Three under 5.

[willowrose30]

Anyone else have experience of such a young sibling group? Ideas to keep them entertained over the looming summer hols? Or any other words of wisdom to keep me sane. :) :)

[mum2tots]

Outside!
Forest, parks, beech, moorland,
If you can face it, arts and crafts, playdough is a good bet too.

[rootypig]

Swimming, for days you have another adult pair of hands. Have you an outdoor pool near you? Ours is fairly expensive but we go early, take a picnic and spend the day (take books and toys for playing in the shade while the little one/s nap) - they're zapped and ready to pass out by 5

Games day in the park - hop scotch (chalks from the pound shop), chucking bean bags into a tub, lime and spoon, three legged, use whatever you have or can borrow. Picnic too. Spend the afternoon hunting for things for a nature collage and then an activity at home sticking it all to paper.

Bread making? Hugh FW has a recipe for 'magic dough' that is cheap and easy, older one/s can help then make shapes (letters, plaits) and eat them for lunch, littlest can just smoosh the dough.

Biscuit decorating- buy a pack of cheap digestives, make vile coloured icing, unleash the smarties and jelly diamonds

'Painting' the fence and house outside - buckets of water and paintbrushes, while you sit on the rug and play with the littlie, amazing how much they love this ??

TV! Rent a classic Disney film and have a movie afternoon with treats.

[willowrose30]

Thanks guys. Love the mini sports day idea. Its so tricky finding things for the older two whilst still entertaining the little one. Think im going to need to invest in lots of bits for the garden over the summer. :)

[missingwordsround]

under 5? In this weather...grab sun hats, suncream and... I have a

Garden/patio full of scoot around/sit on toys.
Sandpit teeming with toys and buckets and spades.
Balls/footballs.
Water play in a (very) shallow paddling pool
Watering cans ( have child sized ones - or just a small plastic bottle with holes will do just fine) and water all the plants.
Bubbles - the huge big wands that little ones can just wave and blowing bubbles for the older ones - always a hit.

I too, do the "paint" the house/fence idea with a pot of water and a cheap b&q type paintbrush!! at rootypig

Indoor play - play doh, painting (hand printing for little ones) Drums - make your own with pots/pans and wooden spoons etc