What do you all do with your after school mindees?

[PerkyEars]

I'm a new childminder, and so far I've got a couple of clients. One is a 2 yr old, which I'm really enjoying. The other is a couple of twins who I do after school pickups for - and I don't think I've got off on the right foot with it. :panic:

My childminding support worker told me that as they are rising 5's, I'm still supposed to be delivering the EYFS (:panic:). Now, as I have them for only an hour and a half (given they can make a 20 min walk take 40 mins), this seems impossible. All they want to do is eat and go to the park (usually both at once). I've taken to spending some time in the park (which covers the physical and social areas), and then they come back to play and watch TV while I feed them. Often their mum picks them up early or late, which I've let put me off planning more structured activities.

They are both very whiny, rude and demanding with me (IMO, perhaps I'm just inexperienced with this age group!) - perhaps because they were my first job and I was desparate to please at first and let them do what they wanted (my bad). Now I'm just starting to resent them walking all over me. I have enough fights with them getting them home (they either want to run off - into roads! - or dawdle whilst moaning that they hate walking and want me to get a taxi :mad: ), that by the time I'm back at my house I'm quite happy to flee to the kitchen rather than face trying to do early learning with them!

I have got to break out of this pattern, and get into some positive engagement with them, but I need some ideas for what 5 year olds enjoy, and what would be good for after school EYFS related stuff. I know what toddlers enjoy, (my dd is 2), but I'm at my wits end with these older kids.

[emmadines]

Hello.

I have 4 after schoolers ranging from 6-8 years... I live very close to the school so we get home reasonably quick. normally the younger ones free play while the older ones (including my own) attend to their homework between Monday to Thursday. we then have a snack and then I aim to do some sort of activity on Tuesday and Thursdays , something to make normally or baking... depending on weather we have a particular theme.
Fridays we do DVD and pop corn, as I'm warn out and so are the children by this point in the week. all the children are allowed to free play in place of the activity, I leave it pretty much to them.

hope this helps.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I think that with the time scale you have you are not going to be able to do the EYFS the same as a 2 year old.

They are learning in school so I would let them vent and do what they want to do. Offer different activities but don't think that you need to entertain them all of the time. See what mum does with them, explain what they are doing to you and maybe they are teasing and pushing you a bit.

[newandlearning]

hi.. I find I always have to come up with activities for my after schoolers.. on some days I have 5 boys aged 2 to 4 (rising 5s)... I put out different toys in the garden on dry days so they have bikes and things to do which they have to think about...

this week before going in the garden I made a plan of the garden and the 4yos drew different things they could play with in the garden or different things that were in the garden and the rules of playing with the different toys... this led us to drawing our own houses and the things we had around our own homes...

the next day we read books .. about different countries and the 3 pigs etc etc... and thought about different places people eat and sleep.

and today we had movie time followed by finishing off our home pics ...

I know in past posts people say their after school kids free play.. (I wish my did):) .. but even when I just have 3 boys they play fight a lot of the time so I feel I need to channel their energy into more thinking-like activities. there are times when I find them all challenging as their listening skills can sometimes wane.. when this happens I try getting them to regroup by way of snack time or story time.

Try to decide what you are happy for the twins to do on the way home.. if you are happy for them to walk but not run then give them consequences. 'if you walk well next to me then you don't have to hold onto buggy.. if you are going to run you will need to hold on to buggy'. I don't like using cakes etc as a reward I think this can lead to more problems. Is the park on the way home? maybe you could have snack at the park too.. hence hopefully helping them re-fuel and hopefully then focus on the walk home.

If talking with mum doesnt work then try working in partnership with the school ie the teacher. I'm doing this with one child. get a working in partnership letter and permission form drawn up.. I can attached one to a post reply if you like :) ... you might find the kids are the same at school.. that they could have an underlying issue or it could plainly be that they are new to your settling.

