last half hour, although probably already know the answer lol

[mushpea]

need some ideas on what to do with them for the last half hour of the day whilst parents are collecting, one now gets picked up at 4.30pm so at 4.25pm I was thinking I could say tidy up time now everyone then you can watch tv for half hour, thats fine as long as they want to watch tv but mine are quite active and I know the one going home at 4.30pm will then have a paddy as he wants to watch tv but I need a quite activity which requires little adult supervision so that I can talk to parents whilst the kids do whatever it is. normally they all play till home time ore we will do tv or the wii but as I said I know this will cause paddys for the one going home and if I wait till he's gone you can garuntee one of the others will ask for the tv whilst he's still here so i cant hide it from him.
anyway any ideas on nice quiet activitys that can be done without my input/supervision for ages 8yrs, 5yrs, 14mths, 20 months and 3yrs. I need somthing because the two older ones cannot control themselves and by the time parents are picking up they are either bored or hypo and trying to knock 7 bells out of each other whilst I deal with parents.

do you know reading back this post I woudl advise myself to tell them if they cant behave then the will have to sit on seperate chairs whilst I talk to parents but I really wanted to avoid this and have a nice happy atmosphere at the end of the day

[loocyloo]

we tidy up and then get shoes /coats on and make sure everything is in bags and then sit and read books, watch television ( but usually a DVD ) or sometimes play a game together in teams, trying to make sure each team has a mix of going home times!

[shortstuff]

If you are keen to use the tv why dont you pack up 10 mins earlier and then even the one going home will get some tv time?

[VeggieSausage]

Sit at the table have a snack and a drink, have games on table for older ones, tidy up time, coats on etc, puzzles, watch tv, colouring at table....

[JumpingJacks]

We do tidy up time, stories and singing for the last half an hour of the day, if the little ones aren't in the mood then we pkay dominoes or snap etc

[*daisychain*]

Lately we have had them all ready on coats playing in the front garden, when parents arrive they are handed over at the gate , it's been working really well

[lynncjt]

Lately we have had them all ready on coats playing in the front garden, when parents arrive they are handed over at the gate , it's been working really well

Love that idea! Wish I could use it but first one goes at 3:30 and last at 5:30!

[dette]

Love that idea! Wish I could use it but first one goes at 3:30 and last at 5:30!

thats what mittens are for ...two hours of fresh air at minus 1 ..sounds good