If you’re like Mums everywhere, hints and tips for getting the most out of the after school juggle are always welcome!

So we sat down and made a list of the top suggestions we’ve heard from MoM Members over the years about how to ensure the after school run is a dream run.

Whether mums and their kids are at home or out and about and on the go, we think these ideas give mums a toolkit of ideas to smooth the way for everyone.

1. Fuel up the kids before they’re running on empty.

 If you’re heading straight from school to activities, have an afternoon snack organised that is going to give your kids the energy they need to see them through until dinner. An UNCLE TOBYS® Muesli Bar, a piece of fruit and a bottle of water provides fuel that is not only delicious but is good for them too.

Keep a stash of UNCLE TOBYS Muesli Bars ready for after school fuel. There’s a huge range of kids bars with delicious ingredients and the goodness of 100% Aussie Oats to fuel your child’s day.

2. Family Calendars save the day.

 The minute you have children with after school activities, you need a family calendar.  You can have as much fun with this as you like – it can be a wall painted with blackboard paint that you update each week, or a large format ‘week to a view’ calendar.  For older kids, you might have a communal iPad that stays in the kitchen and is updated as things pop up.

The family calendar helps everyone plan and get organised!  Start with the regular activities (e.g. swimming lessons, dance class or music lessons) and then add in activities, appointments or play dates as they pop up.

3. The ‘Bag per Activity per Child Rule’.

One of the best tips we’ve had, which we’ve used since our children were tiny is to have a specific bag per child for each after school activity. Use basic drawstring bags that you can label with each child’s name and the activity. If you have the room, have them all hanging on hooks in a communal space. The great thing about these bags is that it’s the go to place – once the kids take off their soccer boots they put them back into the bag, once their ballet tights are clean they go straight back into the right bag.

 Getting ready for each activity is simple – pop an UNCLE TOBYS muesli bar into each bag to keep them going and you’re on the way. No scrambling looking for shoes, tights, or swimming goggles!

Our kids love the Yoghurt range of UNCLE TOBYS Muesli Bars – a host of delicious flavours and all made with 100% Aussie Oats. Fuel that will keep them going through any after school activity.

4. Have a daily debrief with each child.

Kids love to tell you about their day so this is a wonderful opportunity to start an afternoon tradition that everyone looks forward to. While they are eating some afternoon tea, ask them what their highlight of the day was and something new they learnt about today. This will get them chatting.  When it becomes a daily ritual, they’ll begin to look forward to it and will be planning their highlight during the school day.  If you are straight into after school activities, use the car trip to have the children share something memorable from their day with you – don’t forget to tell them about yours too!

Do you have any other afternoon recharge tips you’d like to share? Are there UNCLE TOBYS Muesli Bar favourites with your family? We’d love to hear from you.

We are proud to have developed these lunchbox ideas for families together with the team from UNCLE TOBYS. We love that everyday they are giving Mums like us Australia’s largest range of 4 out of 5 Health Star Rating muesli bars! With delicious ingredients, no artificial colours or flavours and wholegrain fibre from 100% Aussie Oats, UNCLE TOBYS are truly helping us make our family’s lunchboxes and on-the-go snacks awesome all round.