FFN caregiving and school age children

school-aged boysFFN caregiving continues after children are infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Children ages 6-12 also go to their relatives, friends, and neighbors for out of school time care.
You may be caring for infants and toddlers who will remain in your care once they start school or maybe you already care for school age children and want some age- appropriate resources. While caregiving arrangements may change as children age, the time they are able to spend with caregivers is valuable and influential.

There are resources available to support caregivers of school age children.  The links below provide examples of information on child development, activities to do indoors and out, tips for disciplining children, and strategies for managing relationships with the parents of the child.

Child development: 

Ages & Stages – School Age Children—Edades y etapas. Niños de edad escolar
Part of the University of Illinois Extension's Guide to the Business of Babysitting. The purpose of the guide is to prepare potential babysitters with the knowledge and skills necessary to care for children.

PBS Parents' Child Development Tracker
Explore childhood development stages through age 8, along with developmental milestones and skill-building games.

Discipline, parent relationships, etc.: 

Grandparents' Web
Grandparents' Web includes articles of interest to grandparents, activities for grandchildren, a discipline primer for grandparents and more.

ParentFurther
ParentFurther seeks to help caregivers raise caring, healthy, responsible, successful kids. This resource provides access to support and practical, everyday steps to help with a wide range of parenting issues.

Activities for spending time together:

99 Things To Do With Your Grandchild This Fall
As days get shorter and the air gets crisp, there are many ways to celebrate the season together, outdoors and in.

100 Things To Do With Your Grandchild This Summer
Get ready to have some fun in the sun. There's something for every grandparent and grandchild on our list of oh-so-simple summer activities.