School Age Activities

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

This week all but one of my kids will be out all week (and I agreed to stay open New year's eve day for her, too). She is 7 years old and gets bored really easily when she's the only one. And then she looks to me for constant entertainment, but I have other stuff to do besides devote the entire 11 hours to entertaining her. With one child here I'd like to be able to get other childcare stuff done (such as gathering information and organizing stuff for the upcoming taxes and preparing everyone's year end totals, cleaning, you name it). So I am looking for some activities to keep her occupied and her mind busy that doesn't require a lot of time or attention from me while I get some work done.
What are some of your favorite school age activities for your dcks?

[spedmommy4]

Crafts (I set stuff out and let them go to town)
Role play- I will set out dramatic play props and they make things up
We occasionally watch movies
Outdoor games (hopscotch, hula hoops, jump ropes)
Board games and card games

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

Those are good suggestions : ) I should add, it's supposed to rain all week and it has already been raining for a few days. Also, she is the only one here this week so I need activities she can have fun doing by herself. I like the crafts idea : )

[spedmommy4]

Ouch, I missed that part. Mine don't do well alone outside our limited movie time, and when they work on craft projects. I would rather have several than just one. My school agers entertain each other well.

If she has any interests, I would use those to your advantage. For example, my daughter is into these little figures called shopkins, and will play with those by herself. I ordinarily don't allow kids to bring toys from home, but if I was only going to have one school ager, I think I would let them bring a back pack with their favorite non electronic toys from home.

[Blackcat31]

This week all but one of my kids will be out all week (and I agreed to stay open New year's eve day for her, too). She is 7 years old and gets bored really easily when she's the only one. And then she looks to me for constant entertainment, but I have other stuff to do besides devote the entire 11 hours to entertaining her. With one child here I'd like to be able to get other childcare stuff done (such as gathering information and organizing stuff for the upcoming taxes and preparing everyone's year end totals, cleaning, you name it). So I am looking for some activities to keep her occupied and her mind busy that doesn't require a lot of time or attention from me while I get some work done.
What are some of your favorite school age activities for your dcks?

Ive been in that situation before (having only one child in care) and what I've done is make it CLEAR to the parent that although I wouldn't normally take only one child I am happy to do so IF said child comes prepared to entertain themselves for the day/time they are in attendance.

I don't "entertain" the younger kids so I would certainly not be open to entertaining a school aged child that IS perfectly capable of occupying themselves.

[MsLisa]

Most popular amongst my gang for self-entertainment:
Painting or any kind of crafts.
Jewelry making (i.e string & beads)
Littlest pet shops or Shopkins & a doll house.
Playdoh & accessories
Coloring sheets (whatever their interests).
Just Dance game on the Wii

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

Thank you for the suggestions We made it through the week, but it was a long four days. She's sooo needy, wanting constant attention. If I picked up my phone for a second to text a parent or use the internet on it (since she'd be using my laptop to play an educational game) to find an activity idea or something, she'd start griping at me wanting me to immediately do something with her. I'd tell her to hold on a minute and go play while she waits. Then she'd say something like, "well quit playing on your phone all day and hurry up!" School age sassing really doesn't go well with me
Anyway, one day I got the playdough out and she played with that for over an hour which allowed me to get a lot done (I was in the same room with her the whole time though). She did several art & craft projects that I planned out for her (I can't allow free access to all the craft materials for her), and she loves the Just Dance videos, so she spent at least 30 minutes a day doing those (which I liked since she was getting some excess energy out on these rainy days), and it allowed me a few minutes at a time to work on other stuff. I was also strict with a "quiet time" in the afternoons even though I didn't have any nappers. I gave her several quiet options of things to play with, drawing paper with markers, etc and had the rule that she could only come out of the play room to use the restroom (I can see the playroom from the living room so I could see everything she was doing). Each day she would continually come out and ask me a question, want me to get something for her, or just talk. Each time I would send her back in and tell her I'd get it for her after quiet time or we could talk after quiet time, or whatever her excuse was for coming out. Each time I'd have to get more firm. By today she was doing better at staying in there and entertaining herself, but whew! School age children require so much more work than the younger ones! I think providers need to charge more for school age care, not less They eat more, require more time and attention, go through more materials and supplies, have attitude so much of the time, try to argue everything, twist things around and exaggerate making it sound like you're doing something you're not (so a higher liability risk). For example, her comments on "playing on your phone all day". I wish I had time to just play on my phone all day