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notts
03-08-2012, 03:56 PM
What do you do for your before/after schoolers?

I obviously have my setting but I'm planning on each day having a couple of different activities/crafts out for variety. At this stage I don't know what will interest them and I plan to ask and work with them on this. Some days I'll replace activities/crafts for a brief walk/park visit (I won't have much time becuase of collections. So just wondering what do you do for thenm, anything specific or is it a continuation of the days theme (I won't have any under 5's until January)

bunyip
03-08-2012, 04:12 PM
I find it all depends on age, interests, personality and parental wishes.

Some children, particularly the younger ones may be exhausted and irritable after a day at school (remember, it's "work" to a child.) Others are very lively and have a lot of energy to run off after a day stuck in a classroom.

When I started looking after my grandchildren I was shocked to find they now get homework set almost from the off. Some parents prefer the CM to do this with their lo, in order to get it out of the way so they can share quality time on other things. Other parents like to do it with their child to support their education. Same with meals: some parents like their children to be fed so they aren't 'starving', others prefer the child to wait and share a family meal.

You have to find out about whatthe child/parents' needs are, then try a few things to meet the needs.

tialil
04-08-2012, 12:20 AM
I have only after school children at the moment and I involve them in what they would like to do. I used to plan (and still do some evenings and have crafts on stand by) but a lot of the time the group I have at the moment just want to chill after coming back from school.
Usually they will play a board game , sit and colour, hamma beads , lego,make cards etc. If they had their own way they would play the wii every night- they have to 'earn' the wii. Its getting the balance right for the children that you have.


In the past when I had a mix of under 5's as well as after schoolers we would carry on with that days theme but again they sometimes would not want to join in.

Not long ago I had planned an olympic theme craft and they were not interested as they had been ''doing olympics'' all day and wanted a break from it.

janminder
04-08-2012, 10:19 AM
My before and after schoolies normally just get on with their own thing but whatever my theme is that month I leave craft and activities out that they can access if they want to do them which they do do quite oftern. Colouring in printed pictures or doing there own from these as ideas, wordsearches etc the latest being the Olympics wordearch and colouring in printouts of the rings, one asked me for the five rings to colour in and then cut them out stuck them in the middle of a sheet of paper and designed an Olympic poster around them was brilliant.

Otherwise they get out Happyland even the 10, 12 and 13yr old plays, brio and cars is also popular and the last few weeks card games, a few months ago it was Monopoly Deal.

Monday after school is normally homework day for those who have brought it to do as there are no littlies so easier to concentrate.

mushpea
04-08-2012, 11:45 AM
I dont plan stuff for them nor do I get stuff out uless they ask, they are ususal happy to just play together with whatevers out or they will ask to do somthing,
I dont think they need planned activities after a full day at school

BucksCM
04-08-2012, 12:20 PM
I dont plan stuff for them nor do I get stuff out uless they ask, they are ususal happy to just play together with whatevers out or they will ask to do somthing,
I dont think they need planned activities after a full day at school

I'm the same as you on this.
Anything I have planned with my eyfs lo would have been done in the day. If I think the older children might want to do it, I'll leave it out on the table and give them the choice. More often than not, they just come in and get on with whatever they want to do.
We get in at 3.30, they have a snack and a drink, play, one leaves at 4.30, one at 5.15 and then tea and the last one leaves at 6. It's a busy afternoon!!

miffy
04-08-2012, 10:01 PM
Mine pretty much please themselves what they want to do - mostly they might ask to go to the park on the way home or make up some role play games themselves or draw. If there are special celebrations, like Christmas they will do some crafts. My advice is don't plan, just ask them what they want to do and as you get to know their interests you will be able to put things out you know they will like.

Miffy xx

notts
05-08-2012, 07:35 PM
thanks everyone


My advice is don't plan, just ask them what they want to do and as you get to know their interests you will be able to put things out you know they will like.

:thumbsup:

louise
05-08-2012, 08:17 PM
I've also found out planning doesn't work. I have stand by crafts and so things like Christmas ect. A lot of the time they just want to do their own craft as like it's been said they have done some at school similar. I'm lucky that all my lot love to colour, they tend to do it while I'm cooking dinner and it works perfectly as they use the table in the kitchen. If it's nice they love going to the park as it's on the way home, then we come home at 4 and they play, colour ect. I don't let them on the wii as with so many of them it will no doubt end in an argument, sometimes with have a bit of spongebob on. In the winter we have had a cinema afternoon if it's so yucky outside with hot choc. Basicly we take each day as it comes, they are a fantastic group of kids who get along so well.