I appreciate what you are saying in respect to it not being a gender thing if you have experienced it with girls also but I'd hazard a guess that that was a coincidence. The fact is that a boys brain works differently and I'd hazard a guess that they can't stay on task because a boys attention span is different than a girls and crafts are probably boring to them. Programming for grade 1 and 2 is very different than for 3 year olds so it's my opinion that the problem lies there. Those kids are bored because there brains aren't being challenged enough and also depending on what they do for fun, meaning they are happy on their ds and other electronics, they likely have lost the ability to actually play with cooperation in a group especially with such significant differences in developmental stages within your age groups resulting in entertaining themselves by goofing off, wrestling, and generally causing havocecause your activities don't have them engaged at their level of interest. This is more common than not in boys of this age group. People may have experienced this with girls to but it is likely coincidence and the girls are just at the age of sass and attitude so are playing up for a different reason all together. These boys are likely like this in the classroom too but can try it on more with you as it's just 1 day. I personally don't think a home daycare program can meet the needs of a school age child. We don't have the resources to offer them what they need socially or developmentally while also running our regular program geared towards the 3 and under age groups. Now one great school ager on their own is easier to work with on occasion as they can be the big kid, helping the younger ones by showing them how to do things and being given some big kid responsibilities but then I only know my own kids to be in that role as I won't take school age kids, even just for the odd day. If I had no choice, the kids would experience my wrath if they misbehaved lol I'm nice really....separated from each other, disciplined when not following rules and constantly watched like a hawk. My younger group are on auto pilot for the days activities and routine so I could do this on an occasional day. I'd make your day as simple as possible and if you have to, make it a movie day and tell those kids to come in pj's and bring their favourite DVD.