Question about kids activity. Is this a good idea? Bad idea?

[Wishing on a star]

I am going to try to phrase this so that it gets some really objective responses.

Here is my example. Let's say a group, like a Church Group or Girl Scouts, is planning a Lock-in.

This is to last overnight, until morning.

Until about Midnight, the kids will complete several classes or projects. (Not just games, movies, popcorn, etc...)

Is this a good idea for kids?
At what ages? I know that teens often have lock-ins, but what about younger ages?

Thanks!

 

[DVCLiz]

Our Girl Scout troop has participated in two lock-ins, both at science museums. The girls loved them - they arrived about 6pm, had several planned activities to earn badges, and had dinner and snacks later in the evening. Then they had a bedtime activity (at one of the places, it was a planetarium show) and spread out their sleeping bags. The next morning, they had doughnuts and juice before the moms came to pick them up. I think the girls earned three different badges on that one occasion!! It's a great and fun activity - my girls are still talking about it.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Through about 7th grade our girl scout overnights were very structured with activities. Most were crafts, but there were learning things too, all in an effort to learn badges. Starting in 8th grade, I think, our overnights were moved to the local YMCA, so the activities were more sports like, like swimming or playing basketball, and the leaders allowed us to be less structured, although I think the younger girls (kindergarten and up) had more learning style activities. Our weekend camporees were even always a mix of learning and crafts and sports. I think as long as not every single one of your activities is educational (mix in a craft or an opportunity to run around) you'll be fine. You definitely don't have to show movies the whole night; the kids can even find ways to entertain themselves....

 

[Wishing on a star]

Thanks!

These are the kinds of things that I mentioned that the teens/preteens often do!

I am concerned about how demanding this may be for young children?

 

[Tinijocaro]

Midnight is waytoo late for elementary kids. Might be too late for some middle schoolers too. Why not start a bit earlier? It's the parents who pay the price the next day with crabby and tired kids. Anything that can be done at midnight can be done earlier too- maybe a movie around 8 or 9, so those who are tired can fall asleep- do the projects earlier.

Jackie

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, I will be more specific here...

A good number of these kids are as young as six years old.
I will go ahead and let on that this all-nighter, as well as the expectation to be cooperative, and productive, and to learn, at midnight, well it concerns me. I am not sure I feel that this is appropriate. Not to mention, that many of the parents will not only have to deal with the kids the next day. Because the kids are young, the parents are expected to participate and spend the night as well. (won't find these old-bones of mine trying to sleep on the floor!!! LOL!!!!)

 

[disneygals]

My dd did this in 2nd grade. However, we didn't sleep over as she had an activity the following morning. I caused quite a stir in the Girl Scout world daring to leave an event with my own daughter! The aquarium didn't care at all and the security guard gave us 2 free passes for the Imax that we would miss in the a.m.

My kids are night owls, so wouldn't have a problem with the late hour. They are older now, but I still tell them, if you are cranky after a sleepover, it's your last one!

 

[Tinijocaro]

Last year when dd was 6, her Brownie troop and others, including older Girl Scouts had a sleepover at a church. DD wanted me to stay, so I did. Never again. By 9PM the Brownies were all beat, and several were crying, including my dd- they were TIRED!!! When it got to be 10, a movie was put in, but the teenagers were too wound up to settle down, so they kept the Brownies and parents up till close to midnight. It was no fun and our troop leader agreed that they would never sleep over with the teens again. They are doing a sleepover this year with just Brownies, Lights out by 9 or 10.

Late sounds fun in theory, but in reality, it sucks.

Jackie

 

[The Mystery Machine]

From experience, I would say 4th grade is old enough to be without parents.

If parents are participating for the younger ones then I think it is OK. You can go home. It is "more fun" when you are younger. Older kids around 7th grade lose some of that "magic" with lock ins.

I have done lock ins at the Science Center, Zoo, Planetarium, & Museums as a Girl Scout leader. We started in 4th grade and had no troubles. In fact I would say that is a great age. In 6th grade the lock ins are kinda ho-hum for them.

 

[golfgal]

I think 6 years old is way to young to have an all-night lock-in, personally. Why not have a mini lock-in until say 11PM. They can do all the fun stuff and then go home. I know our Tae Kwon Do gym does a lock in every summer. The kids that are under 12 do the mini one that goes until 11PM. They play games, have a couple work outs, watch a movie and eat pizza. Once they are over 12, they have a separate lock in that goes all night. They do the same things, just more of them.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Good idea golfgal! K-3 goes home. Makes sense too me!

 

[Wishing on a star]

The oldest of these kids are 10-12... mostly 6-10

And, the 'fun' doesn't start until after all the classes and projects... at around midnight.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

That is too late. All sleepover lockins I have been too it is lights out then. Little ones cannot be up that late. I would say it is unfair to expect them to participate in activites after 10pm for a 6-9yos.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Thanks you guys... It is nice to have my concerns validated!!!

 

[disykat]

We were in the planning stages of one for 4 - 6th graders that never happened. We were planning to stop planned activities at around 10, have an hour of rowdy time then a quiet activity at 11 followed by winding down and settling in for the night. Our goal was to actually have them in bed at around midnight, figuring they were going to start getting up pretty early too. Not a whole lot of sleep, but not an all night frenzy either - these are elementary kids!

I know it's been discussed here before and people have very different ideas as to whether kids are supposed to actually sleep on any kind of sleepover. I know there are people who think bedtimes are for killjoys. I'm in the camp that thinks they should get to stay up late, but kids need their sleep and it's up to the adults to be the ones to arrange the schedule accordingly.

When I was a young adult, I supervised some high school lock ins - and even then we had a bedtime where the kids were required to be on or in their sleeping bags and relatively quiet.

 

[ceiligh1]

Growing up my grade school had a program called book bagers. It was an overnight with about 10 stations. Each station had taken their theme from a book with an activity that went with it. For example a story about volcanos had us making a volcano that erupted ect. The kids would pick 6 stations that they wanted to go and were assigned 4 from that list. We were at each for 30 min and then we would move on. We were in sleeping bags by 10. No way were we allowed to stay up past then. It is one of the few things I remember from gradeschool. It was so hard to say goodbye and move on to middle school.

 

[kasar]

I really pushed for this when my DD was in 5th grade and they were going on to middle school - I thought it would be a great way to bond and have some unstructured (not completely but I really think that kids are way too scheduled and regulated but that's my own opinion)time to just hang out with friends or make new ones. In my mind I imagined that there would be activities available for anyone that was excited to stay up and there would be quiet areas for those that wanted to chat quietly or even sleep.

I thought it was a great idea. Unfortunately, not many other people did. The principal thought it was a great idea and was willing to stay to be the "authority" figure but it still never passed the parents' vote.

I think you should go for it and the people that don't want to participate can stay home. I was never one for caring about cranky kids the next day. So what? They're cranky. Not the first time, not the last. To me, the fun of the night is worth the crankiness the next day but I know that's not a popular opinion.

 

[grlpwrd]

If it's a GS activity the coordinator/troop leader needs to consult with the policy set forth in Safety Wise.

Aside from the regulations, though, common sense tells me that I don't think staying up late for a younger child is conducive to their well being. Of course, with parental permission it would be okay. Are the parents okay with it? Did the person in charge get Council appproval?

If parents give their okay, if Safety Wise guidelines are followed, if necessary allocations are made (ie they get enough rest and awaken later than usual), and the girls want this then I wouldn't see a problem with it.