Why does nursery school finish at 2:30????

amother

Freesia

Thu, Sep 08 2022, 7:31 pm

She’s so lucky she gets to spend time with you. Find activities you like doing, and include her in them. For me it’s cooking and baking, taking long walks in the park with my kids on their scooters or bikes, coloring, reading, etc. I do not play with toys on the floor but I do sit on the couch next to them if they want me to watch them play.

amother

Birch

Thu, Sep 08 2022, 8:04 pm

Not to crash this thread, but count ur blessings that you dont have to deal with board of ed bussing. For a special needs child. Busses are always late or the kids can be on the bus for a very long time... until things are straightened out

#BestBubby

Thu, Sep 08 2022, 9:37 pm

This is the problem with pre-schools and day camps -

children lose the ability to entertain themselves and expect an adult to lead them.

You have to teach child to play by herself:

Set a timer for 10 minutes of play by yourself - toys, coloring, looking at books

them Mommy will read a book or play a game together.

Then another timer for 10 minutes - and some more Mommy time.

amother

Gardenia

Thu, Sep 08 2022, 9:51 pm

#BestBubby wrote:

Agreed.

That being said bh I work and my kid loves her playgroup. They have (unstructured, supervised) playtime from 3-4 for extended hours and she comes home so relaxed and loves that time.

I do think coming home at 2:30 means you need to have some stimulating activity in the afternoon depending on the kid. Over the summer when she came home earlier I had a few options depending on the day (ranging from a water table to a quick run to the library)

TwinsMommy

Thu, Sep 08 2022, 11:14 pm

My kids were only in school at the most 3 hours a day until kindergarten. We did finger painting and coloring, outside time, errands, therapies, reading time (a good half hour of me reading book after book after book to them), cooking dinner, bathtime, etc etc. We didn't do playdates since they're twins they really didn't need other kids. Have fun! My kids are teens now and I BEG them to go to the gym with me--- I miss the time we spent together when they were little.

Good Friend

Thu, Sep 08 2022, 11:29 pm

Do count your blessings. I'm a Chabad shlucha in a small community, which means no Jewish school... Having my kids in school until 2:45 would be a dream come true.

Anyway for us what works is my morning is dedicated to homeschooling the kids. We end that after lunch at about 2:30, and then they know it's time for them to do some playing by themselves. It may be easier for me because my 4 year old has a 3 year old sibling so they can play together, but even if your kindergartner is an only child she can still learn to spend time playing with her favorite toys alone.

Some theoretical ideas based on what works for us that can be repeated daily are:

-A favorite activity that she enjoys and can do pretty independentlyz maybe like playdough or coloring sheets (30 minutes)

-Watch a video (20 minutes)

-Help make supper (however long that takes)

-Help fold laundry

-Help bake a cake for Shabbos (can be done any day and frozen)

-Read to herself books that she knows by heart

-Listen to story tapes

-Buy some cheap craft kits that they have in judaica stores and let her choose one about once a week