After school 'routine' for a four year old?

[Itcanwait]

My son has just started reception and is clearly totally exhausted at the end of the day. He often falls asleep and definitey needs some time to un-wind. I'm quite happy for him to watch TV at some point every evening but really don't want to make a habit of putting it on as soon as he gets in at 4 and then struggling to pry his eyes away from it later!What 'relaxing' past-times do other MNs do after school? I've also got an 11 week old so need activity ideas that don't require my full- on attention for too long!

Any suggestions welcome! Thank you

Hmm, well my 4 year old gets dragged round all the activities that the older two do and he also has his own swimming lesson straight from school on a Tuesday.

The days we just come home I let them do what htey like (except computer games -not allowed in the week) - so they chill in front of the TV or play together.

Mind you, ds3 is not really suffering with tiredness at all despite the fact that he was only 4 at the very end of August.

What about just doing colouring at the table while you chat about waht he's done in teh day?

Read books.

Do jigsaws.

Or go for a walk just for some fresh air and wind down time?

Agree with GDG's suggestions.

I wish my ds was tired after school! All his classmates are exhausted but he just keeps on going.

DD comes home and watches the TV for about an hour because then tea is ready which she has, then a bath then bed at 7.

She finishes school at 3 but we do another pick up at 3:30. Home by 3:45, tv until 4:45-5:00ish tea at 5 then rest of it done by 7. She has lights on for half an hour to read books but 7:30 is lights off and sleep time.

Ditto mercy!

Thanks for suggestions.

My DD likes to draw on her Colour Doodle (drawing board thing) for ages after school. She's in reception. She either draws, plays with DD2 or watches tv while I get dinner ready.

DS1 usually comes in, has a snack, gets changed and chills out for half an hour. Then weather permitting, he's out to play in the street (supervised ), or in the back garden. If the weather is really bad, he might play at a friends house, or have a friend to play. Then he has tea at 5pm and plays / has a bath / gets ready for bed. I put DS2 to bed at 7pm whilst DS1 watches TV (DH away). After DS2 is in bed, I read and chat with DS1. He goes to bed at about 8pm.

If for some reason, the playing out doesn't happen between home time and tea time, he can do whatever he likes- play with DS2 or watch TV. It's not much of the day in the grand scheme of things, and it winds him down a bit.

When ds2 was this age he found school exhausting. We got in from school at about 3.50 (after long walk home - well long for him at that time of day!).

I would give him a quick small snack, then put him in the bath to wake him up a bit. He had tea (sandwiches) at 4.30, reading/bedtime/stories from 5.00.
He would be asleep at 6pm every night and not wake until after 7am the next morning!

We didn't see very much of him that year

We get in at about 3.15

She'll either colour in/draw at the table

Watch TV

Play with dd2 in bedroom

I get dinner for about 5pm

Then she goes mental (ie hyper) until bed at 7pm

Works quite well

We go to the park for a run around after school. The park is right next to school. I let my DC watch television if they want to. It's what I used to do after school, and it hasn't turned me into a telly addict. If it helps them chill out I see no problem with television.

DD (5yrs) and me normally go to my parents and play a few games, then take dog for a walk. Tv is on alot but she rarely watches it for more than 10 mins at a time. She does home work and plays with toys.

She goes to bed at 9.30-9.45pm

We didn't have a TV when dd was 4. I used to sit down with her for a while and we'd read and look at picture books or do a bit of singing. But basically, chilling.

dd gets in about 1 - she is doing half days until Xmas - and passes out after the first mouthful of food. So very tired. Tomorrow is her first 'staying for lunch' day!

then she sleeps an hour or so.