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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Preschoolers
How do you entertain children after school?



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amother
Red


 

Post Wed, Sep 07 2016, 2:51 pm
young children get home so early. what do you do to keep them busy in a happy and calm manner?
do you devote your time entirely to them? is there any time for you to do anything during those hours, like put up dinner?
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amother
Jade


 

Post Wed, Sep 07 2016, 4:00 pm
My DD is not home with me very long but when she is we usually make dinner together. She loves to "help"! I let her measure out rice, mix ingredients, etc.
Once supper is made I sit outside with her in the nice weather or I rest on the couch while she plays quietly.
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Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Sat, Sep 10 2016, 4:26 pm
My kids are home at 5, 5.30
They play together or alone, I don't entertain though will play a game if asked and I enjoy it.
Plenty of time for dinner as we don't function on an early schedule AT ALL. We eat around 8, 8.30, which gives me time and gives them time.
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amother
Powderblue


 

Post Sun, Sep 11 2016, 3:26 pm
Play doh! My preschooler has a play-doh set which is like restaurant or something similar (comes with silverware, dishes, a spaghetti maker, and molds for food). I sit her at a small table near the kitchen, and she prepares her 'dinner' while I prepare dinner for the family. Obviously, this isn't for every day, but once or twice a week it works great. She loves the play doh and can play with it for long stretches.

Sometimes, I let her help me cook something, or, because she usually licks everything in the process of preparing it, I give her a decoy - some salt and water or something similar, with a big bowl and spoon and have her mix and pour as much as she wants. Gets a bit messy sometimes, but not hard to clean up. Every so often, I'll bring her another ingredient if she gets restless.

Coloring books / sticker books / activity books are also good, but usually don't keep her occupied for more than 10-15 minutes. For a quick dinner (think mac and cheese) this is enough.

Building toys - she can entertain herself with magnatiles or duplo for a good 20-30 minutes or more sometimes, especially if she has little people to build things for.
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amother
Coffee


 

Post Sun, Sep 11 2016, 4:08 pm
Ruchel what time do your kids start school?
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Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Sep 13 2016, 8:48 am
8.30 to 5. Trip is like half an hour (20 to 45 mins depending on traffic, as usual)
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gold21




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Sep 13 2016, 9:41 am
Ruchel wrote:
8.30 to 5. Trip is like half an hour (20 to 45 mins depending on traffic, as usual)


Wow, that's a long day for little ones.
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Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 15 2016, 6:28 am
More commonly it's 4.30 instead of 5. I dont think it changes much though.
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amother
Aubergine


 

Post Thu, Sep 15 2016, 10:10 am
I consider my kids to be little (1st grade and under) and yet who has time to entertain? They come home on bus usually so hungry that within a half hour from coming home they will start dinner. Than they leisurely eat and after do homework (youngest will bathe). Play for another half hour. Then older ones take showers and off to bed! I'm struggling to find time in their nights to do anything at all! To keep them up later would mean a later wake up and we all have to be out the door by 7:45 the latest.

Op - what time do your kids come home?
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sky




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 15 2016, 10:25 am
I don't. My youngest in school comes home at 3:30 and is in bed by 6. There isn't much time.

(Last year she came home at 2:00 and colored in special coloring books or played with special toys\puzzles next to me while I worked until 3:30)

They play and color alone until other siblings come home and then play together.
- Kids: snack
- Kids: Play
- Us: Homework
- Me: prepare supper
- Kids: Free Play
- Kids: clean up toys
- Us: supper by 5
- Us: start baths by 5:45 for youngest.
- Kids: Free Play for older kids until bedtime
- Us: Bedtime and then repeat through evening
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amother
Red


 

Post Thu, Sep 15 2016, 11:10 am
girls come home at 3:30 bedtime is at 630. that leaves me 3 whole hours to entertain. supper takes 15 minutes to eat. bath and bedtime altogether is half an hour, or so. so 2 hours to entertain and play peace maker. they do not just color or have free play. in summer I had a lot of outdoor games to keep them busy but coming winter I need indoor ideas that will help keep them and myself sane and physically complete.
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