Table Time

Table time is one of the cornerstones of our tot school day. In a typical day, I plan to have 1 hour of structured table time. I do not always hold table time in one lump some of time. It is far more likely that I will plan either (2) 30 minute sessions or (2) 15minutes and (1) 30 minute session. During table time, I am specifically working to call the littles' attention to a specific activity, game or lesson.

The Parameters
I set specific parameters around table time to increase the challenge. One of the primary parameters is you must stay at the table. This does not mean sitting in a chair. It has been my experience that comfort is key to unlocking my littles' attention span. If you feel like sitting in a chair, sitting on the ground or standing … do so. The focus is engaging the littles in the activity not controlling how they approach the activity.

The Table
"Table Time" is really a concept more than an actual table. We have a couple of locations we use for Table Time. Sometimes it is at our large activity table. Other times it is at the children's art table. Another great spot for "table time" is on a large blanket outside. Table could also easily happen in a sandbox, at a sensory table, or sitting around sensory bin.