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Education

What do you do after school?

34 replies

hulababy · 18/09/2006 16:47

What do you and your children (especially little ones) do when you get in after school?

DD started school this month. We get home around 3:45pm. DH gets in at 6:30, which is when we have dinner.

So we have 2.5 hours to kill most days.

About once a week she will have a friend here, or she may go to a friend's house (like tomorrow in fact).

At the moment we don't seem to do much at all. She has a small snack when we first get in, and she will relax and watch TV. Later she will often help me cook dinner. But it is that bit in between - should I be getting her doing stuff? And like what?

She is still a bit tired after school at the moment.

Only homework we have is 5-10 minutes reading, which we have been doing just before bedtime - she reads, then I read the bedtime story.

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emkana · 18/09/2006 16:49

We do reading, we go to the park, we do visits, sometimes baking at home, colouring, if the weather is good playing in the garden...

all sorts of things really.
No TV (I'm a bit mean in that respect)

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cheeseandonion · 18/09/2006 16:49

At the moment the same as you - currently looking into an after school activity for one night a week

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hulababy · 18/09/2006 16:53

On school days that 15-30 minutes TV is all she gets, so not that bad!

I was thinking of swimming for DD but classes don't start until she is 5 - not until April. Like an awful lot of the acfter schoola ctivities (away froms chool ones) sadly. I'd quite like her to do something after school, in a mixed setting.

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cheeseandonion · 18/09/2006 16:54

is her school an all girls school?

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cupcakes · 18/09/2006 16:55

today we filled 20 minutes burying a dead hedgehog we found on the way home.
Then they ate an apple (washed hands first!!)
dd watched Boo dvd whilst I helped ds with piano practice.
They are now playing with dog.

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hulababy · 18/09/2006 16:56

yes, all girls - hence looking into mixed setting for an after school activity, although not really important as she has male friends too.

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ediemay · 18/09/2006 16:59

Hi hula, I've just been to "enjoy a ball" with DS, it was great. I will find the website so that you can see if there are any classes near you.

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ediemay · 18/09/2006 17:00

It's www.enjoy-a-ball.com
We also go to gymnastics one evening a week, which DS loves

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hulababy · 18/09/2006 19:39

Looks fun. Nothing anywhere near Sheffield though!

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SSSandy · 18/09/2006 19:56

Mondays - music lessons, by the time we get back there's just time for a quick meal, bath, bed

Wednesdays - choir, same thing

Fridays - ballet

Tuesday and Thursdays she just plays with her toys and unwinds. No TV.

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dinny · 18/09/2006 20:10

Mondays - dd (reception) and ds (2) have swimming lessons, don't get home till 5.30/6.00

The other days we go to the park after school with friends for an hour or so and then usually go to someone's house for tea or they come here.

Or if it's raining we all go to the playbarn at the farm.

dd really keen to start after-school trampolining, will see how she copes with the tiredness of ft school first.

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littlerach · 18/09/2006 20:13

Dd1 has Rainbows on a Monday, then swimming on a thursday.

Her schol ahs just started after school gym, for her year, so she will also do this on a thursday, efore swimming. Not sure how she'll be so we are trying it for a couple of weeks.

Usually she plays after school with dd2, sometimes ahs a friend round, or goes to someone's house.

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Dior · 18/09/2006 20:16

Message withdrawn

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charliecat · 18/09/2006 20:18

Sometimes they have swimming after school mostly they want to get in and play with whatever was rudely interupted by bedtime the night before.
Tonight we went on a bike ride in the woods in the dark.

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Wordsmith · 18/09/2006 20:25

Monday - DH and DS2 pick up DS1 from school, they play/whatever till tea time, he gives them tea, I come home at 5.45, out again at 6.30 to Pilates class, home in time to put them to bed.

Tuesday - DS1 has karate at 5.30 so I have to try and cram some food into him before then.

Wednesday - he has football at 6pm so ditton Tuesday but a little bit more relaxed.

Thursday and Friday - I am at work, DS2 at nursery, DS1 at afterschool club till 5. I get them both home about 5.30 and to be honest they just chill cout in front of the Tv with beans on toast. So shoot me.

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AngelaChill · 18/09/2006 20:40

sleep

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KTeepee · 18/09/2006 21:00

TBH I would make the most of this precious time before after-school activities start in earnest. We only have one "free" afternoon now and that is much needed to practice musical instruments and do homework!

I think it is important in Reception year NOT to load them with too many activities after school. If you do want to start some after school activity, how about ballet - they generally can start at 3 (though it would probably be mostly if not all girls) or gymnastics - Tumbletots do a class for school age children

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hulababy · 18/09/2006 21:05

DD does ballet at school. She was doing a dance class on a Saturday morning. However it is at 9:30am and so far since starting school we haven't got there as she's been asleep still at 9am!

She did Tumbletots when she was a baby. Our nearest class is now a bit of a trek, since we moved. And Gymboree has moved too.

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Loshad · 18/09/2006 21:18

I would definately stay off the afterschool activities as long as possible, once they start they're like a bloomin giant snowball - we now have no evenings free after school, and only the half term weekends free until christmas (oh great joy) however the DS's are happy

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nikkie · 18/09/2006 21:30

Monday- My Mam picks them up from school , I get home we all go to Rainbows, home 5.45 I cook very quick tea then stories and bed
Tues- I pick up they get changed then drama , home 5.15 I cook while they play then stories/ bed
Weds- Their Dad comes or occasiionally a friend comes round, then tea 5ish
Thurs-My Mam picks them up from school , I get home, Swimming til 5pm (+ getting changed!) takeaway night! usually their Dad visits too.
Friday- easy night!!!!!!!! play/park/soft play etc

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southeastastra · 18/09/2006 21:30

work!

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elastamum · 18/09/2006 21:34

Kids do their homework and then whatever they like, I hate all this emphasis on self improving activities. They do enough at school. Only exception is one night a week karate which they have been dong since 5 and are both really enjoy. Our eldest chose this activity and they are both pretty good (and slightly dangerous)

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curiosity · 18/09/2006 22:33

Make the most of the free n easy afternoons, they won't last, and at the moment I'm really struggling trying to juggle all my children's commitments (all things they want to do and enjoy doing).

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Clary · 19/09/2006 00:30

Hula, saw this earlier but had no time to reply. See others have now done it for me!

My weekly schedule may not be that relevant to you but it's Monday Beavers ds1, Tuesday swim Ds1 and DD, weds dance DD, Thurs Rainbows dd, Friday free.

Note all for 7yo and 5yo, tho DS2 starts swim lesson when he's 4 in April. Various activites don't leave that much time for tea, but on our day off we tend to have friends over and usually have tea at 5pm-ish (we aren't ever all home in time for tea together) so that breaks up the time.

I hear what you are saying about the big stretch of time but I would leave DD the time to rest for the moment. You'll find that playdates soon start, and it's always nice to go to the park at the end of the summer, or out on bikes.

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twinsetandpearls · 19/09/2006 00:34

I am the activity queen but after school I jsut let dd play out with her friends or have a friend to play upstairs. From about 6 we have tea and then homework bath and bed.

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