My dd 4 won't play by herself for any length of time. Any advice please?

[Trickymoments]

My dd is 4 & also have ds 8. They don't play together at all due to age gap.
During the week I am at home with both of them after school hours (dd still at pre-school), I work until 2pm each day.

My dd wants my attenttion all the time & as much as I love it's driving me slightly crazy as I cannot
get anything else done.
She has lots of nice things to play with but won't do anything by herself.

Yesterday we had a lovely day out as a family & today ds & dh have gone out to ds's sport event.

My house is a tip, piles if washing everywhere, decluttering started & not finished, admin to do, garden to sort etc etc. Dd won't let me do a thing and moans if I'm not playing with her & then I feel guilty.

Please can anyone advise as I'm going slightly crazy & as everything builds up I get more short with her. Thanks

[Cocochoco]

Give her jobs to do with you for a start. She can fold laundry - you can redo it later - put cutlery away, wash Windows etc. Put music on so you can sing at the same time maybe?

[BrightandEarly]

Maybe be really clear that you're not saying no, but you're doing something else first?

So something like: I will read that book with you, after I've finished folding this laundry.

[BertieBotts]

Give her "challenges" especially if the result can be some kind of surprise you can see afterwards - like a craft, lego model, train track, etc.

[BazilGin]

Did you try just starting a play and then leaving her to it after 10 mins? I find that if i start playing with DD (4), set up a play scenario (either playmobil, duplo, dollies) she them carries on by herself. She just needs a bit of time with me first and then she'd happily play on her own.