what do you do with the kids in the summer hols..?

[newandlearning]

Hello ladies..
am just trying to brainstorm ideas for the summer holidays.. I'm gonna have on a busy day 5 ranging from 22 months to 6 years... ever since I agree to take on the 5th LO I've been :censored: myself about if this is managable.. and how to offer days out without losing anyone :laughing: ..

for all of you out there that work in the hols.. and for those of you who have great ideas anyway :cool: .. please can you give me some ideas.. xx

[FizzysFriends]

I have upto 6 in the holidays (thats all I can fit in the car), I have 2 that are much better when out of the house so like to take them out as much as possible.

They all wear hi-vis vests with my logo on the back, Im lost wrist bands and I have a whistle in my pocket which is used to indicate to the children to drop everything and come straight to me, its only used when I think there is a danger and need them close or Im short on the headcount.

Also I often take some else with me to help out, im thinking of registering one as an assisstant so I can leave the kids with her when I want the loo!

[Mollymop]

I only have 2 plus my own 2 in the school hols.

I like to keep the busy , but I remember it is the school hols, so I like to give them a break from doing things that i would normally do, such as planning and obs. I mainly let them play bit we always keep quite busy.

I don't drive but I do like to go out most days to parks and shops, etc, just to break the day up. We do really what they want other than that. Lots of outdoor play and arts and crafts, freeplaying all the way for me in the hols xx

[newandlearning]

hello.. I can fit 4 in my car .. and am going to have 5.. so I'm slightly :panic: and would ideally like to hire/get a bigger car (which I don't think I'll be able to do in time) or get an assistant which I'm equally unsure of (already have DH as my assistant so could see if he could take a day here and there).. but beyond this I'm thinking of walking or public transport.. I got in a bit of a sticky situation with this as originally my fulltime 'mum' thought she'd only want me 3 days and now its full time with a view to possibly not always needing me.. am I worrying unduly.. I'm not sure. financially its great .. but could do with some ideas re managing everything.x

[breezy]

I tend to meet up with other childminders at local parks and farms etc also myself and another minder i meet up with have older children who help keep an eye on the younger ones.

If you're really stuck use your garden, you can have picnics, paddling pools, camping anything really!

[mushpea]

ok heres my week so far, bearing in mind this is depending on wether the 3 sisters come more cause their mum sometimes gets extra shifts but so far contracted days are like this
monday 6 children 20nths -10yrs
tue 3children 5yrs,8yrs,10yrs
wed as monday
thur and fri 2yrs, 5yrs, 8yrs and 10yrs
i can fit all in the car so we do go to the zoo , parks, beach etc.
last year we couldnt all fit in the car so we went to the libary, parks that were within walking distance and met up with other minders.
we also do things like choose a recipe then walk to the shops to get the items, they all have thier own list, we are lucky enough to have woodland walks near by so went for walks reguarly somtimes taking a picnic. cooking, arts and crafts, water play, board games, the wii and as a last resort when i am pulling my hair out i say 'right thats it the dog needs his walk' and off we go, i do find that when they all get to the irritable annoying stage of the day that a brisk walk in the fresh air does us all the world of good.
also look out for things put on by your local libay or like our concil does an arts and crafts day in town so we walk down to that (its about 1 mile) and do the craft then have picnic and come home which passed the day.
I always find the afternoons drag cause by that time the toys and crafts have been exhausted so thats when i tended to go out for a walk or to the park etc.

[mushpea]

oh another thought, go to your local boot sales and find diffrernt stuf to playin the garden with, dont get it out all the same time, rotate the toys so they are different.
as for the toilet when i need to go I think i will be saying to them 'go to the toilet and when yhou have finished stand with beckie (my 10yrold daughter) with the bugy, she will be under strict instrucitons to shout me if they do anything differnt, under no circumstances will she be at all responsible for the kids and she will be told this but she will be my warning system!!, failing that i will just hold on til i get home:eek:
I also will me putting fluorecent jackets on them so i can see them.

[Mrs.L.C]

I like to go to any country parks within a max hour drive. All are free and just have to pay parking and some you get a free drink with the parking ticket so thats a bonus. We take picnics and spend most of the day there. I then arrange 1or2 big trips (that cost) a week - places like wicksteed park, Gulivers, adventure play areas, cinema (depending on ages I have), bowling. I also use the tesco days out vouchers for some of these so I dont have too much extra from the parents

Hi -vis jackets are a good idea but in the 5 years of school holidays, iv never used them but iv always used wrist bands/ID card on the children - however as iv got 3 under 5's this year, I may be using the hi-vis jackets on them just so I can see them more easily

The older children pretty much get on with it and find you when they need you. they know the rules and what will happen if I see them do other wise so this means you can concentrate on the younger children

We have our dvd days, play on the wii, arts and crafts, let them play etc - just go with the flow

[FizzysFriends]

Children's centres have activities on around here, might be worth checking yours.