what do your kids do when they're at home??

ok... heres the deal... we have 2 boys. an 8 year old (2nd grade) and a 5 year old (starting K in september).
if they're not at school, they're home. They don't do aftercare, or day off camps since i'm a SAHM. so theres about 5 hours from after school is over until bed time. we do a couple after school activities (like a boys gymnastics class and swim lessons and boy scouts) But for the most part after school and on weekends, theyre home.

my 2nd grader has friends at school he talks about, but never gets invited to hang out outside of school... the only birthday parties he gets invited to are if they whole class gets invited. theres a few kids right in our neighborhood, but he doesn't play with them after school or whatever.
and same with the 5 year old... but hes young still.
we also don't live near ANY family- my parents are 2 hours away, my in laws ae 4 hours away, my sister is an hour away and has her own stuff going on...
SOOO the kids are basically are on the iPads if they're home. They're not interested in toys, games, if i send them outside to play it just ends up with one of them coming back in hurt or screaming or something. with 2 boys its just SO SO physical even when they're just playing.
so the only thing that keeps them in one spot and keeping things from getting broken is the iPads. either that, or we run around like nuts dragging them all over the place to get them out of the house, which is just as exhausting.
so... i don't know... what kind of things do you do with your kids if they spend A LOT of time at home???

what do your kids do when they're at home??

HW, playing with toys, going in the yard, bike ride or scooter ride, trip to the park or library, and of course TV

what do your kids do when they're at home??

We run errands together, go for a walk around the block, take her bike to the park so she can ride around, she plays in the yard, we like to read together in the yard too, she crafts A LOT. We just find things to do to keep busy.

Can you initiate a playdate at your house with a friend from school?

Re: what do your kids do when they're at home??

Re: what do your kids do when they're at home??

They love doing puzzles.. they compete to see who can finish them faster.
Read books
Homework- practice writing & practice math
Toys & board games
Play cards
Drawing/ stamps/ coloring
They help with chores/ cleaning
Cooking & eating
Watch a show .. we watch Wheel of Fortune together every night before bedtime
Go for walks/ scooter ride around the block.. we are big on outdoor time when the weather is nice.. they love to race to the end of the street & back... also play on the porch/ yard..
Playground
They don’t have iPads, video games, etc.

Message edited 5/25/2019 3:23:57 AM.

what do your kids do when they're at home??

I have girls going into K and 2nd. They're not very into playing outside but they do a little. I sah so I schedule their activities for weekdays whenever possible. We go to the library, take their bikes somewhere to ride, my oldest does playdates.

At home, they play school, make stuff (so much tape and construction paper), play restaurant and make their own snacks or dinner, play with legos and other more girly toys. They occasionally play wii with dh and very rarely with tablets. They do watch plenty of tv which I don't mind. I find tv keeps them way less tunnel visioned than a tablet so they will eventually get up and play and often what they watch fuels what they end up playing. Yesterday they were reenacting Annie which they watched earlier in the week for example. They have an echo in the playroom so they can play music while they play or ignore the toys and belt out their favorite songs.

what do your kids do when they're at home??

playing outside or doing arts and crafts, but I really try to get out of the house with them....

what do your kids do when they're at home??

I have two boys ages 9 and 7.

After school they do homework and then play some electronics. I get home around 5 and we are usually running around to some sort of practice after that.

They also play with the kids in the neighborhood- my older guy plays with older neighbors and my 7 year old has friends his age right behind us.

If we have no plans I make them do something that’s not electronics - reading, playing a board game, etc.

Re: what do your kids do when they're at home??

My kids are not allowed screens on weeknights (No iPad, switch, etc.). They really used to hate it but now they know it’s the norm. They go through phases. They were big into legos for awhile. One of my sons loves to draw, paint, make stuff. So he can play with a craft box for hours. They like board games. Currently into the games Trouble and Operation. Honestly they’re into gross stuff too like digging up worms and looking for bugs. Half the time they look like they have been rolling in the mud but they try to outdo each other by who can find the most bugs.

what do your kids do when they're at home??

Why not reach out to the other parents in your sons' classes and make a play date? Or when the neighbor kids are out go over there with your sons and ask if they want to play. I know it's tough I have 2 boys 3 and 7. I get stir crazy in the house. The summer is tought because I am off by DH is not. I limit their screen time so it's up to me to keep them occupied. I know many of the toys havevn't been touched in awhile. I have to rotate them. Keep on keeping on. Something will fall into place.

what do your kids do when they're at home??

My son is 5 and will be going to K next year.

When the weather is nice, after school we usually go to the park, ride bikes, play running races, tag, playing with our neighbor (3.5). When the weather is eh, we go to the library, color, run errands, and (if I'm honest) watch too much TV.

As for weekends, we try to do one family day outing - fair, amusement park, playground, pool, play place - and then one home day - yard work, errands, family board games, water gun fights, obstacle courses.

I personally HATE tablets. I find they become way too engrossed in them. If you look back, I had a post where my then 2 year old was obsessed with his. I took it away from him and it was the best decision I ever made. Now we watch TV together and play with toys (puzzles, play doh, coloring, action figures), while he watches his shows.

what do your kids do when they're at home??

I think you should try initiating a play date for your older son with a friend he mentions from class. I think at this age many parents just spend time w cousins, neighbors, family friends children, in other words their kids playmates are built into people they know not through school. You mention that you do not have this as your family lives far so I think a good idea would be organizing a playdate w a classmate or two and see how that goes.

Re: what do your kids do when they're at home??

5 hours sound like a lot but...
Kids come home, grab snack, put away lunch boxes and backpacks, tell me about their day (30 minutes)

They go to an activity (same as yours... swim, Taekwondo, etc). (1 hr activity, 30 minutes commuting)

Then home, we cook together and eat (1-1.5 hr)

Educational activity (1 hr)

Reading time (30 minutes plus all together... I have 3 kids so it goes over lots of times because each read and then I read)

That’s 5 hours!

If we have no activities, I have them play in backyard while I weed. If it rains, I whip out toys or coloring/activity books. They make up games, play with balls, play with whatever kid is outside. Favorite things to do is to play with those magnetic tiles or duplo blocks to make structures for their dolls/superheroes/animals.

Definitely invite whatever kid lives decently close by for a play date at your place. They will reciprocate.

Re: what do your kids do when they're at home??

When my kids aren't at sports they are usually playing some kind of sport outside. They play soccer, or hockey. They go on bikes up and down our street.

Even if they don't play as their sport maybe you can get a soccer ball, some hockey sticks and ball, basketball, something they can play with just for fun.

Re: what do your kids do when they're at home??

I have 4 boys ages from 3 to 10 -
they do homework
some electronic time
play outside or make games up inside.
if no activities or a rainy night we do movie night
If they fight a lot when they go out together maybe you go out for a bit to break it up.

try and initiate play dates - they may reciprocate