7am Start with school child

[Belly2009]

Hi,

Very new to this and had my 3rd potential mindee visit yesterday. Her mum was really happy for me to look after her LO and she is starting on Monday! Yippee!!

However, she wants to drop her off at 7am (Yawn) but thats not a problem. My question is what I should be doing with her at that time in the morning. Obviously, I will be supplying her breakfast but we dont leave for school till about 8.20.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[rachelle]

I have colouring, hamma beads, reading and puzzles on offer before 8am. I don't put the tv on because it leads to rows when my own 2 aren't allowed to watch it before breakfast!

I tend to do breakfast for 7.30 and then get them to choose something that they can do at the table tbh!

[mama2three]

i set up for the day before mindees arrive , so they would have free choice of what to play with. I have had 2 7am starters. The first just wanted time to 'come round' , quiet activities , books etc. The second is wide awake and raring to go..theyre all different!

[Goatgirl]

Hi ,
Favourite activities here in the morning are books, drawing and colouring, easy crafts (e.g. threading a bead necklace), construction sets (lego, meccano, googolplex), small world (playmobil house and people, animal hospital, duplo vehicles and characters), table football and playdoh... and hide and seek as new mindees arrive . I tend to sit nearby and chat if they want to but leave them to it if they're not quite woken up.

Just have a selection of things available which suit you and are easy to pack away from littlies: I find that its easier if I put something out and change it every time i think they're getting bored. No obligation for them to use it and they can always ask for different things, but they are sometimes too tired to make a decision and I don't want everything out at once. sometimes, less is more good luck

best wishes,
Wendy

[butterfly]

I have two school mindees starting at 7. They have tv and are allowed free choice. We then pack up at 7.45 (when the other children arrive) and sit down to breakfast at 8. I find breakfast takes half an hour and no one is allowed to get down until half past 8 when we all get ready to go to school. I make it very clear that i won't do any activities etc until after the school run! I have my own children to sort out for school so the mindees have to get on with it!

[kel1983]

we have a lo who has just started to come to us at 6.50 . Its only 2 days a week, every other week.

We put the tv on for her for about half hour just while she settles and I get myself together and sorted. Then we have older children arriving from 7.30 so tv off and breakfast and then they have crafts, free play etc

[lfishwick]

I used to have a LO who started at 6.15am - she used to watch TV or colour/ read a book until 7.15am. Then clear away, wash hands and breakfast for 7.30am.
7.45/8am until we left at 8.30 she had free choice - her scrap book, collage, books, homework, reading, free play of toys ( often the dolls).

[funemnx]

I have a little fella who comes at 7.00. He's 5 now and been coming since he was 1 so he's quite comfortable and we have a little routine. He comes in pj's and gets dressed, watches a bit of t.v. and then has breakfast when the others start arriving at 7.30 so only half an hour on his own, not too bad - gives me a few minutes to wake up myself!