What do your primary age kids do after school before dinner?

[Dobbythechristmaself]

If your kids are home from school around 3pm, I assume they do homework sometime shortly after getting home but after that, what do they do till dinnertime? Do they just watch TV or go on devices? We have always made them read or do activities like football/basketball outside, lego or art. They are really unhappy about that as they get older. But either they have evening activities (2-3 times a week sport) or nothing and they would just then do screens for even more hours if we let them after school too. What on earth do kids who come home after school do with their time?

Mine would watch a bit of TV, play with toys, do a bit of homework, play outside with friends.

They didn't do many after school activities but they always managed to keep themselves busy.

Much the same as I did as a child, except I used to read more.

My dcs are only little, 5 and 7. This means school tires them, esp as one of them is ND. I like them to decompress and relax when they get home from school tbh, in summer they will play in the garden for a bit.
I don't agree with homework at this age or too many extra curriculum activities. They do need some time to relax imo, and some time to themselves. My oldest loves to watch documentaries about space, and play with dc2 on the xbox for fun; it is so lovely watching them play together with toys, making up little games on and off the screen. They'll do their required homework, and we read before bed anyway as well, so by the time we factor that in dinner, reading, baths, bedtime chat etc, there isn't really that much time left. My oldest has an afterschool activity one night a week, but this was something he asked for. They go swimming too, but usually on weekends.
Definately a balance is needed, too many activities isn't a good thing imo.

Mine generally read, do crafts, play with toys, play in the garden, help a bit with tea if it’s their night my to do that. They don’t have TV on week nights apart from Friday. (No judgment for anyone who does but my eldest was having issues with sleep, and we were advised to cut out screens, and it’s made a huge difference). It was a bit of a transition for them away from TV but it’s made our bed times calmer, and I love that they get some down time to play/craft/read. I think unstructured time is important, and it’s fine for them to be a bit bored sometimes, they generally find something to do!

Watch TV, build Lego, read books, colouring, play board games, play with toys, play, bicker or argue with each other!

Watch Batfink. Oh sorry, I thought you were asking me.

Snack, if there’s activity scheduled (3-4 times a week) we do that, dinner, play, bed. On days with no activity device for 30mins max, play, dinner, play, bed

watch tv
do drawing/craft type stuff
toys
Board games
lego
hour of Xbox

Snack, gets changed out of uniform, does a jigsaw or some colouring.

We used to go to the park for at least an hour every day after school.

Then tv, homework, reading, dinner, bath, bed. Not necessarily in that order.

We play in the park after school. It's very near. They kids get 45 minutes. Then we come home. They do reading and homework. I actually give them homework. It's not from school. Then while I cook dinner they watch TV. After the might get some tablet time, do a craft or play a board game. There are no screens after 6.30, but mine are only 4 and 6.

In the summer we would spend much longer in the park or the garden.

Our weekdays and Saturdays are relentless, there are only Mondays where we don't have more than one club (3 kids but only one primary age). DD9 does Dance at school, Sports Club at school, dance at a group and drama club on a Saturday. Also swimming. So that's five activities a week, all active. She's allowed, in fact encouraged, to relax however she likes other than that. Mostly that's using her tablet for YouTube and Puzzle games, and watching musicals on Disney Plus. She also loves colouring and her baby dolls. She is entirely free to choose what she does in her down time.

Mine complain that they are hungry and go on their tablets.

They have their meal early , usually by half past four at the latest . They are more than ready for a meal by then.

Clubs, reading, our eldest does tutoring for secondary exam entry, free play. They're not allowed screens mon-friday.

My 7 year old loves screen time - honestly would be on it all day if she could. After school it’s park for up to an hour (if it’s dry), she has quite a bit of homework, snack, little bit of play ( or more if we haven’t been to park) then dinner.
She knows no TV time till after dinner and she get 20 minutes on her dads tablet after dinner/ when he is home.
Thats difficult if they are unhappy with rules as they get older. I found since I was consistent re no tv before dinner - she no longer asks and is more able to free play without whining.
although tbh at weekends it always ‘what are we doing now!’

Mine are 10 and 6, and get home at 3:30 most days. Last term they both had two after school clubs (one on different days, one on the same) but their school restarts all clubs every term so we're waiting to see what they offer from January.

When they're at home they play together, do Lego, colour/draw... We have no real screen time rules as they're both very good at self-regulating or coming off if I say they've been on too long, so they usually do that for a bit. I prefer them playing video games to watching TV, and tbh so do they.

DD goes to Brownies once a week, DS to Beavers. We go to the library once a week, straight after school.

Wow, my dcs never ask this, they just do their thing, unless asking to go somewhere. It's crazy how different they all are!

Mine do clubs a few days a week & then around that snacks & TV, I limit iPads to Fri/weekends.

9 and 6. Play with friends either in person or online, play with their toys, draw, help make dinner. Dc2 likes jigsaws and reading, dc1 likes board games.

They have a lot of extra curriculars but the bulk are after dinner. I try and restrict screens unless it's cooperative, either with each other or friends.

Home at 3:30. A bit of TV, then they start playing about 4-4:30, dinner at 5:30ish, then whatever til bed.

DD is 6, she has two afternoons where she has a hobby. The other free afternoon (two days a week she is in wrap around care) she can potter about, given it is her only afternoon at home and we often have busy weekends I don't care if she has unlimited screen time.

We are a low screen family and certainly no week day TV. They are home by 4. Homework, music practice, play outside, play in their room. Might play a board game with each other. Younger one likes to draw. Older one is a teen and has a lot of homework and extra curricular stuff usually. Usually they’ll just lie on the sofa and read otherwise. Sometimes they’ll help with making dinner- the younger one especially.

lol at all the MN holier than thou no screen time lot.

Mine are at after school club 2 days. Of the others, the older has clubs two days. Generally they have 1 hr 'screen time' before dinner while I cook. That allows them to be articulate rested humans at dinner and after. Then it's dinner, chat, bathing, bed and reading. School days are tough and take it out of mine. They're neurotypical and bright and it works for us.

Mine have after school activities every day, they either stay at school until 4.25 or if it's off site, it takes up most of the evening and they aren't home until 6.30/7.30. We eat dinner at 5.30 so after homework and music practice, there's not much time to fill. They don't have screen time during the week and spend free time playing with toys, activity books, boatd games etc.

We have after school clubs and childminders
Monday- football collected at 4:30
Tue- childminders til 6
Wed - swimming at 4:30
Thurs- childminders until 6
Fri- rugby collected at 4:15

He just plays with his toys / sister until tea
Might watch a bit of tv or play a game before getting ready for bed at 7

As much TV as they want, playing, homework and chatting. Family dinner and after school clubs some nights. Same as I had as a child. Given I got all top grades and am in a successful job, I don’t think it’s done me any harm!