After-school slump: what do you do?

[RooTwo]

I often feel like that time post-school pick up can be terrible dead time ... the kids are knackered, all they want to do is collapse on sofa and watch telly or play on the iPad. I'm tired too, trying to manage 1 year old as well as 7 and 8 yr olds, and I just feel like I can't do anything very inspired and creative with the older ones! How to avoid this terrible post-4pm slump? I constantly feel a bit guilty that I'm not doing more with them and wondering if there are some good things we could be doing that I'm just not thinking of ... In the summer it's easier as we are out in the park a lot after school, but we're not quite there yet with the weather

Mine are like that too but I can rally them sometimes if they've had a drink and a snack and half an hour's downtime. Don't beat yourself up though about it if they are tired. Mine are shattered atm.

I can never think of anything constructive to do with my DDs after school. My 6yr old is happy enough to potter about upstairs and play in her bedroom, but my 8yr old gets a bit bored I think. She practices her musical instruments or does homework, sometimes she has a friend over (only a couple of times per term though). Mine don't really play in the garden for long - they are stupidly scared of spiders, worms, cobwebs etc.

And before I know it, it's 5pm and time to prepare tea.

We do some reading writing and play dohing! And watch cbeebies and fecking surprise eggs...