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Find out how Mumsnet users wind down with their kids after school

860 replies

AbbiCMumsnet · 01/10/2019 09:36

This activity has now closed.

It’s September, and for most families that can mean only one thing – back to school. And with that comes the daily duty of whisking everyone out the door on time, helping them out with homework, and guiding your kids through playground politics. To say term time is jam-packed is an understatement – that’s why we’re so keen to hear how your wind down with your kids after the day’s hurly burly.

Here’s what IKEA have to say:
“We all know that every child is different. The same applies here: where one might like to sit and colour, another might want to play football in the garden. The secret is to make things easy for them, keeping all their favourite things organised and easy to find. That way they can happily while away the hours with minimal fuss.
Speaking of reading, a great way to nurture it is to give your child a dedicated space just for them and their books. Keep theirs on the lowest shelf, give them a comfy chair to settle into and they’ll be away.
Arts and crafts are a great way to relax too, and brilliant way to nurture your child’s creative side. Encourage their inner Picasso by keeping all of their supplies in easy to find containers right by their desk. Don’t forget to keep your carpet from turning into a masterpiece though – a plastic floor protector is a lifesaver here.”

So, what are your tips for winding down after school? Do you have certain activities you can bank on to keep things calm? Maybe there’s a toy or game you’ve got, ready to play with when they get home? Or maybe it’s a spot of drawing that does the trick?

Whatever you do, we’d love to know. Share your tips for how you relax and wind down with your children after school on the thread below and be in with a chance of winning a £300 IKEA voucher.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ
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Find out how Mumsnet users wind down with their kids after school
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11
bextow · 22/10/2019 12:58

We come home and do any homework etc, then we take the dog for a walk in our local forest, which the children love. Nothing blows worries & stresses away quicker than 'Bear hunting' in the woods!

barearsedloverofthigh · 22/10/2019 13:20

We snuggle up on the sofa together and start counting backwards from a Googleplex. It takes us our whole lifetimes. Granny died last year and is still here, her bones till draped over the kids shoulders. I reckon DP’ll be next, then me, but we’ve got good kids. I know they’ll not budge and will keep counting till they eventually pass away too.

Juloof · 22/10/2019 13:39

I do diamond painting with the kids. They love it and it is something we can do together

thenettyprofessor · 22/10/2019 15:34

If it's not raining they love to play in the garden otherwise we do lots of crafts and rock painting

Dan35 · 22/10/2019 15:51

Making or drawing works well - as long as there are snacks to hand!

LivingTheThighLife · 22/10/2019 16:52

We snack on home-made disappointment before roaming the streets posting lit fireworks into neighbouring houses.

KitMarlowesCodpieceOfThigh · 22/10/2019 17:32

Living That's so nice, you bringing fireworks to your neighbours ☺️

HairyDogsOfThigh · 22/10/2019 18:03

Virtue signalling, living, making your own disappointments.

Themyscira · 22/10/2019 18:22

But is it home-made and vegan, living? Or at the very least, local and organic?

Your disappointment may as well be sourced from Gregg's if not. Honestly.

barearsedloverofthigh · 22/10/2019 18:27

Why doesn't our cloak of invisibility work with Themyscira? Are you practiced in the Thark arts?

Themyscira · 22/10/2019 18:37

I, too, am invisible.

KitMarlowesCodpieceOfThigh · 22/10/2019 18:43

Maybe Themyscira is actually more Thighmyscira?

LivingTheThighLife · 22/10/2019 18:47

Hairy and Them Our home-made disappointments are made with 100% organic bile, piss, toe jam* and ignorance.

*from EU and non-EU sources

LivingTheThighLife · 22/10/2019 18:50

That’s true Kit we are kind and much loved neighbours as their corpses would testify

Thighmyscira · 22/10/2019 18:51

Tis possible, Kit.

gamerwidow · 22/10/2019 18:56

If the weather's nice DD goes out to play out the front with next doors kids. If the weather is bad we play a game together or she shows me stuff on tik tok.

barearsedloverofthigh · 22/10/2019 19:03

Suits you Thighmyscira! Are you after a shark too?

Thighmyscira · 22/10/2019 19:05

Do they have those orangutans still? Love an orangutan.

KitMarlowesCodpieceOfThigh · 22/10/2019 19:54

Thighmyscira They do. It's called Djungelskog.

There's a great eagle glove puppet, too. With an egg. It's called Lattjo and its facial expression is AMAZING.

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/lattjo-glove-puppet-eagle-30344204/

ThighThighOfthigh · 22/10/2019 20:10

FIRE 🔥 FIRE 🔥

You're going to die 💀

DanglyTasselsOfThigh · 22/10/2019 20:15

I strongly agree with Kit all need to view the facial expression of Djungelskog:

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/lattjo-glove-puppet-eagle-30344204/

DanglyTasselsOfThigh · 22/10/2019 20:17

Thigh Shhhhhh!!!! This is not how Guy Fawkes operated!!

ThighThighOfthigh · 22/10/2019 20:19

i can't be good! Help me, i want to

BE BAD 👎🏼

DanglyTasselsOfThigh · 22/10/2019 20:32

This thread is now owned by the Thighlanderz of Thighland!!

🏴‍☠️

ThighThighOfthigh · 22/10/2019 20:44