7 mindees! How will I manage?!

[Starfish007]

Hi, come September I will have 7 mindees after school! Ranging from 2 yrs - 8 yrs. Has anyone got any tips on managing such a lot of children? Whilst in the playgroup and at home xxx

[Daftbat]

you will probably find that they sort themselves out to a large degree. if they are all coming from the same school then they already kmow eachother and form in to groups at home.

I regularly have 8 after school and I sort out a snack when we get back and then talk to them about their day - they then decide what they want to do - which is often to just crash out in front of the tv but I make sure that they know about other options. Have loads of colouring activities, craft ideas and board games and you should be fine. Today we did loads of stuff around the olympics - designing outfits for teams, reproducing rings etc.

[mushpea]

I used to have 8 after school ranging from 1yrs to 11yrs,, I found strict rules and boundries worked and I took no sillyness from them,, they knew that if they didnt listen or stick to the rules they would miss out. sounds cruel but they all new where they stood and it made life a lot easier.
somtimes we would do an activity like cooking, playdough, painting etc but mainly after school they would just play and I would supervise, change nappies feed tea etc
when they all had somthing to talk to me about I made sure I had time for each of them and they knew to take it in turns ,
when we walked home from school or went out anywhere they would all walk in front of me so I could see them all and if they wanted to run they would have points to run to like to the lampost or the bush or tree or whatever then they would stop and wait for me.
i loved having this many and really miss my manic evenings. it was hard work but a lot of fun.

[winstonian]

I regularly have 9 by myself before school and up to 14 with my assistant at night.
I am quite strict and expect the older ones to help the younger ones and model the right behaviour - we all walk home calmly, older ones holding onto younger ones hands. At home we often have an activity set up but as above they mostly decide amongst themselves what they are going to do.
Its busy but fun

[The Juggler]

lol - 12 of us walked to school last week (only 4 under 5 i might add). wouldn't do it after school any more though. get the games out, get them sorted in groups with activities. good luck x

[Starfish007]

OMG! 7 isn't that many compared to some of you, don't know what I'm worrying about! Some really good advice there, thankyou guys.

The one thing that is worrying me is that they tend to have a play after school for 5-10 minutes, mostly in the field within the school where I will be. I have 4 at the moment and at times it can be tricky watching them all x

[blue bear]

I don't like mine playing on the school field after school, too many adults and it's not set up safely for my under 5's. We go to the local park on the way home if they want to.
In my house the children and I negotiate the days activities between us, lots of discussions of what is fair to everyone, compromise is very much order of the day.
I'm lucky we have a play room and it's set out so they can help themselves, I find school children spend so much of the day being told what to do they just love the freedom of organising themselves (and me) I offer lots of open ended materials that can be what ever they choose it to be.

[miffy]

The one thing that is worrying me is that they tend to have a play after school for 5-10 minutes, mostly in the field within the school where I will be. I have 4 at the moment and at times it can be tricky watching them all x

I'd change that so they all have to stay with you until you have collected all the children - this will give time for other children/parents to leave - and then they can play so at least you only have to focus on them, not watching also for children coming out of school.

Miffy xx

[loocyloo]

when mine come out of school they all put on a hi viz waistcoat. that way i know they are mine! :D

[Starfish007]

Good idea Miffy, it is only the Thursday that I will have 7, so I may even suggest we go straight to my house, they can play out there anyway x

[Mouse]

Good idea Miffy, it is only the Thursday that I will have 7, so I may even suggest we go straight to my house, they can play out there anyway x

I wouldn't just suggest you go straight back to your house, I would be telling them that you will be going straight back!

7 children isn't many to a lot of childminders, but it is for you if you're not used to it. I would start off being very strict & very firm about rules. You are responsible for them all and you are in charge. Tell them that they must stay with you until all the children are collected, tell them they must walk together on the way home etc.

When you get indoors have a strict routine - coats off, shoes off, put away properly (ie. they don't just run in & dump everything!).

Once you are used to having that many & know you can rely on them to be sensible, then you can start to give them a bit more freedom & to relax the rules a bit :thumbsup:

[Bridey]

I agree with Mouse. When the children are with me its MY rules. They stay with me, they don't go wandering off to play, they carry their own bags, they walk single file down the alleyways. I wouldn't allow them to go off and play in the field after school - they can play in my garden where I know they are safe and can't wander off. Coats and bags and shoes are put away in the hallway neatly, making sure there is room to walk past them.

What they do with their parents is nothing to do with me. I saw one of my mums looking for her little boy in a bit of a panic the other day. He had gone down to the main road to hide so he could jump out and surprise her. If he has been with me he would have been at my side ... and he knows it! ;)

I don't relax my rules. I think that causes confusion.

[Starfish007]

Mouse and Bridey you are totally right, straight home it is, thankyou for the advice xxx