Who does what with after schoolers?

**Georgiepoo** · 14-05-2015, 03:30 PM

Hi,
Just a general question really to see what other do and what parents want from just after school childcare?

I ask parents 'what are you looking for from a childminder' and most just say a relaxed atmosphere where they can have fun and unwind after school...

What do you all do?

**JCrakers** · 14-05-2015, 04:00 PM

Im quite relaxed with my afterschoolies. Parents pay £3.50 per hour so between £7 and £10.50 per session so they don't expect much other than a safe relaxing place.

I have 6 afterschool children most nights ranging from 6yrs-12yrs. I collect at 3.15pm, if its dry we call at the local park until 4ish then its a 15min walk back to my house.

They watch 15mins of TV, eat a snacky tea (sandwiches, toasties, pizza etc) and then we either go onto the green next to my house with a football, there's also a little park for the little ones.

If its raining or winter months they stick a DVD on or watch TV and chat. I don't do anything other than that really and my parents don't expect me to. Its too loud for homework and they are too big and boisterous for the playroom toys.

**loocyloo** · 14-05-2015, 04:18 PM

We come home and play in the garden or go to the park. Then home for tea and schoolies then play outside again, play with LOs ( lovely little people scenes set up this evening;-) ) read or watch tv. In winter we tend to do crafts after school before tea.
At the moment my schoolies all have clubs after school a couple of nights so it's a quick turnaround for tea before home time. Another night several schoolies have a dance class, so we have a quick early tea and then we walk them round the corner!
Occasionally I have a schoolie who wants to do hwk/read/look up something/borrow a book etc but is up to them! I don't push it at all.

**AliceK** · 14-05-2015, 06:46 PM

The only schoolies I have are my own children and some that have been with me since they were EY's children who mostly now have younger siblings here too now. So, they are all very close and great with each other. The older ones usually play with and entertain the LO's. Sometimes the older ones play something / do something together. TBH by the time we get back in from school there isn't too much time before everyone sits down for tea and then after a good chat at the dinner table and everyone finishes and cleans up it's usually nearly time for them to start going home.

xxx

Simona · 14-05-2015, 07:02 PM

Let them chill, play games or just mixing with younger ones...older children can be fabulous with them.
If they want they can do homework or read to you....so much they can choose to do for themselves!

**mumofone** · 14-05-2015, 07:45 PM

Urgh I wish my after schooler was this easy! Today we made chocolate milkshakes, started making a lavender bag, played cards, played various role plays, performed her "exercise class"....she won't accept having the tv on at all.

**Maza** · 14-05-2015, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by mumofone

Urgh I wish my after schooler was this easy! Today we made chocolate milkshakes, started making a lavender bag, played cards, played various role plays, performed her "exercise class"....she won't accept having the tv on at all.

Awww, maybe she doesn't get much attention at home. I bet she loves coming to yours. It is hard when you only have one at that age because they do depend on you for all their interaction.

**kellib** · 14-05-2015, 10:11 PM

Most of mine are shattered after school so don't have energy for anything too strenuous! The tv is usually on and the float between that and whatever games the younger ones are playing, this week we've had a lot of supermarket games as we've just got a new toy till!

Other days we barely have time for them to have a snack, today we got home at 340 and all kids were away by 355, result lol!

**natlou82** · 15-05-2015, 05:38 AM

We usually go to the park on the way home if it's nice weather, or I may organise an activity at home (nothing too strenuous and optional) then free play, dinner, TV and home. Sometimes the older ones do homework and if I get chance I will listen to them read. I typically have 2 EY here, my own 2 children plus 3 more AS so it's very busy!!

**AliceK** · 15-05-2015, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by mumofone

Urgh I wish my after schooler was this easy! Today we made chocolate milkshakes, started making a lavender bag, played cards, played various role plays, performed her "exercise class"....she won't accept having the tv on at all.

It's more difficult if you only have the one older child as they will need to be "entertained" more. Same as if you only have 1 x EY child. Luckily I usually have around 7 children here after school so although it is very busy they all play together so usually I can spend some time in the kitchen finishing off and dishing up tea for them all. Perhaps when you get another older child this one will need you a bit less.

xxx

**mumofone** · 15-05-2015, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by AliceK

It's more difficult if you only have the one older child as they will need to be "entertained" more. Same as if you only have 1 x EY child. Luckily I usually have around 7 children here after school so although it is very busy they all play together so usually I can spend some time in the kitchen finishing off and dishing up tea for them all. Perhaps when you get another older child this one will need you a bit less. xxx

Yeh I think you're right, sadly all my other children are going to be young, I think I'll phase out the after schoolers.

**lollipop kid** · 15-05-2015, 09:14 AM

I've only got one after-schooler here. She comes to me two days a week, and has done for about two years now. The early days were a nightmare, but she's been a joy ever since and adores being around the babies.

In the early days, I used to agree to helping the children with their homework while here. I don't any more. (I've met so many parents of reception-age children who believe their child is a genius and insist on them constantly learning and being challenged while here with extra tuition/homework, but there's just no way to do one-to-one in a childminding setting. Plus, the children just want to play and do what the other children their age are doing, so it's really not fair on them.)

I'm happy to do the one-to-one stuff when I'm babysitting them (if the child comes to me with the plan first, not me pushing it on them). One child I've had for years but only babysit for now is actually genuinely gifted, and he loves it when I go down to babysit for him. He will happily show me stuff he's read that he's interested in (which is actually pretty advanced - it could be a science experiment that he's read in a book that he just has to show me/make for me, or something he's seen in the Junior National Geographic). One night he read me a couple of key chapters from a Roald Dahl book that I didn't know - he was about 5 at the time - just so he could talk to me about the story, as he thought it was great! (Or he might just prefer to thrash me on Playstation. I just go with the flow!)

My planning for the after-school children just takes into account their interests and, if I can, what they're learning at school (I read their newsletters and curriculum to get some ideas, or they might tell me on the way back if they're really excited about an up-coming project). Most times, though, as others have said, it's all about feeding them, letting them play and just being there for them when they want you to be.

Hope that helps,

L

**tess1981** · 15-05-2015, 09:47 AM

I have one after schooler and I used to do homework with him as he capable if doing a lot of it alone... my rules were I didnt do learning work such as spellings or mental maths or reading . He decided himself he no longer wanted to do it here and prefers to chill with the TV. Even if the others ones are playing he likes to relax. He will go outside or colour or do an activity but only if notion takes him. I let him go with the flow as he is usually wrecked after school

**JoRo163** · 15-05-2015, 10:50 AM

I have several after schoolies. If the weather is reasonable, they all prefer to be outside in the garden. I set up the garden with a variety of activities & games (not too much though, or they just chuck it around the garden, or over the fence!)

Indoors, on colder days we may do crafts or table top games, but not every day. Sometimes they just help themselves to whatever they want to do, other times they have a DVD on. If there's more than 2 schoolies though, it's better to give them s bit of direction, or it becomes mayhem!