What do your kids do once they finish school for the day?

[LydiaG]

I thought I had already posted this, but I can't find ut.

 

My 7 yo and 8 yo finish schoolwork by noon and complain about being bored for the next 3 hours until neighborhood friends come home. So, I need some non-tv suggestions for them to do at home (while babies sleep) and not at home (when babies wake up). They already have soccer, swimmng, piano, and cub scouts commitments, and I don't want to commit to anything long-term right now.

 

Any ideas are appreciated!

[Firestar Academy]

if my children say they are "bored" they get housework. there is always some laundry or dishes to be taken care of. there is extra piano practice.

 

that being said, my children are rarely bored. they have toys, books or I give them the girl scout badge book and say "find something".

 

my girls are 8 and 11.

 

robin in NJ

[justasque]

I thought I had already posted this, but I can't find ut.

 

My 7 yo and 8 yo finish schoolwork by noon and complain about being bored for the next 3 hours until neighborhood friends come home. So, I need some non-tv suggestions for them to do at home (while babies sleep) and not at home (when babies wake up). They already have soccer, swimmng, piano, and cub scouts commitments, and I don't want to commit to anything long-term right now.

 

Any ideas are appreciated!

 

Homeschool park day?

Field trip - museum, play, music performance.

Short term, low-key, child-led "club" - put on a play, learn a skill, etc.

This is the time slot where we try to get together with other homeschoolers. Sometimes for low-key actual content, mostly for child-led activities.

[Pink and Green Mom]

I send my boys, aged 10 and almost 7, to play. If the weather is nice I have them go outside and ride bikes, run around and build forts in the yard, climb trees, practice baseball, or whatever they want to do. Occasionally I let them play with water ballons and water guns.

 

If they are staying inside, they usually play legos. They can build for hours. They'll build an airport and airplane, or an alien ship and city, a cruise ship, hospital, whatever they can come up with. They also build forts.

 

I've also used this time to go to the library, have them bake brownies or cookies, listen to a readaloud book, let them watch a documentary or movie version of a book they've recently read, or something like that.

 

If anyone complains they are bored, I warn them that they will be scrubbing toilets. They find something to do quickly.

[LaxMom]

if my children say they are "bored" they get housework. there is always some laundry or dishes to be taken care of. there is extra piano practice.

 

that being said, my children are rarely bored. they have toys, books or I give them the girl scout badge book and say "find something".

 

my girls are 8 and 11.

 

robin in NJ

 

Um, yes. That ^

 

Mine get involved in things that need to be done around the house (toilet cleaning and step sweeping chores are quite highly prized here :blink:, as is laundry hanging but only the 10 year old is tall enough), board games, books. They make elaborate forts in the living room, block cities for their cars... they all spent the past week building fairy houses in the back yard (found materials, no hardware, twine is ok).

 

It takes a LOT for mine to complain about being bored.

[HeidiKC]

I'd keep a stash of puzzle-type and building toys out of sight. Then I'd do something like this:

 

12-1:00 lunch, etc.

 

1:00-1:45 - Puzzles (I'd even select them myself - my kids like a challenge when I stack up 4-5 of them and tell them to call me when they are done, and then I am SO surprised and impressed)

 

Or above - maybe 30 minutes of puzzles, 15 minutes of logic-type games like those from ThinkFun (tons of good stuff) or Tangrams

 

1:45-2:15 - silent reading

 

2:15-3:00 - some other type of building game/toy that you select and set out for them. I'd switch days with them doing it independently and together. I'm thinking of things like: Dado Squares or Cubes (and give them little guys or cars so they can make houses), Lincoln Logs, K'nex, Gears-type toys, Marbleworks runs, etc. Maybe also have one day/week where they play a board game or fun card game (even an educational one, like the Professor Noggin ones, or GeoCards - my kids LOVE that, they play war based on population of each country). Alternate weeks where each kid picks. Wednesday Game Day or whatever.

 

I know this all sounds a bit controlling, but I find it a lot easier to just select the stuff myself for quiet time or else they pull the "bored" card. Or they never play some of the cool stuff we have. And keeping it put away except during this time makes it more appealing and they won't get tired of the stuff.

 

I think I'd also throw a job in there somewhere. Quiet stuff - dusting and sweeping. Even if they do a terrible job, they are moving around.

 

And finally, I'd think about some stuff they could do outside and come up with ideas together. Maybe a fort for their army guys (so they don't need to nail it or anything, just pile twigs). Sidewalk chalk and draw a house for their people or a racetrack for cars, etc.

 

Good luck!

[butterflymommy]

We have a rule that whoever says they're bored has to clean the bathrooms. I firmly believe children should be able to occupy themselves creatively and if they can't it's good for them to help out with household chores. I do have one who complains about being bored nevertheless, so she cleans the bathrooms and I try to find some other task for her. But the other ones tend to play, read, draw. We don't allow computer or TV till 4pm.

