Quiet Activities After School

Quiet is a property of the environment

A “quiet activity” will not feel quiet if it sits beside bag storage, a speaker, a busy walkway or a competitive table. Begin by deciding where children can work with fewer interruptions and what “quiet” means in that location. Use observable expectations such as “voices that stay at this table” or “headphones at a level only you can hear”.

Quiet choices are not treatment and should not be used to diagnose or manage a child. They are ordinary leisure options that may suit children after a socially and physically demanding school day.

Set up a quiet-choice area

Provide three to five choices rather than a large display:

blank paper, drawing tools and one optional prompt;
a familiar puzzle, maze or word search;
books, comics or visual reference materials;
a small construction tray with countable pieces;
cards for individual or partner play;
a “continue later” folder for unfinished work.

Keep each activity in a separate tray. Show the maximum number of seats or floor spaces. Place a return label or example equipment layout inside each tray so pack-down does not depend on a long verbal instruction.

A practical after-school transition

Arrival · first 10 minutes

Greet children using the service’s normal routine. Point to the available areas and say when food, movement and new activities will open. Do not require children to answer a reflective question immediately after school.

Quiet choices remain open · 20–30 minutes

Let children work alone, beside others or with one partner. An educator stays available but avoids turning every activity into instruction. If a child wants to talk, respond; if they prefer silence, do not require an explanation.

Add movement without closing quiet choices · 10–15 minutes

Open a separate movement area with a clear boundary. Use controlled actions or a short outdoor option where possible. Keep the quieter table open for children who are still using it.

Transition to the next part of the program

Give a five-minute and two-minute warning. Children place unfinished work in the labelled folder, return complete kits to their trays and move according to the service’s food or activity routine. Avoid a sudden whole-room pack-up if some children arrived later than others.

If the quiet area is not working

Move it away from collection paths and active spectators.
Reduce the number of seats rather than allowing crowding.
Put only one complete set of each material on the table.
Add visual instructions and a finished-equipment picture.
Offer a parallel social table for children who want to talk while making.
Replace a frustrating worksheet with blank paper or a familiar activity.
Check lighting, glare, room temperature and competing sound.
Ask children what should stay, move or change, then trial one feasible suggestion.

Participation and access

Provide broad-grip tools, larger print, high-contrast materials and stable work surfaces where useful. A child may trace with a finger, use counters, dictate a story, listen to an educator read or simply look through a book. Keep reading and writing choices available without making them compulsory. Follow the child’s communication method and the service’s existing inclusion plans.

My Time, Our Place V2.0 connection

The quiet area may create opportunities connected with MTOP; its presence alone does not demonstrate an outcome.

Outcome 1 — children and young people have a strong sense of identity: a predictable welcome, respected preferences and control over participation can create opportunities to feel secure and exercise agency.
Outcome 3 — children and young people have a strong sense of wellbeing: access to rest, food and drink routines, comfortable spaces, movement and choices about social intensity can support planning for wellbeing.
Outcome 4 — children and young people are confident and involved learners: self-selected puzzles, drawing, construction and continued projects can create opportunities for concentration, persistence and problem-solving.
Practice — environments: space, sound, traffic, material organisation and access shape whether the invitation is genuinely usable.
Practice — continuity and transitions: familiar cues, storage routines and choices can connect the school day, care setting and collection period.
Practice — responsiveness to children and young people: observe how the area is used and change its setup with children rather than assuming everyone relaxes in the same way.

Read the official My Time, Our Place V2.0 framework and ACECQA’s approved learning frameworks guidance.

Useful documentation

Document the program decision and observable response: “three children returned to unfinished drawings after the movement game, so the continuation folder will remain beside the art tray” is useful planning evidence. Note access barriers, sustained interests, child suggestions and transitions that became easier or harder. Avoid interpreting quietness as proof of emotional wellbeing.

Team reflection

Is the area physically separated from the busiest traffic?
Can a child understand how to begin and pack away without a long explanation?
Is there an equally valid social or active choice?
Whose preferred way of arriving is not represented?
What did children ask to keep or change?

Related themes and downloads

Use these as optional starting points and adapt them to the children, space and materials in front of you.