What do you do wih your kids after school??

[Flumpyflumps]

Dd is reception and is 4, not 5 til summer.
I was advised not to sign up for activities as she would be tired.

She is not remotely tired. Zebedee is more like it.

Any recommendations now it's dark early? Any classes or knackering activities I need to know about??

She can't go to school after school clubs til year one.

thats true HanSolo my ds is a brat after school when he's tired.

Wednesday is designated play date night here - each week ds can invite a friend (and its usually reciprocated the following week).

They get plenty of physical activity playing with friends wrecking the house in the garden.

That will change in jan when he starts beavers. And he is year 1 now. Actually I will echo what others have said, usually by the end of term ds is shattered too despite being a bouncing tigger normally...

DS is 4 and is not tired either!
Mondays he has a swimming lesson. Wednesdays he has a tennis lesson.
Tues/Thurs we normally don't do much - games/school reading/park trip/bit of tv.
Friday he often has a playdate with a friend.

Thanks for getting back to me, it sounds like over tiredness I agree but honestly I do wonder if it's fresh air an exercise that's needed.
I also wish I could read her mind!
Perhaps a few trial activities would give me the answer, if meltdown occurs while at soft play or similar i know, if not its exercise?? Process I elimination maybe?!

Gymnastic, ballet, martial arts, swimming whatever takes her fancy.

We didn't do anything the first term in YR but after Christmas she started gymnastics. She wanted dance as well but I couldn't find a class on a Friday in our area.

I personally find the after-school clubs a bit basic, quite a big group of children and no real structure in our case.

Never believe the they will be tired after school myth. My daughter never was. She is year one now but in reception did after school clubs and swimming lessons. This year she is doing swimming, rainbows and karate plus two school clubs and still doesn't go to sleep til about half nine and is up again at 6. Amazingly she managed all this whole having daily chemo for leukaemia which she was diagnosed with nearly seventeen months ago. There really is no slowing her down.

Goodness labtest I am sorry to hear your DD had to go through that. I have gone for gymnastics and swimming and hopefully this will help a bit.

Shes started getting really narked at me too after school, speaking to me in a really sarcy voice and behaving quite badly and I am thinking perhaps its more stimulation and more exercise that will help.

Will report back, thanks!

She is doing well thanks flumpy. She has always been hyper. Even sorting down she will be kicking a leg or swinging am arm. I don't think she is unusual, other than the chemo aspect, most of her class are in after school activities too and have been sincd reception. She particularly loves swimming and rainbows.

I think the being naughty after school is normal, mine and friends dc certainly can be. My theory is it's because they have to be good/quiet/not centre of attention for so long they have to let off steam when your home.

mine did

rainbows on mon-from 5th birthday so half way through reception
started 6week science club in school-thats all they did no after school clubs.

thur /fridays-from start of reception year 4.5 she did 1 hour gym and 1hour cheerleading.

we walk home if weather nice we hit the park

occasionally swimming

but even reception we had homework

now shes year 2 we adding 2extra activities so 5 a week but mon nite and wed now free.

Hi flumpyflumps:

Given the weather is changing - indoor ideas include

If you have a Wii - Just Dance game will get you both up and moving. I think there's also a sports game where they have to immitate movements from all sorts of sports - tennis, cycling, etc...

When the weather is bad we play indoor volleyball with a balloon. I just buy a bag of cheap party balloons and blow them up as needed. We tend to play in the hallway - (less damage to stuff). You can either play strict volley ball - or you can cut out cardboard bats from boxes and use those to hit the ball back in forth. Up to you on how many bounces are allowed - but basically just hit it back and forth.

Also agree with the other advice above - especially joining clubs, gymnastics/ swimming/ dance, etc...

My brother has a very energetic 7 year old, and he's been letting him cycle with him whilst he jogs since he was 5. He just plans the route to avoid any busy roads and does several loops of the small park near them.

Try and get a deal going with another parent in your childs class that their child comes to yours once a week and then your child goes to theirs the next week, if you keep it to the same day it becomes a nice routine and you get the benefit of an extra few hours peace on their week!

at Zebedee

I have one of those too! (And Time For Bed isn't popular...)

He's one of the older ones (already 5) but is used to long days thanks to nursery and me working. He's now in teatime club which keeps him occupied until 4.30pm and then we go home most days and do a bit of TV while I or DH cooks supper.
Wednesdays we now have swimming, which is a bit late (5.30) so we do him a pack-up meal to eat in the car as soon as we get out (half an hour drive home) and then it's straight to teeth and bed.
He still won't go to sleep before 8...

We stop at the park if its dry .
Some days we go for a bike ride.
He does a dance class one afternoon.

Once we get home he might play out on the drive with his bike, or play with lego,or play a game ( tonight we played mini mini snooker) or make something. Some nights he watches or plays PC games.

I'd look for something physical - dancing, gymnastics, swimming, football etc.

I'd also put her name down for rainbows (girl guides) asap - there can be long wait lists. She can go when she is 5 - DD's rainbows tend to run around the hall playing games and crafts.