[Julie Smith]

My boys are younger then your kids.

 

But they "get into a game". Make believe games, wall climbing games, lego games, ... Sometimes school even has to be delayed for hours since they are in such a good game.

[Lady Florida.]

When ds was that age, he would either build with Lego or go outside and explore the backyard (lizards and bugs were particularly fascinating to him). He could spend hours doing either of those activities. Sometimes he played with the dog, or did chores.

 

He'll be 14 next week. Now he gets on his computer to either play Minecraft, watch videos about it, or learn how to create things on Minecraft. He's teaching himself some programming and wants to make videos, so I'm not bothered by his computer time. It's half playing and half learning. Other things he does: still plays with the dog, still sometimes does chores, plays on X-box, goes in our small above-ground pool when the weather is good. When the boy across the street gets home from school, he goes out and tosses a football or shoots basketball (a family at the end of our cul-de-sac happily shares their hoop with all kids on our street). Sometimes they take a bike ride to the convenience store to buy a snack, though mostly it's just for the ride.

[justamouse]

They go out and play! It's like billiard balls that have been cracked OFF! The girls have been running off to finish their doll house, the boys to build legos or play with friends. Little one turns into a princess and steals my heels. :D Your children need to learn how to amuse themselves.

[LucyStoner]

My son plays in the yard, goes to do stuff with one of us, goes to the park, across the street, reads books, plays with legos and other toys, works on his own projects, ties flies for fishing, practices casting in the backyard, has his screen time if he wants it, reads to his brother, works on scout stuff, calls his friends, emails his friends or helps around the house. One night a week he cooks dinner and that takes up much of the late afternoon that one day because he is very slow. He reads a lot on his own. At least a couple of hours a day, sometimes more.

 

And even though he normally finds plenty to do, sometimes he will claim boredom. Pretty typical for kids. I point him outside if he says that when it is nice and towards his room, full of books and toys, if he says it when the weather is bad. Or play chess or a game with him. Sometimes bored just means "I need a little attention".

Edited August 27, 2011 by kijipt

[Tarreymere]

If my kids complain to me that they are bored, I also give them a chore to do. Oddly enough, they don't complain about boredom much around here. And I am not the entertainment director.

[LydiaG]

Thanks for the ideas! I am excited to try some.

[Miss Peregrine]

Play outside

 

Ride bikes

 

Practice instruments

 

Compose music

 

Read

 

Play with friends

 

Cook/Bake

 

Play on computer/iPad

 

Watch tv

[rafiki]

.

[Kari C in SC]

I thought I had already posted this, but I can't find ut.

 

My 7 yo and 8 yo finish schoolwork by noon and complain about being bored for the next 3 hours until neighborhood friends come home. So, I need some non-tv suggestions for them to do at home (while babies sleep) and not at home (when babies wake up). They already have soccer, swimmng, piano, and cub scouts commitments, and I don't want to commit to anything long-term right now.

 

Any ideas are appreciated!

 

The honest answer that popped into my head was - "Drive me crazy!", but I am guessing that is not what you are looking for! :D

 

Right now, my 1st grader is done way early. He plays computer games and when I push him off of that, he will reluctantly play legos. He is not a toy kid at all. When it gets cooler - he will go out to play more.

 

My 8th grader has very little free time these days it seems. She does school right up until it is either time for gymnastics, park day, yearbook, youth homeschool club, etc. If she has free time - she will practice gymnastics, hang out with her cousin next door, Facebook, read. When it gets cooler - she will go jump on the trampoline or swing too.

 

I cannot wait for it to be a bit cooler! We are all stir crazy in the house on the days we don't leave for one of the above activities.

[LydiaG]

It's crazy hot here as well. Hopefully when the weather gets cooler in October, outside play will be fun. Right now, they rarely venture onto the back porch, much less into the yard and sweltering humidity of south Florida.

 

One person mentioned that they might need more attention. That caught me offguard (I mean, we home school and they get a ton of attention during school work), but I think that might be the problem. I'm tired after thet finish with their assignments, and I just want them to leave me alone. Maybe if I promise (and follow through) some fun mom time after our naps, they would be satisfied.

 

Thanks for all the replies!

[ScoutTN]

play outside, play with the dog, dress up, nerf weapons or basketball, puppets, legos/blocks, cars, coloring/crafts, board games, puzzles, reading, "helping" me with cooking or chores, building forts, hide and seek, calling grandparents on the phone, watching birds at the feeder, watering outside flowers and the garden.... and many other ways of being loud, messy and generally hilarious.

 

no screens unless there is a really desperate scenario.