How do I safely play lego with my 4yr old, and 15 month old?

[kiwi19]

I know you will say, keep them away from the 15 month old... but my older son really needs/wants to start playing with older kids toys and has the right too, but my younger son wants to do what his older brother does. I've suggested him playing it in his room on his own, but he wants to be with us, so that doesn't work. I've tried him sitting up at the table, but then the little one wants to join in.

I was thinking I could put up a room divider in the lounge and have his older boy stuff on one side where our dining table is, and only the safe toys on the other side, then he would be with us but safe. The other problem is he needs my help with a lot of the stuff, so I would have to sit with him while the little one is left on the other side, which of course he will get really frustrated.

The older one still has a nap so that isn't a time we could play yet, but we are working on dropping that nap, then I will definitely make that time for just me and him to work on the older toys. They also go to be about the same time, so that wouldn't work either.

Thanks for ideas, I'm sure lots of moms are dealing with this all the time.

Cheers in advance for suggestions.

Sit the older one at the dining table to play lego and with small things, so the baby can't get up there.

Sorry, just seen you've tried that. Does your 15 month old still use a high chair? If so, that creates a bit of distance from the older one's toys - he can have his toys on his highchair tray, but not be able to reach the 4yr old's ones on the table.

Tbh, I always used a playpen at that age, as it is so difficult!

I had separate booster seats at each end of dining table - Lego for one, something simple like playdough or easy crayons. Get a cheap tray for all the Lego to go on- easy to tip it out but move it then.

We had a very simple rule - if it's on the floor, it's fair game for DS2.

DS1 learned very quickly that any game or toy he wanted to keep in one piece had to stay on the dining room table, or in his room. We used to put a cloth (old sheet:) ) on the table, and made sure that any bits that dropped on the floor were picked up straight away.

I have 4 DC ranging in age from 11 down to now 20 months. From the very start with the baby (age gap of six years between her and next eldest) I have had to deal with the similar issue to you of umpteen fiddly bits of toy about the place. In our house it ranges from Go-Gos to lego to polly pocket items, Barbie shoes, money, Knex, marbles, you name it.

Because I have been fighting a losing battle over this for the last several years and have given up hope of having a safely hooverable floor, yet alone one that is not the choking equivalent of a landmine, I have taught baby DD not to put stuff in her mouth. This wasn't easy and isn't as simple as freaking out the second they try and eat a marble but has worked fantastically. She now sorts out coins for Daddy (he owns a shop) under supervision and can be trusted not to gobble any of it.

Duplo for the smaller one. I have same issue now, and have also bought a tray from ikea that DS1 can play Lego on, containing all the small bits, then can just lift the whole thing up onto the sofa if DS2 becomes too fast and eats a minifigure interested

we go for put things on the dining room table and if its on the floor its fair game for ds2 type approach too. if your younger one is able to reach the dining table that's a bit of a problem though
if you had a playpen i would probably go with putting the older one + lego in the playpen and let your ds2 have the rest of the space as he might not like to be confined whereas your ds1 would atleast understand the benefit of being in there for his lego purposes..

thanks to all for the suggestions. i will persevere with two ends of the table and sit in between. i am thinking if i give him something special at the times when we do bigger boy stuff it may work out okay. so far he just wants the lego too though. duplo just won't do. i'll keep trying. also, the playpen idea may work too, or the room divider which is basically the same thing but not so extreme for either of them.

i appreciate all the suggestions. i will keep trying to stop him from eating everything, any tips on that?

cheers to you all!