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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>School Age Kid Doesn't Do Anything For More Than 2 Minutes!
Brooksie 02:29 PM 02-05-2013
I have a before and after care 5 year old DCB and I try to make sure we always have activities to do in the morning and afternoon. I spend time planning them and getting the supplies, or hours downloading printables and think I have some pretty creative and varying ideas. He seems into the activities but only does them for a few minutes and then hes done and wants to do something else. Kind of frustrating to put so much prep into something that gets tossed to the side so easily, and then struggling to keep him busy. Any suggestions?
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Blackcat31 02:55 PM 02-05-2013
Two words. Kitchen timer

I set it for 20-30 minutes. NO new activities or toys out until the bell rings.
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Brooksie 02:58 PM 02-05-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Two words. Kitchen timer

I set it for 20-30 minutes. NO new activities or toys out until the bell rings.
OOOOOOHH I like that idea!
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BumbleBee 03:23 PM 02-05-2013
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Two words. Kitchen timer

I set it for 20-30 minutes. NO new activities or toys out until the bell rings.
I just had a "why didn't I think of that????" moment. I am so using this for my SA!
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countrymom 06:21 PM 02-05-2013
my afterschool kids like to unwind first. so they usually come in have a snack and watch tv for a bit or watch my ds play on the computer. I couldn't even imagine entertaining all day long, and thats what it sounds like.
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Play Care 03:04 AM 02-06-2013
Originally Posted by countrymom:
my afterschool kids like to unwind first. so they usually come in have a snack and watch tv for a bit or watch my ds play on the computer. I couldn't even imagine entertaining all day long, and thats what it sounds like.
I agree!
I also LOVE the timer idea!
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itlw8 06:54 AM 02-06-2013
If you plan an activity plan only 1 if he is done then he can clean it up.

Let him move from one thing to another no big deal. But he has to pick up the first thing before he gets something else out.

stop printing off the sheets and give him some plain paper or even better a spiral notebook. I do not know whey but they love to draw nd write in those. It is just for him.

So stop working so hard maybe he just wants to see it all
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LK5kids 07:33 AM 02-06-2013
He may be just needing playtime activities, not structured. Especially if he is in full day kindergarten..even if it's table toys or one just one bin. Maybe he is in pre- k. Not sure from your post.

I've taught kindergarten and they get very wiped out.

He is still only five and they still don't have super long attention spans.

Printables only held my k's just so long. I was the kind of kindergarten teacher that had lots of hands on activities, but we had seat work we HAD to finish. Depending on the type of program he is in he may be sitting often and " doing" lots of required work already. If he's in pre- k planned activities may not hold his attention longer than 5 - 10 min.

I'd give him a bin of toys not printables or planned activities.
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MarinaVanessa 07:47 AM 02-06-2013
Originally Posted by itlw8:
If you plan an activity plan only 1 if he is done then he can clean it up.

Let him move from one thing to another no big deal. But he has to pick up the first thing before he gets something else out.

stop printing off the sheets and give him some plain paper or even better a spiral notebook. I do not know whey but they love to draw nd write in those. It is just for him.

So stop working so hard maybe he just wants to see it all
This is what I did before when I had SA kids. They were always the most difficult and expected me to find them something to do and you finally do offer them an activity of some sort it's "boring", "lame" or "dumb" . I finally just got tired of it and stopped thinking about it as it being my job to find them something to do. I bought them each a 1 1/2" binder and put paper in it (both lines and plain white paper) and then they could use it or not to draw in or write in or whatever.

After that they knew better than to tell be they were bored or ask me what to do .... I would give them toy and supply bins and have them sort everything for me, or have them hole punch papers for me or put stamps on mail and lick them closed etc ... not exactly fun for them so they stopped asking me .
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youretooloud 08:04 AM 02-06-2013
When mine is done, I make her clean things up too. I plan one activity, and if it isn't entertaining enough, then she can help with chores. She cleans up the activity, and she swiffers, and whatever else I can think of.

She's actually pretty good at organizing the toys for me. It seems to be the only thing she can do for more than a few minutes.
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itlw8 11:01 AM 02-06-2013
I have a hand held vaccume and the SA LOVE it so you have to pick up to get a turn and then they clean up all the crumbs, papers and dog hair they can find.
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