Are these sensible activity ideas for a six and eight year old?

[TryingnotTobeBoring]

Are these good ideas for 6 and 8 year old?

I’m trying to figure out a schedule for next week. So far I have :

-Local park and picnic (has a play area, cafe, duck pond etc and a nature trail you can get a chart from the cafe), so should cover a whole morning.

-Garden day - I’ve ordered some garden toys and a little planting set and a little sand/water table toy (worried this is too ‘young’ but I think 6 year old dsd will at least like it).

-thinking about cinema maybe moana or minions?

-baking and I’ve got some arts and crafts bits.

They will be here 730am-630 pm every day. It’s the first time I’ve looked after them on my own but dh is away with work and their mum has her childcare cancelled last minute. I’m a bit nervous but they are lovely kids

That sounds lovely.

Don’t feel you need to entertain them every second of the day.

You could check with their Mum activities they like if it would be reassuring? I’m sure she’s really grateful of the help, I would be!

Sounds perfect - enjoy! I’m going planting in the garden with my 10 and 8 year olds so not too young

She said they’ll be happy with anything at all and that not to go to too much trouble , she suggested the baking and arts and crafts.

Sounds perfect. My 8 year old LOVES to dig. We have an allotment so I let his dig there but he would do it all day if I let him.

The park is a win. Kick a ball around or get one of these (which gets hours of use in this house!) ROCKET

Walks are always good too. Looking at nature andother things. Crafty things like origami sets are a winner in this house too.

Like others say, don't feel you have to entertain them all the time. My 8 year old is quite happy on his own company drawing and writing. I am sure you will all have a lovely time.

Oh, and snacks! Kids are ALWAYS hungry!!

i got cress seeds for some almost instant results too 😂

Who is paying for all these activities? I really hope it's not you unless you are being paid.

6 and 8 year olds shouldn't need too much entertaining. I would take them to a park each day but also to the shops when you need to go.

Then they can play in the garden (no need to buy stuff), read, play with their own toys, puzzles, board games.

Sounds great.

How about getting them to help plan and cook a meal? Doesn't have to be complicated, but they could make enough for their mum to have some too. Kids are never too young to start making a meaningful contribution to stuff like that.

Libraries usually run a summer reading challenge so you could visit the library a couple of times and build some reading time into each day.

when you all need a break there is nothing wrong with sticking on a movie, grabbing some easy snacks and getting super comfy on the sofa. maybe even build a den to watch the movie in?

do you have any free museums nearby too? always a winner.

When mine were small enough to need their days planning, I'd plan it out a bit like my school day. I'd know exactly what we were doing, so I didn't need to think in tbe day. So I'd take your park plan, and I'd plan my day around that. So: 8-8.30 breakfast and general chat about days plans (also pack picnic). 8.30-9. I get ready, they have free play. Travel to park. 9.30- 11 play park. 11-11.30 duck pond 11.30- 12.30 picnic and ball games. 12.30- 1.30 nature trail, then drink in cafe. Travel home. 2-2.30 chill out/screens. 2.30-5 play with some offered structured activities and planned snack time (painting, baking etc). 5 onwards, cook and eat dinner. They help.

I know it looks mental. And you don't have to stick to it exactly. It genuinely made my life so much easier running it like a school day though, so I thought it was worth mentioning if you feel nervy. The kids liked knowing what we'd be doing in advance too.

I like your activities, but I think you should think through what else you'd like to do too, because there's an awful lot of time in a week. Even if it's just that you mentally plan when you'll be playing at home.

I was going to suggest shopping and cooking.

One free thing I used to do with kids was go to IKEA! They loved looking round and hiding but this may be stressful when they're not your kids! Followed by cheap hotdogs and ice cream. Another fun, lengthy idea is a bus ride somewhere eg. To a different park, McD's, into a town or city. The bus or train ride can be really fun at that age.

7.30 to 6.30 are incredibly long hours.

It's from waking to bedtime for those children.

It's not just activity you will be planning it's 3 meals and likely a wind down routine towards bedtime as well.

Are they nieces/nephews? This is a huge ask for you.

Cinema is a good shout- Toy Story or Minions my 6/10 year old both loved! If on a Weds can you get the meerkat 2 for 1?
park and ice cream is always fun, if it’s raining mine also love a playgym!
also wanted to say what a refreshing co-parenting relationship you must have with DSDs mum’s! Half the posts on here would be moaning about their DH being away and having the step kiddies, so really lovely to see!

