Ideas for clubs to do with reception aged children

[campingismyjam17]

Hello, just looking for ideas really. I would like to run a club, help run a club but our school doesn't seem to provide them for this age. I know they need time to settle in and would possibly get tired but has anyone run one, perhaps at lunchtime? Can they only be run from say Yr 1?
A reading one/focus would be good as that is our main school focus.
TIA.

I would make it a fun club...craft or "playground games"

Playground games is just playing all the traditional circle games with them and they LOVE it at this age.

It's very valuable as some reception aged children really need support socially....organised games are great for them.

Oranges and Lemons
The Farmer Wants a Wife
In and out the bluebells
The Okey Cokey

Loads more online.

Our school does a technology one (for all ages) bit the little kids (3-7) do basic programming and taking old tvs etc apart to see what they look like inside and use tools, lots of lego etc and I think basic wood work is planned next. Could you change focus each term?

Rainbows? Guiding is crying out for volunteers.

I did funky fingers (fine motor skills) and cooking, which was basically mixing ingredients together

Train track club
Lego club
Ball games
Modern Art club

Those are the same new I can think of from my kids school

Lego club (or similar)
Colouring club
For the reading, why not have a puppet club. Focus on 1 story/week and the children can make some simple puppets to go with the story. Read the story out and encourage puppet participation. This site has loads of ideas, you can make simple paper finger puppets where the children put their fingers through, paper bag puppets, or lollypop sticks and stick on paper cut outs. Plenty of fine motor skills in use too, without too much prep.

Thanks for these ideas.

Also paper plate puppets and drinking straws on that site.

If someone at the school has a twinkl account, there is also loads on there.

Thank you these ideas are great. I think I may put forward a funky fingers one to do at lunchtime perhaps? Up until xmas with the Yr 1 children I have been working with on their fine motor skills and I really like the idea of the story telling one with the puppets thank you. I may suggest that one for after xmas.

I don't think reading, they'll do plenty of that at school and at home. You'll just get the keen readers who were already doing plenty at home so it wouldn't help any who are finding it hard.

How about dance, craft, games (board games/orchard toys type games), football or sports generally?

My school does multi sports for Reception children. Tasters of different sorts of sport, they might play football, or a game of tag, or do sports day type stuff like relays/beanbag throwing/etc.

I used to run a speed stacks club at primary school. It was for all years but would work with just the younger ones too. I discovered the school had been given a large kit by the sports partnership that was unused. Good for co ordination and also fun.

Gardening with option of digging in the mud!
Drama with lots of drama games (good for social skills)
Music makers with different percussion and singing also look at Kodaly (also good social skills and motor skills)

My ds school has a brilliant after school programme for this age - they have cookery, gardening, music (playing different instruments etc each week) dance, cross country (hardcore), construction club (building models) arts and crafts, pottery.... I’m sure there are others I’ve forgottwn about. Forest school very popular club too. Anything getting them outside or being creative seems to go down well!

Our school runs/provides many after school clubs from Y1 up, but none for Reception. They say that Reception is not included 1- because the children are too tired to concentrate after school (I guess this depends on the child) and 2- external providers do not insure children under 5, and it would be unfair to the younger children of YR to base club eligibility on age.

I’m sure if you were able to run a club for YR, there would be huge uptake!!!

Definitely a lunch time one! Children in reception are usually too tired at this point in the year for after school stuff. Good luck! You can find loads of funky fingers planning on the internet. We always did dough disco to get them warmed up. They loved that, especially when you add in a disco ball!

Mine did after school clubs in YR. plenty joined in. Obviously not the tired ones.

We had wallaby club (gym and movement), dancing (outside school) and by Y1 there was recorder club and several craft and sports clubs. Mine also did piano by Y2 as well as French, swimming, dance and Brownies. Rainbows was popular - in fact so popular we never got a place!

One of mine was tired after school in R, one was bouncing off the walls. I think there is still takeup for after school clubs. I'd be keener on that than lunchtime as I wouldn't want them rushing their lunch or missing playtime.