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
Standard Insight T&Cs apply

relax at home with healty snacks, sometime with crisps

Snacks, some relaxing time, homework and making sure we have time to chat and discuss their day.

We do a quick activity like a dog walk or some painting, then it’s a pop up book under a blanket !

Snacks, tv, and playing with the toys they’ve missed all day

I work from home so safter school pick up the DC are usually left to their own devices as I work until 5.30.

They have a snack and will watch some TV, read, play games, tidy their rooms, do homework or annoy each other. If the weather is fine the younger one might play out with friends. My Y8 child has sports after school 3 times a week and is usually quite ready for a bigh chill out when she gets home.

My daughter usually gets the first bus home but it only goes as far as a couple of villages away (the later bus comes into our village). If she catches the first bus, it is a 10 minute drive once I have picked her up, so we have 10 minutes of undisturbed talk before we even get in.

I usually let her lead the conversation - sometimes she talks about school, other times it may be about friend or plans for upcoming holidays. I find it really valuable time as, with three older siblings, my youngest DD doesn't always get to talk to us uninterrupted.

We have 2 ponies, so we call in to see them, give them.dinner and muck out etc. The children get their wellies and waterproofs on and blow off a bit of steam outside whatever the weather. Then it's home for a snack and snuggle on the sofa under a fleece blanket before dinner.

Doing Headspace together

A drink and a snack in front of the TV. DS is 3 and has only recently dropped his nap so he's exhausted after pre school and the walk home. I try asking him about his day but it's very hard to get an answer that makes sense! Once he's refreshed and rested he sometimes plays on his bike or with his toys until teatime.

My little boy rides his bike home and we chat on the way then when we get in we usually snuggle up and read

We do puzzles or do some baking. Anything to take our mind off the day really.

They eat as much as they can get their hands on, then go on the trampoline if the weather is good, if not we watch retro children's TV programmes on dvd like hey Arnold!

First thing when they come home its snack and a good run around/bounce on the trampoline before an early dinner and stories together to help wind down

We talk about our days and do some reading.

We talk about the day while having a snack and then I help with the homework if needed.

A walk home.

Fresh air and the walk creates a distance between home and school and allows the chance to put the school day behind them. The kids arrive home in a much better mood than that which they left school.

We used to have a "No homework before 4pm" rule. They needed a chance to wind down a bit, have a drink and a snack, before cracking on. TBH, once the dc were sorted with their drink and snack, I used to leave them alone. They had had enough adult direction during the day. When they came to me, I knew they were ready for interaction. Treated my dc a bit like cats, I suppose!

We come back on bikes/walk through the woods. We always stop for a snack and to play for 10 minutes. They really love it and I do too. It's not a wind down really, but it's time just us.

Talk about the school day, which I find very important to do as it's a chance to share any thoughts or feelings kept inside, then it's time to put some music on in the kitchen whilst making our evening meal.
Homework time next, then a cuddle and an 'I love you' before bed.

It used to be hot chocolate with all the trimmings but now they're older we tend to relax at the dinner table where we talk about our day ... well, they moan with 'you'll never guess what happened today?! It's SO unfair! class 9b got out 5 minutes before us!!' I would love to get them down my allotment but I think those days are behind us.

DD invariably has homework so we encourage her to get it out of the way when she gets in then she has time for play before dinner. We always have dinner at the table as a family and talk about our days etc. We still read to her at bedtime and she enjoys the 1:1 time.

My DC's can't wait to get stuck in washing bath towels as soon as they get home. I bought them a mini toilet brush each last xmas so, when the towels are done (to my satisfaction), they often hang out in the bathroom together scrubbing the pan and chatting about their day.

My DCs and I wind down by sitting in a circle linking up with each other so we can check each other’s heads for nits. I give a prize to the one who finds the most.

Ds just started preschool. He can be a handful after school because hes just so tired but obviously it's too late to nap too early for bed. We read his books, let him play his counting games on his tablet and colour. He also sometimes likes to play with his cars in his room. We're lucky we do shift work so one of use is always available and not rushing around because we've just finished work ourselves.
We tend to have a fairly light tea, pasta or something. Hes a one meal a day kinda kid so anything more extravagant is wasted.

I've foraged some huge boxes from work so get them out and make a den. We have den dinner if the girls fancy it and then play until bedtime.