Mine are this age and they’ve been absolutely loving doing a summer scrapbook - I got stickers, some magazines, washi tape and they’ve been doing a little diary each day about what they’ve been up to, and decorating with stuff they’ve drawn/cut out - keeps them entertained each evening while I’ve been cooking their dinner. I’ve been printing off some photos for them as well, if you have access to a printer. They’re also doing the summer reading challenge so have been adding book reviews to it.

Sand and water table sounds a bit young.
get to bring some games, jigsaws and books from home too.
what about going swimming?

my six year old doesn’t go to bed at 6.30pm!! She’s only just back from clubs during the school week at that time!
also maybe a help you make brekkie would be fun,

I think they are step children. It sounds like a huge ask OP unless they normally live with you or you know them very well? I would get their parents to give you a budget for some days out etc. I would say they are probably too old for sand and water especially the older one.

From bitter experience don’t buy loads of food when out. I last bought my nephew (8) a sort of ice cream sundae which he didn’t finish as it melted… a slushie also half finished and can of Pepsi max - half finished. I drank the drinks so they didn’t go to waste.

Also, kids can be demons asking for stuff, toys costing £1-£2, sweets, freshly squeezed orange juice (the oranges are squeezed in a machine in front of you). Take snacks into cinema.

Also, watch them like hawks. My nephew loved to run ahead of me in the park, whilst I was struggling with a buggy and his toddler brother.

Bring water and other cold snacks (fruit) in a cool bag with an ice pack.

Don’t forget you will need a sugar and/or caffeine break at some point yourself. Kids have boundless energy.

Hi OP

I have 8yo twins.

I would say, do a rhythm of

Breakfast
Some chore or thing that needs to be done
Then, get out! Walk somewhere, playground.

Then snack/ break, come home

Lunch

Unstructured play or optional crafts -. Like, there's craft stuff in the kitchen or you can play on your own

Then gentle activity outdoors like scooting in your street, pavement chalks

Wind down to dinner with short film

It all sounds lovely. Though I well remember planning atcivities for my nephews before I had DC and what I predicted would last all weekend got us until mid afternoon of day 1.

My advice is to plan two outings a day - one for them and one errand. So, playpark or swimming pool, or nature trail or safe bike/scooter ride as one. Or if it's not fine, riding a bus or a train or a boat, or heading to the library. Then, later in the day, out to the supermarket where they can help choose fruit and veg, weigh things and decide what bread to buy etc. Or out to get a parcel weighed and dropped at the Post Office. Or to drop off something borrowed from a neighbour. Just small things but it gets them involved in daily life, not just entertained 24/7.

In between, the same: an activity for them followed by an activity to do with evryday life. So water play or lego or craft activity, followed by helping rake leaves or bake a cake, or do some dusting. They like feather dusters, little mops or brooms.

And allow down time - a film in the mid-afternoon lull, or reading them a story.

If not swimming then a splash park. My nephews love that with water cannons and so on.

Take change of clothing and towels for above.

All sounds potentially good but I would break it up. A trip to the library and costa in the morning and then watching a film in the afternoon.

All day doing one thing is too long. For your own sanity I would try and get out at least once a day. For baking get them to choose from a couple of recipes, write the shopping list, go and buy the things and then make them. You have a long day to fill. If you’re making them dinner - what time do they normally eat? I would allow them tablet/TV time while you’re cooking so you can do it in peace and quiet.

Yes to IKEA!

Sounds lovely! My just turned 7 year old would love this 😀

I'd also plan a trip to McDonald's
A swimming trip
Go to see both films at cinema use Meercsts 2 for 1 offer
Park good take a football, bats and balls
My DH liked going on a bus, something they had never done before.
Find and paint stones. They can varnish them and give them as paper weight gifts.
Baking. Try peppermint creams as very easy.
There are lots of things on YouTube, children's TV they can watch.

DGC not DH.

My almost 6 year old loves a trip to IKEA, it’s up there with her favourite days out 😆

Likewise pets at home and they often have little free workshops and stuff there. Have a look online.

@TryingnotTobeBoring - do you have car seats so you’re able to take them out in the car? Might extend the range of options. If not, have a look on local family groups on FB might get some ideas for free/ cheap stuff going on in walking/ easy public transport distance.

Also look what’s on at the local libraries - sometimes one near us has amazing things, massive dinosaur puppets, crafts, a dinosaur dig etc. other days they have LEGO clubs.

Likewise if you’ve got any local museums, even ones that look a bit random and dull, they can often have surprisingly entertaining stuff on for kids. Our local town museum is nothing to write home about really but they do some great stuff in the holidays, nothing flashy but I took DD and my 8 and 10 year old nieces a couple of times last year and they really liked it.

If you can get your hands on a giant roll of paper, some markers and maybe big cardboard boxes and tape, they may enjoy just being let loose with those too.