I think drawing maps are great which is why we did the map of the garden so it could lead on to the garden rules.. this can be used in other areas. you are not alone but try to brainstorm what you intend to do if they do play up and then follow through as consistantly as you can... gooshhh .. gone on way to much now.x

I think you will find over time what works best for you and also for the kids you mind. I hope that helps..:)

[mamasheshe]

i wouldn't attempt to do activity's as such my dd was hard work on the school run we took pictures of thing on our journey and i laminated a little map for her and we point the things out on the way (she's a rising five )

[Jelly Baby]

I only have 1 after schooler and she is usually very good. At the same time she can be quite whiny and off but it is only if she is tired and is quite happy to just play on her own as such (pc or tv or just draw etc). She helps my dd do the rabbit which she loves and we go to the park if the weather is good..i also do a school type book with her and we do 6 pages a night (only small book) as she is 6! she loves this and gets a sticker for each one.
We do baking too or arts but tbh we are usually rushing to get dinner etc sorted so it depends.

You sound like you dont have much time so hard to do things with them..i guess once the better weather comes it may make it easier..i find it does anyway!

[cuffleygirl]

New and Learning - I don't understand - how is this possible?

on some days I have 5 boys aged 2 to 4 (rising 5s)

[Goatgirl]

Hi :),
Sounds like you need to get some fresh new boundaries, stick to them and add a healthy dose of enthusiasm to your after school time.

I have a 4, two 6 and one 7 yr olds after school and have found that it is vital to get some rules in place; Ours are based on taking care of each other and being nice to each other and (this is the important bit!) me being in charge, because its my job to take care of them so I make the final decisions. I regularly ask them really loudly 'who's in charge?!' and now they all shout 'wendy's in charge' at the top of their voices, lol. I've been trying to get them to answer 'how high?' when I shout 'jump', hehe, but they'r not quite there yet :).

As for planning, my inspector told me to get parental permission to share learning journey info with the school, then look at where the school thinks they're at with it and either compliment and build on what they're doing or look for weak areas and find ways to encourage development there. I've not done this yet, but its on my list....

I joke around with them, we sing songs to and from school, get them to count as high as they can,sing the alphabet all the way through, say it backwards, play the game where you have to answer questions without saying yes or no... that kind of thing, where their minds are engaged enough to keep them physically in place. Talking is good; just ask them what they did at school, what their favourite part of the day was? what would they do if they were in charge (I'd have lots more cake and it wouldn't be bad for you!) etc, once you find out their interests and the way their minds work it'll get easier to relate to them and just feel as natural as being around children your son's age and smaller.

I encourage safe walking with praise and enthusiasm: holding hands, stopping conversations till we get to the other side of the road etc and anyone being silly near the road is just reminded that we don't behave like that near roads as its not safe and I can't do my job properly if they're not going to help by keeping themselves safe too. I praise every quiet crossing, every 'waiting behind the kerb' etc and they need it far less now, but there are also lots of stickers and colourful comments on their achievement charts about good hand holding, lovely waiting to cross the road, patience, keeping each other safe etc. i write just about anything i can think of on there that they've done which is positive and ask them if theres anything they'd like me to write. for very special proud moments or if they ask, I'll let them choose a sticker too. For home time, which is a nightmare for most mindees at the beginning, I first did a star chart, but now have sticker collection books from WH smiths: ben 10 toy story or disney and they get a pack of stickers the same day each week plus a bonus sticker for each day they got ready to go home quickly and without any fuss.

As for stuff to do... they love the board game frustration and its a good way to get them to cooperate, cultivate patience and take turns. Twister is a good one because I can join in and there's not much funnier in the world than a grown woman falling over on the floor when you're that age.. especially when she claimed to be the 'twister champion of swindon' 5 minutes earlier :laughing: I make sure there's always lots out on the table for drawing, colouring, cutting out, selotaping etc and if there's an occasion or I see something cool to do on the internet, I have craft stuff out. With my lot they tend to say no if i ask if they'd like to make something, but if i or my teenage daughter sit at the table and just start doing it ourselves, they get curious and ask to join in. the last craft thing we did was origami emperor and empresses for japanese 'girls day', just because 2 mindees' mum was brought up in Japan...

