CM Club - after-school activities

[NQismyhome]

Can anyone help me calm the Monday madness please?
I have 18m, 3yr, 4yr (pre-school), 7yr x 2 and 9yr olds on a Monday afternoon and it is chaos.
Apart from eating, any ideas on what to do with them? If I didn’t have a 4.30 collection, I’d take them to softplay to burn off their excess energy.
The 18m is into absolutely everything and the 3 & 4yr olds are wild/tired after an afternoon at nursery. The bigger three are generally quite energetic but when combined with the smaller three, it leaves me totally frazzled by hometime (6.30!).
All suggestions gratefully received

Can the 4:30 be collected from soft play?

I could ask but it’s 7 miles away. I’m wondering whether to ask if I can just keep him an hour or so longer.

Do you walk home from school? I find that by the time we’ve walked nearly a mile home, a lot of the energy has been run off and they are a bit calmer than if I have driven home. It also takes longer, especially if we go the long way, so less time in the house. Fresh air and a bit of exercise for everyone after being cooped up at school all day is brilliant!

We do occasionally walk but rarely with my Monday mindees, for various reasons.

Giant connector straws are popular here. Board games. craft lego games like what's missing from the tray, drawing challenges with your other hand. typical messy play like playdo play rice and sand painting all go down well as they never get to do it as some judge somewhere decided that's only up to reception but even my 11 year olds like it. some chill tv time towards the end. homework is always a calm down threat that works if things get too bad....and dressing up, den building with sheets and chairs.