Activities
There are many different ways to incorporate activities into your breakfast club. Added activities attract members and keep them coming year round. They also help develop concentration, social skills and confidence.
The activities should reflect the needs and wishes of the group members. Offer a variety, but ask members what they want. Be prepared to change what you are doing now and then to keep them interested. Offering a good range is easy once you get going.
Free play can be as valuable as structured sessions. The key is to offer both in a tailored and accessible way.
Activity ideas
For a quick fix here are some activities which only need a little bit of space and some imagination:
Download eight ready to run activity sheets (PDF file, 80KB).
For up-to-date, topical activity ideas, view our activities of the month page.
Don’t forget each month we feature a new activity in the Breakfast Bulletin.
Top Tips on how to plan a term’s activities
- To enable you to create a sense of continuity and tie each session together, roughly plan the whole term before the first sessions take place. This encourages members to come back to ‘see what happens’ or ‘make the next bit’.
- To avoid disappointment, ensure that all equipment and materials are sourced as far in advance as possible.
- Think about the activities you are considering - are they inclusive? Can they be adapted to suit all children in the group?
- Look at the school calendar – are other trips, residentials or activities taking place that will lower attendance at any key points?
- Although the activities may be linked together, would a newcomer be able and welcome to join in at any point through the term?
Activity Planning
Our activity planner (word doc 19KB) will help you:
- Evaluate the activities you offer your members
- Note how they link in with the curriculum,
- Identify the learning objectives they assist.
Keep a planner sheet for every different activity you try in a club folder. You can swap and share ideas with other clubs in your local area.
Free resource
Developed with help from the DfES (now DCSF) and Kellogg's, our resource guide takes you through the steps to set up a breakfast club and keep it going. Essential reading that complements this website.
To download this and more, please visit our resources page.
Activities for blind or partially sighted club members
NEW! We have worked with the RNIB magazine, Insight, to adapt some of the activity ideas listed above to suit blind or partically sighted groups and individuals. Check out the adapted activities and find some additional ideas:
Download the Insight activities (Word, 34 KB).
For further information and support please visit the Insight website.
Singing breakfast clubs
ContinYou and Sing Up would like you to breakfast and then break… into song!
ContinYou and Sing Up are working with four school clusters in Middlesbrough to develop singing breakfast clubs. The idea is to blow away those cobwebs first thing in the morning by taking part in fun-filled singing activities.
To find out more about the benefits of singing, singing activities and how your school can become a singing breakfast club, visit the Sing Up! page.
