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

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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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There’s never much winding down with my grandsons. They’re all bundles of pure energy. We talk about their day on the walk home then it’s all playing football and chasing/wrestling each other till tea’s on the table. The right TV programme can get them to settle down for a while after that.

They're usually exhausted, so once homework's done it's switching off time, whether that's playing on their tablets, watching a bit of TV or curling up with a book.

Chatting on the drive home with a drink and a snack. This even works with teenagers and is the best way to talk over things with them in my experience.

My children at quite young but both at school (youngest preschool).

After school my eldest is still full of beans but my youngest is quite emotional and sensitive. Queue a lot of winding up and tears if we don't step in.

We have a little routine midweek, they can come home to cartoons for half an hour with snacks, then reading, dinner, bath and then we all read a story and go to bed for 7 to 7:30.

Bath will have lavender bubbles in (I doubt it works but I still buy it), and we don't put the main bright lights on when we put our pjs on.

By the story, my eldest is yawning and chilled. We never have any problems with them going to sleep.

It varies, but the essential ingredients are something to eat and drink, a chat (at home or on the walk home) and putting on something warm and cosy/cool and loose* (dependent on weather - it's just lovely to get out of uniform). We sometimes catch up on a programme we haven't seen too: all relaxing stuff. There are only two evenings when my DDs don't have something on, so the nights when they are just home are lovely.

It is usually a bit of TV, I have to admit. But when those Disney cards were being given out at Sainsbury's in the last few months, we did find it very relaxing to sort the vast piles into groups and fill in a book each. Very satisfying and a good "chill time" activity. X

For us it's trying to avoid TV for a bit until DD2 who has SEN arrives home her specialist school. Then TV plays a part with some snacks. If I have had the day to myself I tend to try to do a puzzle with them or similar but if I have been working then it's TV all the way!

The park! Fresh air, running around and playing with friends, working up an appetite and using up their excess energy.

We stick to a fairly constant routine.

Milk, snack then playtime - outdoors for as long as possible - but this will end up being Lego/ Brio/ cars or craft soon enough. TV for max half an hour (while I finish tea, feed the baby etc). Then reading, bath, story and bed.

The park on dry days. Inside doing crafts or playing games on wetter days. We hold off on having the TV on for as long as possible, except on Friday which is movie nights. My DC alternate choosing what to watch and they are allowed popcorn to snack on.

Getting snug in our pj's, slippers & dressing gowns and having a snack :)

Chat about their day, discuss any problems, I tell them what I've done then after drinks and snacks we watch The Chase! Then they do homework while I make the tea.

I work from home but when ds1 (13) comes in I stop work and make him a cup of tea and a piece of toast. He won't sit and snuggle anymore but might tell me a bit about his day.

We share some books together and relax on the sofa

depends on the weather, kick a ball about to wear them out or quick go on the things in the park swings etc, if bad weather snacks. get changed in to comfy clothes and relax with tv or a game before tea

We like to talk about their day on the way back. It is mostly library where we can look at the books or playing with playdoh or Lego. It helps us to connect and relax after school day.

We find changing out of work/school clothes and putting either our pjs or “cosies” on really helps us to shake off the working/school day and embrace home life. We then have a meal together and chat about our days in a more relaxed state of mind.

I have a deep, warm bath ready for my little boy when he gets in from school. I put a few drops of lavender oil in, have a plate of yummy snacks and a drink on the side. He always makes the same "ahhhh" noise when he gets in.

Recently we’ve been out blackberry picking most evenings which has been a great way for the DC to unwind and get fresh air. Then back home for tea, and chill with a bit of tv.

A snack and a drink when we first get home then usually a walk in the with a football kick around or a play in the garden. Once a week we have a relaxing swim, no lesson, just a swim for enjoyment.

We get the colouring books out and colour in together and chat about the day we have had, it's a bonding and calming experience.

Bath time when we first get home, which calms them down and gives us a chance for a bit of a chat about the day. Then downstairs in pjamas to do some colouring or writing before tea.

Weather permitting we pop to the playground so that the kids can have a lovely play with their friends and meet new friends too and I get to chat to other parents and carers about anything and everything. Chatting helps everyone feel better, and more connected. Then it's a lovely walk home, chatting all the way. Then at home the kids tend flop on the sofa to watch a bit of TV, or sit a t he table colouring or getting on with spellings or homework while I cook tea. Then its bath ( if needed) book and bed.

Walk home so they can get fresh air and restless energy out.

Play in the park is my ideal too, but often if i’m arriving at the school gates just in time from work, we have errands to run, which can be tedious. I would love a lifestyle where i could pick kids up from home, where i have at lest half prepared the tea. And be able to dilly dally knowing that the errands are done.
My difficulty with winding down is time rather than space, despite living in a poky flat.