Welcome to the Forgotten ECE, the show where
before and after school educators, summer camp
and PD staff and CYWs have a place where they
are seen, heard and valued. I'm your host, Jamie
Wankler, and I'm so excited you're here. Hey
there, and welcome back to the Forgotten ECE,
the podcast. that puts a spotlight on the educators'
holes in it down in the most overlooked spaces
in early childhood education, before and after
school programs. I'm Jamie Wagler, your host,
and today's episode is one of those real -life
-meets -real -needs kind of conversations. We're
calling it, by we and we die, no time, no budget,
no... problem, low prep experiences that matter.
Because let's be honest, between split shifts,
limited resources, and the constant dance of
make it work, sometimes planning activities feels
like just another thing on your already full
plate. But meaningful programming doesn't have
to mean more. Sometimes it's about doing less
but better. If you've ever, ever felt this way,
this is your episode. Let's just start with some
honesty. If you're anything like me, you've had
one of those days where you walk into a room,
kids are buzzing, energy is high, and the schedule's
off. And someone casually says, can you just
do something until snack? And you're standing
there with what? A broken glue stick, three Uno
cards, and a roll of tape? Sound familiar? If
you've ever been handed a storage closet, a plastic
bin full of tangled pipe cleaners, and told to
just engage them, this episode is 100 % for you.
Because here's the reality of before and after
school. Your planning time doesn't exist. Your
storage probably shared with six other programs.
Your prep budget, make me laugh. Your time split,
scattered, and unpredictable. And yet here you
are. You show up. You create safety, connection,
and joy in the small windows between KR. You
are constantly improvising magic and still wondering
if it's enough. I want to pause here and tell
you something loud and clear. Low prep doesn't
mean lazy. It doesn't mean less. It doesn't mean
you're phoning it in. It means you are being
responsive. It means you're being intentional
and it means you're working with what you've
got just like a great educator does. Take this
with you. Here's a mind shift I want you to try
this week. Say it with me. Number one, I don't
need more materials to create meaningful moments.
I'll give you a second. I am the curriculum.
Try it. Oh, beautiful. Loud and proud people.
I can do more with less on purpose. Yes. Let's
stop thinking of no budget as a limitation and
start thinking of it as a creative invitation.
Do this with your team on your own. A journal
prompt. Think of a time when something really
simple led to an amazing moment of connection
or play. What were you doing? What did the kids
love about it? What made it work? Write it down.
Celebrate it. That's pedagogy in action. I also...
I'm going to give you something else to do today
because I'm just full of things to give you.
Grab a stack of sticky notes. Write one low prep
idea on each that has worked for you, big or
small. Stick them up in the staff room or share
them with a group chat. Create a living wall
of ideas that say, look what we can do even when
the resources are tight. And I challenge you.
I challenge you, no photocopies, no printables,
no themed craft. Only repurposed materials, imagination,
and real world inspiration. You will be amazed
at how capable, inventive, and connected your
class or program become. I'm gonna say it one
more time for the folks in the back. You are
the resource. Your creativity, your patience,
your willingness to experiment and adapt. That.
is what turns an ordinary day into something
unforgettable. And you're doing that every single
shift. Low prep doesn't mean cutting corners.
It means centering relationships over perfection,
connection before curriculum. It means trusting
kids and yourself to make something meaningful
out of what's right in front of you. Next, I'm
going to dive into the three core principles
that make low prepping programs not only doable,
but deeply impactful. While I'm switching gears,
take a moment to follow this podcast so you get
up -to -date episodes of The Forgotten ECE. If
you like my musical interlude, so great. All
right, let's break this down. Low prep experiences
aren't about flying by the seat of your pants
or just filling time. They're about responding
to what's needed in the moment. and setting up
space for kids to be creative, curious, and connected.
So there are three core principles to guide your
planning when you have no time, no budget, and
zero patience left for scrolling on Pinterest.
Principle one, leverage what they love. Instead
of asking them, what should I do? Ask, what are
they already into? Tuning into the children's
interest is your best shortcut. to engagement.
If they're talking about Beyblades, Minecraft,
Taylor Swift, or even slime, that is your entry
point. You don't need to have a theme craft or
structured activity. You just need to create
space for their passions to show up and play.
Try this. Set up a talk table with magazines,
post -it notes, markers, and let the kids make
fan boards of whatever they're obsessed with.
