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Original poster

Holiday childcare for tweens

15 replies

Bunnycat101 · 21/07/2025 08:33

This summer my kids are either on holiday with us on in camps but next year my eldest will be 10 and I’m wondering if she’ll need as much childcare if I’m working from home. For work purposes childcare has to be in place for under 8s so that is clear cut but feels more of a grey area for the older primary age group.

What do others do with the 10-12 age group? I think mine would be fine pottering while I’m working but also slightly worried that she’d gravitate to a screen or get a bit lonely. Her sister would be in camp. I’d be way of her having friends over while I was working as I’m conscious I couldn’t supervise them properly but also realise that will change as they get older and more independent any way.

OP posts:
EssentialDecluttering · 21/07/2025 08:40

Mine still did some sports and drama day camps in those years, it was a bit of a juggle getting them there and back sometimes as they were short days and I didn't WFH (still don't) so DH and I had to flex our hours a bit. But it stopped them getting bored and broke up the weeks. Not all DCs want to do that though.

Once they were secondary age and able to be left alone I still didn't leave them all day / all week because they got bored just hanging out at home and locally (not much to do here and public transport not great) and wanted lifts to places etc so DH I took annual leave in half days scattered about again to break up the weeks, luckily we can both do that.

MadameSzyszkoBohusz · 21/07/2025 08:42

My 11 year old has been told he can walk to a nearby park and meet up with his mates, does she have anywhere similar she could go?

TimeForABreak4 · 21/07/2025 08:44

Mine is 12 now and doesn't want to do clubs, he's mostly out with friends.. Until this year, I'd book him in to sports clubs. Whether they were for the day or a couple of hours, a few times a week. He'd go to my dad's sometimes or be at home when I was working from home.

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newdaynewnam · 21/07/2025 08:45

My oldest is 12. Does 3 days a week at out childminder (more a helper these days, and he likes that), 2 days home with me or dad working from home.
otherwise he would be on screens nonstop (his friends live miles away)

mindutopia · 21/07/2025 08:45

My older one has always just pottered about. Dh and I both wfh and Dh is self-employed, so no workplace policies to deal with. Younger one in holiday club some days.

We do a mix of working and days off though, so every week is maybe 2-3 days when we are both working, and the other days at least one of us is off.

I do arrange play dates with friends on a day here and there, and other days like there might be a day or two where the sport she does is doing like a big training day or something. This summer she’s going to a week of outdoor adventure sports with a friend (so like a club but for the big ones).

DaisyChain505 · 21/07/2025 08:48

I think it’s nice to have a few clubs booked in to break things up but definitely a 10 YO can be trusted at home whilst you work.

It’s helpful to have a time schedule up for them to see and try to stick to so they’re not just watching tv all day.

Let them meet up locally with friends or invite a friend round etc.

Set them easy lunches they can make up for themselves.

purpleme12 · 21/07/2025 08:51

Mine is 11, not long off 12
I am absolutely still sending her to holiday club childcare
I am happy with that decision and still anticipate doing it for a while.
She is not a child that does well if we're both in the house but I'm not 'available' and absolutely she'd get lonely and gravitate towards a screen.
Much better to be at holiday club and absorb the cost. Better for her

cheesycheesy · 21/07/2025 08:53

could you do a mix. Twice a week at a club. A day or 2 at home with you then seeing friends other days? Are you able to take a day or 2 annual leave too?

Original poster
Bunnycat101 · 21/07/2025 12:28

Thanks this is all helpful. I wonder if I need to shift to thinking about days rather than weeks. At the moment, I tend to block book holiday or camps in weeks but it feels a bit more doable to maybe have a mix within each week.

OP posts:
NuffSaidSam · 21/07/2025 12:43

She'd definitely be fine pottering about for periods of time, but I wouldn't have her entertaining herself all day, every day for six weeks. I'd do a mix of clubs/activities and time at home.

Once she's at secondary school mid re-evaluate as they tend to want to just be out with their friends at that point and are a bit old for most clubs.

MinnieMountain · 21/07/2025 12:50

DS is just finishing year 6. I work 3 days a week. We’ve got 3 days planned where DH and I are WFH and DS is at home. The rest were either on holiday or he’s with his DGPs.

Thunderdcc · 21/07/2025 12:57

Last year dc had just finished Y4 and Y6 and I planned clubs etc as I always had. They did more expensive clubs admittedly, they did drama clubs for a week with a show at the end and they went to a lake and did a lot of watersports.

This year they have finished Y5 and Y7, they are 10 and 12. DD1 will not consider any clubs except the Scout camp she is doing. DD2 won't go on her own. So we are going to have to do a bit more WFH and probably splitting days in half between us so we get half a day in the office and half WFH with the kids entertaining themselves. It did occur to me yesterday I could take them to the cinema and work while they watch a film and then they walk up to my office afterwards.

DaisyChain505 · 21/07/2025 13:25

Definitely look at things in blocks of a week.

Mon: At home entertainment themselves.
Tues: play date at a friends.
Weds: return play date favour.
Thurs: camp
Fri: day with a parent, grandparent, family etc.

EllieQ · 21/07/2025 13:42

My DD is 10 (just finished Year 5), and this is the first summer that she won’t be going to holiday club the whole time that we’re working. She didn’t want to go to the holiday club that we’ve used in previous years, as it’s mainly younger children who attend (and her best friend won’t be there this year), so we’re doing:

  • Two weeks at a computer skills camp (runs 9-3 compared to holiday clubs 8-6 opening hours)
  • Two weeks where I’m on leave (first and last week of holidays)
  • Two weeks where I’ve got a couple of days off, and one of us will WFH on the rest of the days (policies are childcare in place for under-10s)

We don’t have grandparents near us to help out, and they all have health issues so we can’t send her to them for a few days.

She’s old enough not disturb us while we’re working, but I know that she will probably spend most of that time on screens, though I will enforce some screen free time each day. I have booked a couple of activities for those two weeks, but they are just for the morning or afternoon, not full days. Her friends are mostly away over the summer, so playdate or trips to the park with them will be limited. It’s a tricky age.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 21/07/2025 13:47

Mine are 13 and 16, so this is nearly all behind me. (Phew!)

10-12 was a challenging time for holiday childcare. Whilst they are unlikely to hurt themselves, can make a snack and take themselves to the loo, the problem with letting them potter is that they'll default to screens much of the time. I used to take half days of leave. I'd either leave them to it in the mornings and do stuff in the afternoons. A lot of the more "activity" based clubs (rather than straightforward childcare) - cricket, art, tennis etc tend to be 10-3, so I'd work 4 hours in the middle of the day.

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