Entertaining my four year old grandson for the weekend

[snauralaura]

He's a lovely, lively, happy little chap. We've got him for four nights. I have all the usual playdough, paints, baking equipment. He loves dinosaurs and cars. What activities/games can I plan and what bits and bobs can I pick up from the charity shops to keep him entertained? Thanks in anticipation for any advice!

Go on a bear hunt in the woods, that is an absolute favourite of my kids when they were young and no I do it with my grandkids. They love singing the words every time we come across an obstacle etc.

my grand kids also love decorating biscuits with the red string “hair” liquorice and smiley teeth and jelly tots. We have an audio book on every night for 30 minutes when wet have a sleep over and do things like paper mache balloon pinstas and paint them to look like bugs /butterflies.

i love being a nanny, my 8 grand kids and nephews age 6m to 6 are amazing little people. Although I’m only brave enough to have a sleep over with 2-3 at a time 😂

I just wanted to say you sound like such a lovely grandparent. What a lucky little boy.

My boy loved balls! Kicking it, throwing it, hitting it, catching it.

Take child to charity shop
Let him choose
It might be the opposite of what you would choose

Soft play? Where about are you roughly what about the safari park if you are near enough, so you are in the car if the weather is rubbish.

Actually this is a great idea just take him in for a look,

Build a fort. I used to turn all the dining chairs upside down and cover them with sheets and cushions.

I also used to put duvets down the stairs and make a slide.

I love how much effort you’re putting into this @snauralaura, you have a lucky grandson! You’ve got some lovely ideas on this thread. My son’s favourite things to do with his grandparents at that age was food shopping, (looking for things, getting to choose the type of bread/treats/fruit was particularly exciting) and going on random journeys. My dad would pick a location that involved train or bus travel and my son really loved that too.
I hope you have a lovely weekend with him.

I think instead of buying things in advance you could take him with you if you want to buy a few things to keep at yours. Do you have a nice library? Could take him to pick out a few books for the weekend, then to the charity shop to pick out a toy or 2, have lunch or a cake out, then home for some playing / baking / whatever. It’s such a great age and he sounds lovely so will likely be happy with anything you want to do with him.

Ooh yes, can you take him on a bus ride? My kids thought that was peak entertainment when they were little! Charity shop and tea break and then bus ride home again.

Thanks for all the brilliant suggestions everyone. Lots of great ideas!

Be very careful of YouTube if you are not VERY confident of settings - my then 2 yr old finished up on Peppa Pig zombie chainsaw massacre via Grandpas phone.
know where your nearest SoftPlay is (?leisure centre) for if you need it. Some blank paper and colouring pencils.
Ask parents to send a favourite bedtime story with them.

Definitely out and about in the fresh air. Highly recommend small petting zoos for a lovely day out. Also country parks usually have playparks, walks by the river, somewhere for a coffee. Don’t underestimate museums as well as some have specific kiddie sections with interactive displays.

Whatever he is into, you'll know all about it by the end of the stay. You'll be an expert in it yourself. I agree bringing him to the charity shop is a nice idea. Or let him pick 1 new toy at a toy shop.

I'm in Scotland and have two boys close in age. I find it much easier to parent out of the house - everyone is happier and the days are more their own and eventful. I aim to be out by 10am every day. If the weather is bad I plan an indoor outing.

If I were you i would be planning an outing everyday, as then the rest of the day will take care of itself. I could not imagine a whole day in the house with a pre schooler - I think I'd run out of things to do by mid morning! I appreciate we are all different but people are saying go out for a good reason, it will likely be easier and more fun.

Make a paper mache 'land' for his dinasaurs tha he can paint

Get done cardboard boxes, make a house and garden he can paint

Salt dough and cooked. Then painted my kids spent hours with this.

mine all loved jigsaws 😬
bubbles whilst outside and ask the mum to bring a scooter to visit a garden centre / park etc.

Biscuits with cutters (you could buy some car ones or dinosaur ones) although the mum might not be into sugar.

Lego set would be nice (duplo) or buy a kit for their age to do together.

All else fails bob the builder to chill.

Less suggestion, more planning - i would aim to get him out doing something active in the morning - ideally outside but otherwise swimming, soft play etc where he can burn off some energy early on. Then home for lunch and a calmer afternoon of the activities you have planned. A bath can be good entertainment too - mine is 7 now but still loves playing with various pouring containers and things in the bath.

You won't need a whole lot of toys, at 4 if you can hit on something that takes his interest, he can be busy with it for ages. (Cardboard boxes are great for this)

If he has dinosaur figures at home, ask to borrow some and hide 10 around the house/garden for him to find and collect (make a note of where you've hidden them if you're likely to forget 😂 speaking from experience there). Have some verbal clues ready to get him thinking. Some could be doing funny things when he finds them e.g. making footprints in the play doh, driving a toy car. Quick to set up but can occupy a block of time and incorporates lots of movement if they're hidden all round the house and at different levels

make a list of about 8 things (in discussion with child) of things he has to find on a walk with you.
e.g.three birds flying together, a red stone, somebody on a bike, a pink flower, things like that. Then go with him on a nature walk, with this list, one for him and one for you, tick off when you see these things. the winner gets a small prize.
My grandchildren loved this and really enjoyed discussing the various flowers and plants that we saw. They also liked offering suggestions as to what should go on the list..

forgot to add things like a slug of a tiny insect.....

My grandchildren loved the library at that age- our local one always has some sort of arty activity out - and a treasure hunt
The local park is good for a run around doesn’t matter if it’s a bit chilly as long as it’s not too rainy