit difficult. Especially between the children who were already in the group and the children who have just moved on. You see that groups are forming within the familiar circles and as a result it is more difficult as a newcomer to make contact.
With a view to the new transfer after the summer holidays, I wanted to see how you can get this contact going even more. How do you get the kids to talk to each other without feeling like they're being questioned and then shutting them up. I read an article online by JM Ouders in which they give tips on how to get children to talk to each other during the holidays instead of having them hide behind an iPad or smartphone. And when I read that I thought; This is very nice for parents to start the conversation between children on the way to or during the holiday, but also very nice for us to apply in our work as a pedagogical employee. Now of course I work in a group with children in the age of 6 to 10 years, so it is a bit easier to discuss certain topics. But with some small adjustments, tailored to your children, this can also be fun for other ages!
Write the following questions on a note:
- If you were an animal, what animal would it be?
- If you could stay up all night, what would you do?
- If you were in charge of the group for one day, what would you do?
- What is your secret talent?
- What's the funniest joke you know?
- If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
- What kind of house do you want to live in later? (everything is allowed)
- What do you want to be when you grow up?
- If you could choose one superpower, what would it be?
- If you could have chosen your own name, what would your name be?
Put all the cards in a pot. Put the children in a circle and grab a note from the jar themselves. Ask the question and assign one person at a time to answer the question. Knowing children, they will laugh and react to each other, which will get the conversation started. Don't stick to the notes too strictly, but play along with the children. I'm sure it will bring out the best things! In this way everyone gets to know each other in a playful way and they start to look at each other differently.
I hope you will enjoy the fun stories and answers and that the children will feel at ease (even) faster!
Greetings,
Natalie
