Help choosing some new resources please

**youarewhatyoueat** · 15-08-2009, 04:11 PM

I'm having some new after school children start in september, 2 girls age 5 and 7 and an 8 year old boy. I've got loads of knex,lego,playmobil, I have actually got loads of toys but would like some new activities that they can do in about an hour, preferably sitting at the kitchen table with my own children and 2 18 month mindees. I want to try and have a chilled quiet hour when they get home as it can tend to get a bit lively.Fine if we can be outside but I want to plan for the wet evenings. How does this sound

3.30 home for snack,drink etc
3.45 activity till 4.30(hopefully)
4.30 tv or a book till home time at 5/5.30

I want to not have the wii out as too many children to have a turn.
Usually I just let them choose and let them get on with it but having a couple more I need to be organised as only a small house and no playroom.
Really need some good new ideas ready in a box for september.
Thanks in advance of any suggestions

**Jules27** · 15-08-2009, 04:37 PM

I've got new afterschoolers too, they have started over hols and are aged 5 and 7 (almost 8) I have found they love board games esp junior monoply. Jigsaws are proving to be a hit too, simple things really and ones that don't cost the earth.

**miffy** · 15-08-2009, 04:41 PM

Board games are a good idea or you could try card-making, drawing and colouring, making necklaces from pasta, junk modelling - depends how messy you want it to get

Sometimes mine like to make things for their play like posters and signs for a shop - that can keep them busy for ages.

Miffy xx

**sweets** · 15-08-2009, 04:43 PM

i know it sounds boring and probably a bit sexist but girls of that age usually love colouring! i'd get a good supply of books in for them. jigsaws and puzzles are good as well as beads and threading.

**FizzysFriends** · 15-08-2009, 04:48 PM

Hama beads keep this lot at the table for ages. Also, tshirt decorating, board games, colouring, word searches etc.

**youarewhatyoueat** · 15-08-2009, 05:15 PM

Must have a look in the loft got loads of board games and hama beads must get them out, I've just found a new web site and always end up looking at toys for the younger ones http://www.myriadonline.co.uk/role-play-kitchen.php

**miffy** · 15-08-2009, 05:17 PM

Oooo some nice things on there - wish you hadn't shown me that!

Miffy xx

**Minstrel** · 15-08-2009, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by sweets

i know it sounds boring and probably a bit sexist but girls of that age usually love colouring! i'd get a good supply of books in for them. jigsaws and puzzles are good as well as beads and threading.

hey i still like colouring at my age!

**sweets** · 15-08-2009, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Minstrel

hey i still like colouring at my age!

Actually so do i!

**youarewhatyoueat** · 15-08-2009, 06:44 PM

I wish I hadn't found that site there are some fantastic co-operative games on there i've never found that sort of thing before,and some lovely dot to dot colouring books

**Monkey1** · 16-08-2009, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by caroline L

Must have a look in the loft got loads of board games and hama beads must get them out, I've just found a new web site and always end up looking at toys for the younger ones http://www.myriadonline.co.uk/role-play-kitchen.php

I love those geometric puzzles

**peanuts** · 16-08-2009, 08:30 AM

by the time you get home if you only have them for 1 hour they may just want to chill out or do their homework so that they are free when they get home. my lot choose to come in, have snack, do homework then play or chill. i never have a structured activinty for afterschoolers from monday - thursday. friday is a different story, they finish school at 12.

**newandlearning** · 16-08-2009, 08:33 AM

what a lovely website.. I really like the wooden marble runs.. hmm.. I can feel a google search coming on for them now...

I've got a fairly good supply of toys and am running out of storage space but am finding sometimes you need quite a few rotating resources ... I'm thinking marbles are on my top three list coz I remember loving them as a child.. I also remember feeling very grown up when I did first lot of dot to dot pics and dots with numbers..

**sweets** · 16-08-2009, 08:36 AM

i love wooden toys. lovely website but VERY expensive!

**peanuts** · 16-08-2009, 08:37 AM

my toy cupboard is full with a veriety of games, the children just go into the cupboard and take out a game when they like.

**mushpea** · 16-08-2009, 08:49 AM

after school i have 4 girls age 10, 6,3,2 and 2 boys age 8, 5, then a baby starting in september.
the boys love things like the wii, action figure toys, board games, lego, garden play, but are not keen on colouring or messy play accept cooking.
the girls love messy play, drawing, crafts of any kind, garden play, board games, pc drawing program thingy,lego , but they arent bothered about going on the wii.
after school they can have 20mins each on the wii, there are the normal toys there for them to help themselves too, also they can help themselves to board games and puzzles and books, then i put an activity at the table, this can be playdough, drawing, painting, necklace/braclet making with various items, mostly simple things that they need little help with as i have the little ones to watch and also i cook them all dinner, they do what ever they want because they have to do what they are told at school all day (activity wise that is!)
then on a friday we all go out to a park or similar as i dont cook dinner that day.
it might be easier for you to put some stuff out then see what they want to do, you may plan for all these things then they not want to do them, the 5yrold goes home at 5.30pm and he dosent like sitting with books so once hes gone me and the girls sit down and read storys till they go at 6pm, you just have to kinda go with what they like and work with that.

**ZoeAlli** · 16-08-2009, 01:56 PM

I have had after school mindees and have found that some want to just chill, others (often the girls) want to do crafts etc and others want to play outside, run around or play with toys!!
I used to bring them home have snack time (sometimes at table in playroom), then give them a choice of craft, tv time, read a book or free play. If they chose to watch tv I would turn it off after 1/2 hour to hour (depending when program finished), and get them to do something else.
There is not always alot of time after school and you may find with the best intentions in the World that you end up not having time to do much at all!
You could have a craft or planned activity but they may choose not to do it!! Until you know what they like to do go with what they do- I put out crafts, planned activites and sometimes they would all do it, sometimes1/2 and sometimes none at all!

**MissTinkerbell** · 16-08-2009, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by caroline L

Must have a look in the loft got loads of board games and hama beads must get them out, I've just found a new web site and always end up looking at toys for the younger ones http://www.myriadonline.co.uk/role-play-kitchen.php

Wow - what a fantstic site. Just showed my DD the geometric puzzles and she thought they were great. Got 2 new mindees starting (both 4 year old girls) and this would be great for them to do after school.

Just need to start saving the pennies! Guess though as I have £300 ledft from last years tax fund I could spend some of that - I forgot about that!!

**youarewhatyoueat** · 16-08-2009, 03:15 PM

one of the reasons I want to plan and be organised with a few differen things is because I also have 4 afterschool children of my own and if I let everyone have a free choice it just becomes unmanageable especially with 2 18 month olds thrown into it as well, which is why I would like them to sit at the table for a short while doing something and to have a snack.Hence I need a few new things that my own children haven't seen or done in a while so the ages will be 14,12,8,7,7,5,4,18 mths,18mths thank goodness its only on a monday and tuesday, theres some good ideas from you thanks

**ZoeAlli** · 16-08-2009, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by caroline L

Must have a look in the loft got loads of board games and hama beads must get them out, I've just found a new web site and always end up looking at toys for the younger ones http://www.myriadonline.co.uk/role-play-kitchen.php

Great website! Have just saved it in favourites for later!