Prepared Activities

I am frustrated.... (gonna vent a bit)

If you have prepared an activity, whether it be a craft, or a puzzle or work sheet, or even just time for playdough or kind of a free for all craft... do you have the kids do it even if they dont want to?

I'm frustrated with this one kid I have, hes 7, and is usually only after school, I have gotten away from doing after school crafts b/c of him. Today is a PA Day, I had an activity to do, cut and paste, and sat them down to do it, he glued 2 pompoms on his sheet and announced several annoying times that he was done and took off to go play in the play room. Then my son pulls the same thing (this also annoys me b/c when this other kid is around, my sons behaviour is terrible). I annoyed b/c even though this was kind of a free cut and paste make what you want session, I put effort into organizing and getting all the materials etc. When we do other such activities, he rushes through them (really only taking a minute or too) to do it and takes off or flat out refuses to do it anyways which of course leads to my son refusing and about 1/2 the time the other 6yo boy I have to do the same...

Part of the other reason I want them to do the stuff I prepare for them is because this kid in particular is a handful, ball of energy, never stops running, yelling, rough houseing etc. He and my son and the other dck who is 6 get going and they are unstoppable, so part of my reason for having them sit to do a craft is to get them to settle down and quiet down.

I hate to say "Sit and do the craft, I dont care if you dont want to" but on the other hand, I prepared it for them, bought the stuff, and really dont want the free for all the entire time that the boys are here together! Its sooooo frustrating.... grrr....

Ugh... this is why I don't do school age, anymore.
I have no patience for this sort of thing. I personally would let him know that at this time, we are sitting at the table to do a craft/activity. If he chooses not to do this, that is fine, but he will remain at the table and sit somewhat quietly until the rest of the group is done. If he's bugging the others, being loud or crazy, you implement whatever method of discipline you use.

Not all kids like crafts and especially boys. Also you said it was a PD day which means a "holdiay" from school. So anything that sparks of school such as sitting and doing your work is likely to be met with resistence.

I would be inclined to plan activities but simply make it elaborate play in a controlled way such as picking a theme for the PD day such as space then giving them a cardboard box to decorate as a spaceship or giving everyone a big circle to make a planet to hang in the room. Something that makes the finished product part of the goal not the end goal.

Letting the boys have all the blocks, trucks, cars, they want and making an elaborate city while you keep the little ones "out of their way" may be more appreciated than a sit down craft. As long as the play is done within the limits you have set and you are right there on top of them if need be they will accomplish more with less frustration for all.

Make it an active day by setting up games that involve being up and moving around to channel the energy into constructive play rather than try to quench the energy by making them sit - they get that every other day at school and a PD day is a school break - a chance to not have to do that which also explains why they are so wild when not in school - too much pent up energy so make use of it and get them to dust the baseboards or wash the walls or something.

Fair enough... I do think that you should perhaps evaluate whether the activities you are planning are asking too much of him, or requiring him to sit for too long, and so on.
But I still say; if you have prepared something for them, and it's "craft time" for 15 min or so, then I think it's important YOU to be the one that is calling the shots. We don't just get to do what we want, when we want, all the time.... LoL. He may not want to do things exactly the way you are showing them, but he can still do SOMETHING.

I had to double-check to see if the original poster was me. lol I have had it with out of schoolers, so I am now only providing care for up to age 5; way less frustrating! The older kids tend to want to do whatever they want and the boys tend to want to play agressively or fighting games which I absolutely wouldn't tolerate. They also, especially if they're boys, don't want to do crafts. Yes, it is so frustrating that you spend the time and money for crafts and they decide that they don't want to do the craft. The younger children tend to follow the older kids. So they also decide not to do the crafts.
But it sounds like you have an older child so you may feel the need to take out of schoolers. I think what the previous poster said was a great idea. Perhaps if you implement games that get out some of that pent-up energy. In fact that might be a great idea for the boy preschoolers as well.

I made the choice, too, not to care for after-schoolers but to concentrate on the under-5s. I don't feel I have the right environment /programming to challenge the older children or really give them what they need, but I'm really happy with/confident in my programming for the little ones.

Are you gearing your crafts to what they like? Spiders, bugs, monsters etc... there is nothing like getting them to create a spider with many eyes etc... and tell them it's a contest to see whos is the creepiest! Also get them to build a large towner out of lego each and see which one is the most crash proof (using fire trucks etc... to smash it) Also mazes are fun out of lego and they can drive there dinky cars threw etc... I find when there busy you need to get outside for a brisk walk as well to burn off some of that energy! Been there and get it!

I care for all ages and try to plan our days for all ages if they dont want to do what is planed for that time their options are to sit at the table an watch the other kids have fun doing the planed item (and they usually decide to do it as well :) ) or they can go to the quiet area an do puzzles or look at books so that they arent disrupting the other children in what they are doing