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Childcare

Rainy days and its half term! Suggestions please

12 replies

OFSTEDoutstanding · 28/05/2007 14:25

Hi was wondering if any of you have some fun anddifferent ideas for next week as it is half term and raining. I will be minding a 11, 9, 20month and 8 month old so was wondering about different activities I could do with them. I have already planned cooking and making things and I did want to take them out but all the free activities around here are outside ones and I know I could take them out splashing in puddles etc but 11 and 9 mum has asked me not to as they have both got colds. Though not bad enough to not come to me! They are both too old to make dens and things so am really unsure what to do with them have only had them a couple of weeks and don't want them to be bored the first time a school hol comes around. Any suggestions what I could do to entertain them?

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ayla99 · 29/05/2007 12:18

Well here we are - 3 mindies today and just 1 raincoat between them and no wellies or umbrellas at all. One has brought roller skates though (!).

We're doing about National Smile Month at the moment. Lots of colouring pages on the web and ideas for activities - This morning we put an egg in some fluoride mouth wash for a bit to represent a cleaned tooth and put this and another egg into pots of vinegar. The shell (like enamel on your teeth) dissolves in the vinegar (like the acid made by food/plaque when you eat).

Smelly playroom today!!!

We've had some karaoke (www.vanbasco.com) & dancing this morning. Now we're on board games & duplo. This week the older children are learning Cribbage & Newmarket card games.


www.healthyteeth.org/
www.childfun.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=136

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filthymindedvixen · 28/05/2007 19:32

lol prisoner

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ThePrisoner · 28/05/2007 18:24

Suggestion for mums - send your children to a childminder, and go and have a pamper day!

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tigi · 28/05/2007 17:58

This is a great thread for mums too! We've been for a walk in the rain - raincoats and wellies. They had a great run avout.

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KaySamuels · 28/05/2007 17:49

Oh what a shame! Make a den for the babies - bet the older ones take it over!

Filthymindedvixen's theme ideas would go down well too I agree. We have theme days now and again, good as even little ones can join in with some of the activities!

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 28/05/2007 16:21

I know it is fmv and the problem is they are trying so hard to be 'cool' in front of the other lad I mind for who goes to same school as them (he is not with us next week though so they might loosen up a bit) As for making dens Kay I love doing it and I don't think they are too old but last time I suggested making one they looked at me like I had grown another head and told ME they were too old!!!

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filthymindedvixen · 28/05/2007 15:23

blimey, that's a little unfair on you Oftsted..my boys are 6.5 and 9.5 and the idea of entertaining them all week without gettig wet is hard!
Last wet holidays I resorted to turning a blind eye while they slid downstairs in sleeping bags - not one designed for Other People's Children though LOL!
Local library?
Mine like junk modelling (for a limited time). Movie afternoon (Getting them to design poster, tickets etc first and make popcorn)
a 'theme' afternoon (choisen by them) eg space, so you could make space buns, model an spaceship, have a design an alien competition, look up something on the internet about space (you could set them questions to find answers) followed by Star Wars or something?
Or a football themed day, designing fantasy kit for fantasy team, culminating with blow footy contest?


It's a hard age range you have!

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KaySamuels · 28/05/2007 15:11

If the children had suitable outdoor clothing on I don't see what harm playing outdoors will do! They can wear wellies, macs (or showerproof coats), and have a change of clothes just in case.
If this really is to do wit their colds (Rather than the mum having an issue with them splashing in puddles) , then it may be worth having a talk about sickness policy.
Also - having a cold should not stop them being outoors really, unless they are son unwell they need lots if rest, in which case home it is!

Oh just seen you think they r too old for dens! They will love making a den. I had a 14yr old, 11yr old and 10yr old all making a den last week together (often ask to make one) and they loved it! See it as a cool place to play in.

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ThePrisoner · 28/05/2007 15:07

I say ... let them jump in puddles!! (That's really not very helpful, is it - sorry!)

My older ones like inventing their own board games (huge pieces of paper, lots of pens and imagination) and you might need to supply the dice.

If you have a big enough roll of paper, they also drew round each other and made life-size "models" of themselves - using various bits of material to make their clothes (just glue it on), wool, foil, buttons etc.

They also like being let loose with a huge box of "junk" (parents often comment that I basically collect rubbish which I allow minded children to glue and take home!) We keep big boxes, and had enough to make a five foot tall "robot" once. It lived in my hall for months.

You've already mentioned cooking - you can do that more than once (even easy stuff like decorating biscuits, krispie cakes, making packet mix cakes). Get them to make playdough as well!

Mine are allowed limited time on games console, particularly if it's raining.

We will probably go for a roll in the mud in the woods, colds or not!

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Katymac · 28/05/2007 14:52

You should do what you have planned

It's a bummer if mum says no

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OFSTEDoutstanding · 28/05/2007 14:47

Hi TP its not that they are not well enough to go out with colds it is just that she doesn't want them jumping in puddles. First week they were with me I let them go outside into our play/club house and they got wet as was raining so think she just means no playing out in the rain!

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ThePrisoner · 28/05/2007 14:30

My first reaction is that, if the mum doesn't want the children to go out because they have colds, then they are certainly not well enough not to be with you! I guess that this is the topic for another thread ...

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