Caroline and Marcus arrive and you greet them cheerfully. While you try to interest them in various activities, they flop down on chairs as far away from the rest of the group as possible. They mutter disconsolately to each other while playing with their Gameboys or mobile phones. Others of a similar age arrive and join the moody huddle. If this sounds familiar, it is probably because these children feel that they have outgrown your out-of-school club.
Unlike school, where there is an annual change of teacher and classroom, children can attend the same out-of-school club with the same staff and many of the same children for years. This stability can be a positive thing, but as children mature, the activities they used to enjoy will seem boring and they will drive you nuts by saying so... repeatedly.
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