Childminders club - these afterschool kids....

[lunavix]

The first day yesterday with all three boys (6 8 and 9) and they spent all two and a bit hours on the eyetoy on the playstation. So granted staring at the tv but running and jumping and stuff so healthy stuff!

What do you do with your afterschool kids?

When the 6 year old started, the little ones were a problem as tey wanted to do what he did (which is mostly playstation or tv) and I have to make them do other things as I think they're too young to watch that much tv. But when I was talking to the older boys yesterday, they don't like reading, they don't like drawing, and their dead chuffed we have aplaystation! So I'm worried they'll want to just play that every day.

Also, what do you feed after school kids? They downed three huge glasses of nesquik, 4 biscuits and a candy cane EACH!!!!!!

My after schoolies get : Fruit, biscuits, toast, rice cakes and vegatable sticks - not all on the same day but each one on different days. If they refuse these and ask for chocolate I tell them they can't be that hungry- cos I'm mean and don't give it to them unless it's a special occasion like B'days etc.

For activities they play board games (only when toddler gone home) play computer or gameboy games, do their homework or watch T.V allthough I do put a time limit on the TV and computer games etc. in the summer they go into the garden weather permitting and play football, badmington etc.

Do you have them everyday? And for how long?

I'm so used to planning my time, eg I break the day up into hours and plan activities for the little ones I have all day. THis is making me a little stumped, as I'm not entirely sure what to plan.

I have them for two hours thereabouts, three days with lots of toddlers, and two days with just the one. THe parents have both told me just to let them do whatever they want, but I am concerned with them just playing playstation every single day.

I have limited other things to do with them atm, as obviously not used to the older kids! I've got a bit of lego, some cars, some action men... but they are a bit like 'why would I play with that!!!'

How do you limit tv/playstation?

I have the after schoolies most days aweek 2 are for 2.5 hours and the other stays till 8pm- but not every day (very very hard work).

I don't tend to plan anything for them as such because I feel that after being at scjhool they need a little freedom, however they always ask if they can do this that or the other. they also know that if I say no it is for a very goo reason- usually because of the toddler.

Limiting the TV is easy I just say you can watch it for acertain amount of time then I just switch it of.

The playstation is even easier to limit. It's in DD1 bedroom and don't know we have one!!

I meant how long do you limit it to?

Oh Sorry!!

Maximum of an hour. unless I feel that they are extra tired- usually towards the end of term then I'm quiet lenient with it.

have you got knex ot other construction toys/clay/modelling dough that dries hard and can be painted.. making their own magazine/newspaper ..one is editor.illustrator etc.. giant mural art work on lining paper [wallpaper]

I have a total of 8 regular schoolchildren who come during a week, not usually all on the same day, ranging from 5 - 11 years, girls and boys.

We have a games console, but it obviously isn't feasible for all of them to play on it at the same time. If I'm very busy, I tend not to limit the time on it basically because it keeps them happy (although I'm not proud of that - but the parents are absolutely fine about it). The eye-toy is great - one of our games is a "group activity"! The console hardly ever gets used during the spring/summer months because they all tend to play outside.

My big ones (particularly older boys) maintain that they don't like drawing etc., but it's amazing how soon they change when they hear my stage whisper to a younger child about "picking your own England football squad/choosing team colours" or "how hard it must be to design a Formula One racing track".

I sometimes do stories with the younger ones and they pretend to be the characters - again, when we are in dire need of an ugly troll or a couple of extra goats, the big ones suddenly materialise.

The construction toys are always a big hit - Lego, Polydron, even marble runs and seeing who can build the tallest tower with wooden bricks. Although they love all the cars, trains, tracks and "boys toys", they also love play dough (who can make the longest piece of spaghetti), like decorating biscuits, and they do play with the doll's house and play kitchen/shop! If you asked them, they'd deny everything (but I think that this comes with time, newbies would never dare to be seen doing such stuff!) Your new boys will probably test the water for a while.

Having a houseful can be daunting, particularly when you have little ones around too but, for me, it becomes a hive of intent activity. I might be knee-deep in dirty nappies, so they might have to amuse themselves for a while, and as long as there's stuff to choose from, they do OK.

Thanks everyone I was really nervous (you could tell I'm sure!) as I have NO experience with this age group with boys, and so far rather few toys/stuff.

I've had them for three days now and it's getting better each day. In fact they don't want to leave each night already! I limited playstation for them yesterday (the little ones arms were aching from the eyetoy and I knew he wouldn't say that to the older ones) and they entertained themselves between the foosball table, some scaletrix-type minis, and some lego technic. Oh and one offered to peel my potatos for dinner!

Today they were only here for an hour (mum came early - and I was sad to see them go!) and they spent the whole hour playing outside with a football. Oh and taking photos of them playing with my camera, and coming in and helping me print them!

I feel tons better now, I know I need to get quite a bit more stuff in for them, but I'm sure it will be obvious what I need (I've been toying with the idea of hama beads but was worried they might think they were girly - one admired something I'd made from hama beads and said he loved them!!!!)

Thanks everyone

Hama beads come in a lovely jungle boxed set....which I got in a sale

Oh and also a knights and castles

But if you had lots of primary colours you could get them to do football strips?

I used to look after 4 boys who were 3, 5, 5, 5 and 9. If the weather was dry I used to take them to a different park each night after school for an hour or so. They could run around and get rid of all their energy from being cooped up all day. We're lucky as we have lots of parks here and they are all quite different.

One has a lovely wildlife area with ponds and we'd go each week and watch the tadpoles grow and change into frogs. Another one had ducks and another has a good bike run.

For food I would always give them some fruit - apples, grapes, oranges and bananas mainly. Then they would have a sandwich if we were out or toast / crumpets / yogurt if we were in. Occasionly I would get them a biscuit or cake as a treat.

I limited them to 2 things to eat as otherwise they would eat me out of house and home and it would cost more in food than I was getting to look after them.

One of the children I cared for had major behavioural problems which were much easier to handle if we were out - hence all the trips to the park. I'm now reluctant to look after school age children.

Good luck with it. Mandy.

I don't let my own children watch much tv or playstation so they don't get that option when they come to me. We do have mainly free time as I am usually tied up doing food etc, but they usually sit doing crafts, drawing or playing (sometimes) nicely together. I would not be to happy if my children were just watching the screen so i figure most pe0ple would be happy with what we do. Food is similar to icemum, if they don't like it.....go without.