School Age Activities This Summer

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

We are going to have several school agers this summer, which is new for us, since mainly we do preschool age and the occasional school ager (but they are usually just temporary). We aren't set up for school age children, and all the toys and materials are for preschool and younger. We are in a really rough financial position right now, so we can't afford any new things. SO, does anyone who takes school agers also have any ideas for theme related activities to do with them that younger children can do also? We'll have 2 yr olds through school age altogether. We cannot seperate because of the way the building is laid out. With this particular group of school agers they'll have to constantly be busy. I find school agers so much more difficult with their attitudes and "that's not fair" stuff ), but we had to get what we could this summer, so it's a blessing to have them....but we are in really bad need of things for them to do. Outdoor activities and projects would be really nice since we are hoping to spend a lot of time outdoors!

[nannyde]

We are going to have several school agers this summer, which is new for us, since mainly we do preschool age and the occasional school ager (but they are usually just temporary). We aren't set up for school age children, and all the toys and materials are for preschool and younger. We are in a really rough financial position right now, so we can't afford any new things. SO, does anyone who takes school agers also have any ideas for theme related activities to do with them that younger children can do also? We'll have 2 yr olds through school age altogether. We cannot seperate because of the way the building is laid out. With this particular group of school agers they'll have to constantly be busy. I find school agers so much more difficult with their attitudes and "that's not fair" stuff ), but we had to get what we could this summer, so it's a blessing to have them....but we are in really bad need of things for them to do. Outdoor activities and projects would be really nice since we are hoping to spend a lot of time outdoors!

School agers are the devil

Can I send you my own school ager? He will drive me insane this summer.

[juliebug]

outside time lots and squirt bottles calk, and no saying immmmm borrrrdd

[jessrlee]

Nan- I will take him! I just adore my SA kids! I would happily run an all SA program but it doesn't work with our towns parks program, PTYC, and Y program.

OP- School agers can be very simple if you start off on the right foot with them. I choose the two natural leaders and get them on my side for good and not evil. Give them simple jobs and praise. I let my leaders set the table for meals, pass out snacks, pass out art supplies, make sure I get back the right amount of equipment (6 balls, 5 jump ropes, etc.) and have special privileges (choose books or board games, first shot at a new toy, etc.)

Outside- Hit your Walmart or dollar tree and pick up as much chalk as you can, several jump ropes, and art supplies. Hit garage sales for board games, Lego's, and Barbie's. Ask all of the parents you know with teens for hand me downs.

Our big kid rules:
You NEVER touch the littles
You can play with the littles as long as you are not touching them or the equipment they are on
If you see a little crying tell an adult
Littles have the right of way- you HAVE to STOP until they are clear, this means swings, jump ropes, balls, running, scooters, EVERYTHING

I do have a set up that allows for me to give the big kids their space. I have a 900 square foot daycare space that can be sectioned, I have an acre yard they can use while the littles use the driveway, so I am very lucky there.

Just start out very hard nosed about the rules, and then let up when they are all compliant, and remember to hand out the praise because they will be all over making you proud!

[Michelle]

My awesome assistant takes the s.a. kids to the beach, museums, zoo, etc. almost every day in the summer so the littles can get their naps.
This works for us and they are never bored, AND we can use it as a incentive if the S.A kids act up, I just tell them they can stay behind and be my "helper"
I know I'm evil! ::::

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

Keep the ideas coming. I need all the advice you can give! Yeah, I know how awful it can be having school agers. That's why we don't have any currently . For the ones we have sometimes, they teach the younger ones who all know the rules really well, new ways of doing things, like standing on swings or tables (yes, tables ), and throwing the baby dolls around like they're a ball. And of course the constant: "I'm bored. I'm hot. I want to go in. I'm hot. I hate this daycare! You're mean!" And then they seem to think since they're older they can do whatever they want, when ever they want. Along with the refusal to do as they're asked. We tried letting them be our helpers, and show the younger ones how to do certain things, and they end up taking it too far and thinking they don't have to listen to us since they're our helper, and older than the other children. So my hope is to keep them busy enough this summer that they won't have time to be so destructive to our things, routine, schedule, rules, etc. But it will have to be things the younger ones can do also, and can "get into" also.
Another problem is what to do about nap time. The younger ones of course have to take a nap, but we have no way to keep the SA seperate from the nappers. If they are up (especially with 5 or more of them, like we'll have this summer), they will wake the others up. Even when they're trying to be quiet something always happens, or they always start talking too loud, or get into an argument with another one, or honestly forget about being quiet for a slit second and yell across the room. Even the quiet conversation required for any type of play with each other ends up getting too loud. Nap time is when one of us leaves, so there would only be one of us here with the children during nap. That's the only time we have to do clean up (like doing lunch dishes, sweeping the floor, lunch clean up, re organizing, sanitizing, etc) so we won't be able to sit with them the entire time and do the every two seconds reminder to be quiet. And it definitely rules out the option of entertaining them. We can't send them outside by themselves, even though it's legal for children 7 and older, because the property is too big to just stick our head out the door and check on them. And we can't see the playground from the building, so if they went out there we wouldn't be able to see them to see if they're okay, nor would they be able to hear me if I called for them (so, so much for giving them a boundary of staying inside the playground). So what can we do during nap, also? I wish we could require them to do nap also, or at least lay quietly on their cots the entire time

[AfterSchoolMom]

Naptime would be a great time for reading/worksheet time. There are a ton of websites that you can go to and print off free worksheets for them.

Also, if outside time isn't an option, I know this isn't a popular idea, but if you really need them to be quiet, you could designate that movie/TV time or let them bring their handheld games to use only during naptime.

Bottom line - make sure that they understand that you aren't going to put up with "I'm bored", disrespect, not listening, shouting, etc. Enforce the rules hard right up front and make the consequences VERY VERY boring for them. They'll soon realize that it's beneficial to do what they're supposed to do.

[meganlavonnesmommy]

My group is 7 kids ages 2,2,2,4,5,7,9. Only the 2 year olds nap,
the older kids dont.
I have a very small house, and we are all in the same area.

During naptime the older kids do puzzles, board games, perler beads, coloring, "homework," which in the summer is daily workbooks. I get the "summer bridge" series, one book for each child and they do a page or two each day, and they all read for 30 minutes every naptime. Sometimes by themselves, sometimes one reads to the rest of the group. I also have a computer that we use sometimes. They rotate 15 minutes each on the computer playing games or doing activities. We also do legos, the small tiny ones, they love those, and cant play them with the little ones around. So its a special activity.

The little ones have learned to sleep through the noise. My hardest part is the older kids wanting to play outside, and the little ones are still napping. They whine sometimes cause they want to go out, and know that we cant until the little ones are awake, but they learn to wait.

[kidkair]

I'd get a very long rope and rope out part of the property that you can see from the door or window. On nice days I'd send them to their roped area with whatever toys or books they wanted to bring with them. I personally have a large fenced yard for them to play in and love it. I let them join in any activity I am doing with the little ones and ask them to help out with chores (sweeping, setting tables, getting little kids' hands washed). I also keep little legos just for them outside for use during nap time. On rainy days they have to stay inside and read books or play very quietly. If they get loud they go out in the rain. We put up a canopy over the sandbox so they do have a way to not get wet. If it's storming too badly and they still won't be quiet I have them scrub the kitchen floor. Even suggesting that has made them quiet down and keep quiet til the little ones are up.