This will help give you ideas on where to engage
their interests or where their interests are
already engaging and you can pull from. Build
storytelling or role -playing around pop culture,
moments they care about. Kids can direct a commercial,
act out a Pokemon battle, or even design their
own superhero. Create a rotating What's Trending
poster in your room where kids can write or draw
their interests. Use this to spark spontaneous
programming all week. Educator tip! Just listen
during snack. Their conversations are the richest
curriculum you'll ever find. Okay, okay, okay.
Principle two, process over product. Say it with
me. It doesn't have to look good to be good.
Sometimes we feel pressure to send kids home
with something quote -unquote finished. So families,
see the value in our programs. But honestly...
Some of the most meaningful learning happens
mid -mess, mid -idea, and even mid -failure.
Let's try this shift. Instead of let's make bracelets,
say let's explore pattern making with beads.
Instead of let's do crafts, say let's create
with scrap paper and see what stories emerge.
Display the process. Take photos of the building,
testing, trying, failing, laughing, add captions
from the children like, we weren't sure this
would work, but we kept trying. Oh, and bonus
tip, make a quick display board titled what we're
working on instead of what we made. Watch how
that subtle shift invites more exploration. There's
less pressure put on the creation and more on
the creating and more emphasis on that creating.
Principle three, repeat with purpose. Here's
a secret. Come closer. Are you listening? Can
you hear me? You don't have to invent new activities
every day. Repetition actually builds confidence.
Ritual builds community and predictability builds
safety. Kids thrive when they know what's coming.
And you thrive when you're not reinventing the
wheel. Create a rhythm for your week that gives
you structure, but still leaves room for spontaneity
and flexibility. Try this week flow. Monday movement,
which includes outdoor challenges, team games,
etc. Tinker Tuesday. Dem. Building. Deconstructing
old tech. I love, love, love, love letting kids
take apart technology. If you've listened to
me before, I talk often about the engine I let
the kids take apart that I got donated. I've
also let them take apart typewriters, old computers,
cell phones. They love, love, love to explore
the ins and outs of different technology. Wonder
Wednesday. Natural exploration, mystery bags.
See what happens. Think Tank Thursday. Creative
problem solving would be a great thing that happens
there. Group projects. And then finally, free
chores Fridays. The kids lead the way. Even just
naming the days gives it a purpose. I want you
to reflect on this for a second. What is something
your group loved doing last week that you never
repeated? And can it become a regular routine?
Maybe it's a game that you had outside. Maybe
it's creating your own superheroes. Maybe it
was building houses and telling stories with
them. Anything. Anything at all. Remember. follow
their lead, honor their process, and repeat what
works. That's your new low prep framework. And
it's not about doing less. It's about doing what
matters more. Ready to get practical? Let's see.
It is time to fill your toolkit. These activities
are budget -free, set up light, and are rich
in relationships, creativity, and meaning. Most
importantly, They work with mixed age groups
and can be flexible depending on how much time,
space, and support you've got. I actually, you're
so lucky, I actually have 10 experiences for
you. So if you aren't already concentrating on
my voice, start concentrating now. I mean, I
don't know how you cannot because I'm a little
obnoxious. Hello, I'm here. All right, I'm done.
I'm done. One, loose. Parks Nature Tray. Take
the kids outside, let them collect leaves, rocks,
sticks, flowers, whatever they find. Bring it
inside, add some egg cartons, string, or muffin
tins, and let them sort, pattern, arrange, and
create. This is beautiful because it's open -ended,
that involves sensory, and it's collaborative.
It's great for quiet groups or transition periods.
Next, the floor is lava. If you haven't done
this, oh, you need to do it. Use cushions, chairs,
cones, string, anything to set up an obstacle
course in or outside. Challenge them to get from
point A to B without touching the floor. Let
them redesign the course next. And if you want
to add some music besides you singing, the floor
is lava. You can actually play on Spotify, probably.
The floor is lava. It's a song. Check it out
if you haven't heard it already. It works because
movement and creativity equal regulation goals.
Kids build leadership and take turns naturally
in games like this. Number three, sticker storybooks.
Fold paper into mini books. Give them a pile
of random stickers. Challenge them to create
a full story only using stickers as the characters
are setting. This works because it sneaks storytelling
and sequencing and creative thinking into the
project. It takes zero to no crap, and there's
tons of laughter. Number four, tin foil sculptures.
Hand out sheets of aluminum foil. That's it.
Let them twist, shape, and build. It works because
it's great for fine motor skills and imagination.
There's no mess and no cleanup. You are welcome.
