Has anyone helped set up a lunchtime club at school?

[lechatnoir]

Having spoken to some of the parents in my eldest DC's class, it seems quite a few of them are complaining about having no one to play with or having nothing to do at lunchtime so I wondered about trying to get some sort if lunchtime club going but don't know where to start. I know the PTA have spare funds & would probably offer financial support this sort of initiative but it would need a rota of parent volunteers which i wouldnt mind sorting out (plenty of SAHM's & generally good history of parents getting stuck-in so in theory possible)but I'm not sure what would appeal to children or how to get the ball rolling. Any ideas of popular lunchtime clubs or logistics of starting one would be much appreciated.
LCN

V popular at the school I work at: Scrabble, crafts (card making etc), knitting, ICT, fantasy football league, running, football, speed stacking, school newspaper. You probably need your helpers CRB'd. Space might be an issue rather than money, and plans for when weather is bad and children indoors - can your club go ahead? Good luck with it, you are right - not all children want to be on the playground.

I would suggest you sound out the Head first - no point in doing lots of research if they're not keen.

The school will retain the need to be "in charge" at lunchtime as they are still responsible for the pupils. So you absolutely need to have a conversation with the head teacher and they will need to be convinced that any such activity can be carried out safely. It will also be necessary for anybody helping to have a CRB check.
The fact that the pupils are moaning there is nothing to do, would suggest a problem at the school and I wonder whether there is any SChool Council of pupils who can raise the subject with the head teacher.

Thanks all I will indeed speak to the head first although interesting point admission and maybe that needs addressing before trying to 'fill the void'

I doubt very much a parent would be allowed to run a club during school time, it goes against all health and safety rules.

Several parents run clubs at our school chloe, they have a teacher attached for legal reasons but run the activities.
All CRB checked. Our MDS run a section of the playground with equipment and small games activities which is very popular and gives a focus for those that struggle with unstructured activities.

I thought most of our clubs were run by parents. Why does it go against H&S? They are often SAHM's who were formely teachers and are all appropriately CRB'd for this role. How about people being paid to run lunchtime clubs?

I was being sarcastic re H&S, it just seems to stop kids doing so many things these days.

Board games always seems to go down well, and suits all weathers! Chess. Cookery, if your school has the facilities. Open the library, if you have one, or do a listen to an audio tape type thing. Colouring. Gardening, if you have the right sort of area.

A parent runs our recorder clubs. All by herself!

And a parent runs the netball club, with a teacher.

I run a gardening club at my DCs school from Feb half term to the end of September, it is entirely run by parents. There is also an art club run by parents all year round.

The only problem we have had with gardening club is accommodating all those who want to take part, as our garden is fairly small and you need a fairly high ratio of volunteers to children. It is offered to one class per week on a rota basis. Art Club is offered to one class per half term and the children sign up via letters home. Gardening club needed a fair amount of money to set up (we had raised beds installed, also a shed, water butt, tools, the PTA paid for it and we sell produce to the parents to recoup some of the money).

Our PTA has over the last few years raised funds for wooden climbing frames and a pirate ship which are available to a different class each day for lunchtime use, these are very popular.

chess, recorder, newspaper club / school magazine, board games, gardening.

All have run as lunch time clubs at DS's school , I think only 2 were parent led. They have to fit in a 30 min time slot, not many parents are willing to show up once a week for only 30 mins.