They are currently mad for the 'bop it' an electronic game which they can play alone or together.. they love books, they appreciate help with homework or reading here, so that they get more tv time at home ...um, cooking is good if its simple and quick and they're not waiting too long for a 'go'. Decorating biscuits is a good one... They play with lego, I have some plastic meccano type stuff which they love also: following the instructions and making up their own inventions. One loves 'gorillaz' songs and I play that and other music 'requests' on youtube, along with things i think will make them laugh. they play with the little ones' duplo, cars and wooden rail and road, garage, play house, play doh etc. They have hours of fun with the early learning alphabet foam squares: this has been a skittle alley, a stage, arranged in order, arranged by colour, used to make a soft place to lie down and play 'sleepovers', haha, now that has to be one of my favourites... I'm thinking a sponsored silence could be a future possibility...

We don't have much tv, as I find it makes me lethargic more than anything, so we save that for maybe holidays when they are cooped up on a rainy day, although I may allow half an hour while I'm cooking lunch. I take them to the local library, though I find they'd rather play than read the books they've chosen, once we get home. And they've all at some time completed a 'great shopping challenge' which is basically collecting the items on their list from the co op, usually on days when I realise I don't have enough fruit or yoghurts or juice in for snack time :rolleyes: .

Also, I don't do anything for anyone until until I hear a please, and my face can go quite peculiar while I'm waiting for one! ... I say stuff like 'that was very rude. we don't speak to each other like that here' to anyone being rude, with a further 'do we?' directed at everyone. There's normally a chorus of replies and I'll then say something like, 'I expect you meant to say, (polite version) didn't you? 'that rudeness wasn't like you, you're such a polite boy (or girl). Than I carry on as if nothing's happened, it really doesn't help to let them see if they've wound you up, and holding a grudge is fruitless. they are children after all, and our job is to help them learn how to behave. I try to expect them to behave well. Most often, if expected to, they really do.

And... Sometimes, its best to curtly respond then give lots of attention to someone else while they decide to try some manners to get your attention.. you've just got to feel your way really...

oh dear i seem to have wittered on without really saying anything :eek:

Sorry, hope there's something in there that helps a bit :blush:

all the best,
Wendy

[newandlearning]

New and Learning - I don't understand - how is this possible?

on some days I have 5 boys aged 2 to 4 (rising 5s)

hi Cuffley... I have two 2 year olds, one 3 year old, and two 4 year olds after school 2 days a week..

once 4 year olds are in full time education (ie. get picked up at 3pm) they are considering 'rising 5's' for numbers purposes.

I hope one day to have some older after schoolies as its pretty full on for me after school .. I hope that helps explain this a bit better :)

[Desi-101]

Everyone has given great advice so won't add, just a cheeky addition on my part :D as I have a mindee who used to run off and cross the road no matter how hard I tried to stop/plead with her so I threatened using baby reigns if she can't walk quietly like the rest and she quickly decided to stay put and walk, she has never run off again, I think the threat did it for her! ha ha I do keep them in the car tucked away at the back of my seat where her booster seat is!!

This was before Xmas and funny enough she mentioned it today when another child ran off from his mum!!

[PerkyEars]

Thanks so much everyone - loads of great advice there! :clapping:


I regularly ask them really loudly 'who's in charge?!' and now they all shout 'wendy's in charge' at the top of their voices, lol.

I love this. :D

I'm definately going to try with some new rules about manners, rummage in the charity shop for boardgames, and plan silly things to do on the way home. I don't really have time for baking but will think up some more arty stuff for rainy non-park days.


so I threatened using baby reigns if she can't walk quietly like the rest

This made me laugh as this mindee would HATE that as she is really into being 'cool' and not a baby. :laughing:

[mushpea]

i think what you do depends on what the children are like,,, on tuesdays i look after 3 sisters, the eldest being 6 who , if there is no planned activity, will sit almost on top of me on the sofa not playing with anything, i find this very iritating so on the days they come i ususaly plan things to do after school, at the moment they are 1 day per wk but frm sept they may be everyday so i think she will just have to learn that sometimes after school i do sit with a coffee and do paper work,, i have tried doing this in the past and she has actualy moved my paper wrk over to sit next to me:eek:
on the other days after school its normaly my two who are 11 and 9 and a 6yrold who all play happily and dont need my intereaction as much so i leave them to it and catch up on the paper wrk or cook dinner. sometimes we will do cooking or arts and crafts but the ususaly prefer not do to these things so i safe them for when i have the 3 sisters.