snacks after school

[Angie81]

Hello, I look after a couple of children 5 - 6 years after school, and I was wondering what snack to give them, they are only here for 1 hour! At the moment I give them, a bowl of strawberries, plus a few grapes, cheese string, mini chocolate roll, a yoghurt, a glass of water - (they go home for their tea) the problem is they are still saying they are hungry and how say they don't like yoghurts! Thanks :)

[sarah707]

We find our after school children are thirsty more than hungry - we give them a big drink and a small snack and they have tea later.

I am sure they are still hungry after the snack but that's fine they are eating soon and they all understand that.

Hth :D

[Irinavollrath]

Hi
I also do breadsticks. Rice crackers. Sandwiches;
Flapjacks; fruit; raisins;
Very often they eat like horses because they didn't eat enough lunch so you just have to stock up on crackers and big bag of raisins;;;
In summer I do fruit juice lollies too;;;

[loocyloo]

I used to find that no matter what ( or how much ) I gave the children to eat straight afterschool, they were still hungry, and then, and hour or so later, they didn't want tea!

I now offer a drink of water when we get home, and then we have tea earlier. Those that don't have tea, have a piece of fruit or slice of toast, or sometimes a 'taster' of what everyone else is having for tea.

xxx

[Maza]

Do you give them all of those things on one day? I hope not, because it would be costing you a fortune!

I think they are trying it on if they are both saying it! It would be interesting to see if they eat all of their lunch and dinner. x

[chris goodyear]

I have recently changed the way I do after school snacks. I used to let them choose whatever they wanted, be it a bag of crisps or yoghurt, toast or cereal as examples but then when we got really busy and could have 10 schoolies on some days it turned into a free for all, all opening my fridge and falling over each other to get to the cupboards. I said enough is enough! and I found it quite rude! So now we only offer two things and put them out on the worktop.It's always things they like so no one moans. I've also stopped giving it as soon as they get home as some who go home at 4 don't really need anything as they have dinner about an hour later and some of them used to grab something on the way out and mum never said anything so that annoyed me. I can also make sure they don't have 'rubbish' all the time and a chocolate bar or crisps once a week is all they get offered, the rest of the week is more on the healthier side. They have all accepted it now although some of the early going home ones try it on!

[Angie81]

Thank you for all your replies/help, they are a great! I now know what to do, I am new to childminding, so my plan is a piece of fruit or bowl of strawberries, and a big drink! Also a chocolate biscuit on Fridays only!

I was just thinking that when they say they are hungry I have to feed them :)

[moggy]

Thank you for all your replies/help, they are a great! I now know what to do, I am new to childminding, so my plan is a piece of fruit or bowl of strawberries, and a big drink! Also a chocolate biscuit on Fridays only!

I was just thinking that when they say they are hungry I have to feed them :)

When they say they're hungry you say "good, you'll be ready for your dinner then!"

[kellib]

I have a snack box with various things in it such as cereal bars, raisins, those fruit love hearts & stars you can get, the children know they can have 2 things from the box then some fruit. That's it though as all of them are going home to dinner not long after!