Morning school children

[Sweetpea]

Hello

I've got some school children starting before school.

They'll only be here about 30mins but I want to give them an activity so they don't wreck the place. It's a 5,6 and 8yr old girl

Do you think they'll be happy doing colouring at the dining table?

Any other ideas welcome

Thanks

Sweetpea

[Mouse]

I printed off lots of colouring pictures from the internet & put them in a folder so the children could have a look through & find the one they wanted to colour. I just photocopy the one they want. They have a choice of crayons, pencils or felt pens.

It means they have quite a lot of choice, but it's quick & easy.

[Tealady]

Maybe some simple games. Orchard toys have some good ones. DD is almost 8 and still enjoys them.

[Tealady]

Oh and puzzles. Colouring/drawing might get boring.

[littlemiss60561]

Have you got them after school aswell? If so, maybe they can write a list of 10 things (realistic) that they may like to do after school at yours and you will pick something from that list if you can?

[jax clinch]

My before schoolies are into playing games at the moment, quite calm start to the day.

[Sweetpea]

I just have them before school. There are some great ideas there thanks. I don't mean to stereotype but I'm hoping as girls they will have more attention span than my son so will be happy at the table activities for longer than five minutes

[miffy]

Mine love having a pretend office - telephones. old keyboard, and lots of paper/pens to write with. It has been all sorts of things from a travel agents (just pick up a few brochures) to a shoe shop.

Miffy xx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Mine go in the toy room - I doubt boys will sit up the table but would watch transformers on the tv

[smurfette]

How about a movie they could watch a bit Each day?

[loocyloo]

mine do colouring, read books, play board games and play with whatever is set up in the playroom for the LOs! one of my before schoolers has only just started reception and is still very young for age, so enjoys a bit of a play after breakfast! although yesterday they all sat outside getting covered in guinea pig hair! oops!

[*daisychain*]

We have just invested in a 4 in 1 games table , pool, table tennis , table football and air hockey, wish I would have bought it before the school holidays !! The older children play in that before and after school really well together and it's lovely and calm too , both the girls and boys use it, only £70 from Argos well worth it for my sanity

[teacakepenguin]

I have a 6 year old boy and all I can get him to do is either go on the computer, on the wii, or watch telly. It's not for long, he's supposed to be here at 8am but she's always late (sometimes 20 mins) and we leave at just gone 8.30am to walk to school.

[singingcactus]

My before school kids do all sorts of things. Think they might rebel if I just gave them colouring sheets though lol. However if you add scissors, pompoms, eyes, glitter glue etc to it they might be happy to do that for a while. I can't see them wanting to just colour at a desk every morning though.
My kids tidy up their mess before the school run (most of it anyway).

[JCrakers]

Mine arrive at 8am and watch TV for half an hour. Parents are fine with this. They only pay £3.50 for the hour and I'm too busy rushing around doing breakfast,getting bags ready, getting my own two children off to school, finishing off packed lunches.
My schoolies are all over 8 and have done all the crafty stuff, been coming here for 6yrs and its like home here. They just arrive, say bye to Mums and put the TV on themselves, relax on the sofa, feet up.... lol
The little ones are in the playroom while im trying to give 14m old his breakfast

[Rubybubbles]

For before school I tend to have drawing, fussy felts (older children love this here) small world, and they help themselves to anything else

[maisiemog]

Before school here we have simple, low mess crafts on the table (at the moment they are making Pompoms), books, tv/wii, board games or dolls. They arrive at 8am and we need to leave at 8.35am. They have to tidy up at 8.25am and we then put shoes etc on at 8.30am

[Moira Mc]

Mine just watch tv or play a game on the ipad.

[Stapleton83]

Mine have a choice they can sit and watch some tv, go and get something out in the playroom, on the Nintendo DS or do colour/craft.

It is a really short time especially by the time you have got them sorted with all their stuff to head off on the school run.

Sam x

[karen m]

Mine are girls 1 arrives at 6.30 after breakfast she will do jigsaws or play with the dolls until 7.50 another 1 should arrive at 7 but is often 7.30 or 7.40 we leave at 8 to walk her to breakfast club back again by 8.10 then another play or a read of books until 8.45 when we go to her school