I need some help / ideas, please! please! please!

[thinkfun]

I look after a number of after school children aged between 7 and 11, all boys. In the last few months the noise levels have become unbearable. Their fine if there is just one or two, but the two days a week when all 5 of them are here you can’t hear yourself thinks. It’s as though they having a competition to see who can be the loudest, and by the time they go home I’m left with a throbbing headache and god knows what my neighbours think.

I desperately need advice or strategies that I can use to help reduce the noise levels, your help would be very much appreciated.

[clio0602]

Sorry just looking for ideas myself for 4, 7 and 9yo boys. 7.30 is too early for so much noise. Don't think the little ones appreciate it either :rolleyes:

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I think that children are noisy when they get bored with what they are doing, especially boys! I would not leave them to their own devices and play games with them, board games, cards and use the local parks so that they can let of steam

[gigglinggoblin]

Went on a course recently where 'loose parts play' was an idea for boys - cardboard boxes, tubes etc - junk modelling on a huge scale. Also real screwdrivers and tools, old electrical items they can take apart and put back together.

Do you have little ones aswell? With that many big boys I would spend most of the time in the park if I could whatever the weather, then home for hot choc and a dvd

Mine love anything techie, digital camera is a big hit. We also have a toy called animation station, hook it up to a tv and they can make their own animations.

[thinkfun]

We have a long walk home from school which allows them to run around and burn off some of the excess energy that they have after school. Unfortunately we’re not able to go to the park after school because one of the little one’s has to goes home and I have another child waiting for me in a taxi outside of my house and the dinner needs to be cooked. I’m not new to looking after school aged boy, it’s something I’ve been doing for almost 14 years, and it’s not boredom because they are all fully occupied, in fact it seems to be the more engrossed they become the louder they get.

[suzyblue]

I have a lot of schoolers and they get over excited, the boys shouting and the girls squealing. Once they start getting loud everyone has to shout to be heard so it just gets worse. I have to try and nip it in the bud telling them not to shout, we are all in the same room. I keep them occupied and try to set up different activities to separate them. I realise this is easier for me as I have a mix of girls and boys. Maybe you could try different aged activities? presuming they are different ages.

I havent found a miracle cure but just try to manage it as best I can. I have an assistant so she plays with the under 5s while I manage the schoolers. It is hard work though and although each child is lovely I do dread after school.