trying to stay positive for a great inset day tomorrow!

[Helen Dempster]

Ok fellow brilliant minders....the school is closed all day tomorrow for teacher training and I have 8yo, 5yo, two 4yo's and a 15m old from 7.30am-6pm If the weather's not too bad, I'm planning on taking them to the country park, lots for them to do there. My only problem is the 8yo doesn't like being out much and he moans constantly and asks about 100x per second "can we go now?" The others thoroughly enjoy outings, however. If it's raining (badly) and we can't go out, what on earth am I going to do to keep them all entertained??? I was secretly wishing the 8yo would go elsewhere (nans or friends) as it would be so much easier without him, and he constantly winds the others up which irritates the hell out of me!

Anyway, all ideas/suggestions etc more than welcome

Thank you.

[Andrea08]

if its raining hun do you have a soft play centre in your area? often have a good cafe....

just one idea xx

[Mouse]

Apart from the baby, they're all old enough to have some input into what you can do for the day. Why not get them to help draw up a timetable for the day? That way you could add something that each of them will enjoy and, if you do go out, the 8yr old will know in advance what time you will be leaving, so shouldn't have to whinge about it all the time.

Give them some suggestions eg. outdoor play, craft activity, tv time, board games, time for lunch, snack times, baby's sleep etc and get them to decide how long they want to spend on each thing. That way they can't finish what they're doing in 10mins and expect to go onto the next thing.

Even the job of sitting & doing a timetable should fill in a bit of time

[PixiePetal]

some sort of treasure hunt - older ones could help set clues for younger ones?

[mushpea]

baking, arts and crafts, walk in the rain with brolleys,, tv, wii and if all else fails put them in the garden shed or is that not allowed anymore
If the 8yrold moans when your out i would just point out to him that he is not the only one there and the others are still enjoying themselves so he will just have to put up with and yes I would say it like that to him,, you could also ask him what he would rather be doing and if possible do that with hiim when you get home.

I have a 7yrold that moans when we are out and just sits and not plays at parks etc but I just ignore it,, I refuse to spoil everyone else fun cause their being a misog

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I have 8 tomorrow and we are all going to soft play. Plenty of room for everyone to run off and lose some steam

[miffy]

I agree about asking them to suggest what they want to do.

When I have a lot of mixed ages they tend to like den building, role playing (cafe, shop, travel agents etc), baking, playdough or crafts.

Miffy xx

[loocyloo]

what is the 8 yr old interested in?

if you go out could he find some things to draw ( take drawing stuff with you ), collect leaves, twigs etc to make a model from either there or back at home, take 'arty' photos, could you set him a list of things to find? (red leaf, yellow flower, something hard, soft, furry etc) could he organise an obstacle course for the younger ones?

i too, would tell him that he isn't the only one i am looking after and everyone else is still having fun! ( when my DS moans i tell him the more he moans the longer i will be! but i guess you can't tell a mindee that! )

have fun.

xxx