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auntymimi 06:01 AM 09-08-2015
Any tips on mixing school agers with littles? Before and after is ok, but I'll have them all day on snow days. 1 yo, 2 yo, 4yo, 5yo, 8&9. Thanks.
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butterfly 08:38 AM 09-08-2015
I take a couple sa on snow days ( kids who were previously in my care) and I hate it!! It's difficult to keep them busy. I buy extra items to keep them busy: necklace making materials, bracelets, painting items, fuzzy posters, etc. I also make them help : read to kids, make lunch, wash tables, etc...
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Laurel 09:59 AM 09-08-2015
It can be really hard so after a while, I just stopped taking school agers. But, if you insist, , here is what helped me.

I am in Florida so weather is no problem. What I finally did was try to wear them out. We walked to the park every day and then they played at the park and we walked back. They just really need to be active.

Get ideas what 'they' like to do. I say this because my first day with 3 school aged brothers and my own school agers, I had a lot of craft type stuff ready. I figured it was enough for all day and they had it done in about an hour and then wanted to go outside. We could cause I had only school agers back then but it turns out these 3 liked things like basketball and hiking but not crafts. So ask them what they would like to do. From then on we 'park hopped' and spent a lot of time hiking at the nature center.

Trying to keep them quiet while the littles napped was challenging. I didn't have a problem letting them play with their brought from home hand held video games or watching t.v. Some do no screen time but that gave me a break too so I was okay with it. They could also read or do craft or lego projects. They just had to be quiet and give me some break time as well. After my break, I'd sometimes bake with them. Most school agers like to cook/bake.

If one is particularly not well behaved just term that one. I had to do that even though I was afraid I'd lose his toddler brother. I didn't. Mom understood. He was that way at home too!

Be sure to have enough school aged type toys and I didn't care if they brought some that were appropriate from home. It provided variety. Things like board games, books (can get them from library but keep at your house and get both fiction and non fiction....ask what they like), art supplies, legos, play dough, etc.

Laurel
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auntymimi 10:25 AM 09-08-2015
Thanks, I'll prob be doing the same as much as possible with the going outside until it gets too bitter cold. All my sa have been girls so far and worked out great this summer, but I'll have 2 8 yo boys that have me a little nervous, lol. One has been with me awhile and he's very sweet but a little wound up. One has yet to start. The second is a favor to Dh boss, so I really hope it works out.
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Second Home 12:47 PM 09-08-2015
Honestly .. I pick and choose which school age dck I will take on snow days / school closings . If I know a certain school age child can not keep themselves entertained while care for a little one or that they are going to be way too rough then I don't accept them for full day care on snow days / school closings.

I have a separate contract for school age care that outlines that before / after school care is not a guarantee of space on days where there is no school .
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Tags:mixed ages, school aged kids, school agers
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