Number five, five golden rings. Nope. Five is
actually mystery bag provocations. Fill a bag
with three random items, a spoon, string, button,
feathers, etc. Kids pull out an item and create
a story, invention, or drawing using all three.
This promotes divergent thinking and kids love
randomness. And the stories they come up with
will be hilarious, I assure you. Number six is
shadow drawing. Take small toys outside, place
them on paper in the sunlight, and have the kids
trace the shadows and differentiate. Turn them
into scenes. This works because science meets
art. Kids get curious about light, angles, and
change over time. Number seven, reverse engineering.
Give them an old keyboard, a broken phone, or
toy car and screwdrivers. Supervised, of course.
Let them safely take a part and ask questions.
It promotes tinkering, focus, and logic, and
it feels empowering to take real things apart.
Number eight, human machines. In small groups,
kids become parts of a machine, making sound,
movement, rhythm. Another child has to guess
what they are. A blender, a washing machine,
a popcorn maker. This works because it promotes
teamwork, listening, creativity, and again, lots
and lots of giggles. And it's great for indoors
or outdoors. One of my favorites, a mini talent
show. Set a timer. Give the kids 10 minutes to
prep. Then each child performs something like
a dance or a joke or a magic trick, a drawing
reveal, etc. Singing. Keep it optional but exciting.
This works because it builds confidence, empathy,
and audience etiquette. Plus, zero materials
are needed. Number 10. Final. Fold a piece of
paper in half. You are going to create a do -it
-yourself board game kids can design their own
board game complete with rules characters and
challenges then they play test each other's it
works because it combines literacy and logic
and collaboration and they get to be the creators
not just the players and this is an excellent
activity to pair a older child with a younger
child and work get them to work together all
right want to make it easy for you here's a bonus
takeaway Create a low prep grab bin in your room.
Fill it with dice, paper scraps, straws, buttons,
tinfoils, clipboards, tapes, and it becomes this
launch pad for dozens of ideas. Also, post a
what can we try today list on the wall. Include
five to ten of these ideas so older kids can
self -select activities, giving them voice and
ownership. Again, this can be done with group.
You can sit and have a small group with some
of the younger kids and having the older kids
do this self -select activity. Whatever you want.
Oh my goodness. So many great ideas. I hope there's
some takeaways for you. 10 tested, trusted, and
truly doable experiences that cost you nothing,
but give your kids everything. So we've talked
about the pressure to do more with less time,
less budget, less space. And we flipped that
script because you and I both know that this
work was never about perfect crafts or flashy
programming. It's about being present. It's about
those connections we make. It's about making
kids feel like they belong. And it's about finding
joy in the in -between moments. I just want you
to take a moment to reflect. If you're listening
to this on your way to work, in between split
shifts, or while cleaning up yet another Lego
explosion, I want you to pause just for a second
and ask yourself, what is one simple thing I've
done lately that sparked joy or connection? Maybe
it was letting a child lead a game they invented.
Sitting down and coloring beside them with no
agenda. Turning a cardboard box into something
magical. That counts. That matters. That is care.
And it doesn't cost a dime. I would love it,
love it, love it, love it if you guys could pick
one low prep idea from this episode and try it.
Just one. Ask yourself what surprised you about
it or how the kids responded or what did you
notice about yourself during the experience?
Write it down. Share it with a colleague or better
yet, share it with me. I'd love, love, love,
love to hear how it goes. Tag me on Instagram,
missjamie__rec. DM me or use the hashtag TheForgottenEC
so we can celebrate the magic you're creating
even when it's scrappy and spontaneous. Here's
the thing. You don't need a Pinterest board or
a five -bin system to be a phenomenal educator.
You just need your eyes open, your heart soft,
and your courage intact. And on the days when
you don't have those things, you just need to
show up and that, my friend, is enough. Low prep
doesn't mean you've dropped the ball. It means
you know how to roll with what you've got. It
means you're adaptable, creative, and resourceful
as hell. It means you're doing real work in the
real world with real kids, and you're doing it
beautifully. Thank you so much for spending your
time with me today. Thank you for being one of
the educators that refuses to be forgotten. I
see you, I value you, and I am so glad you're
here. Thank you. Amazing listeners for your support.
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram at Miss
Jamie underscore R -E -C -E. Give a star rating
and leave a review. Have something you want to
hear about in relation to before and after school
programs or full day summer camp? DM me or comment.
Again, thank you so much and happy learning.