What activity to do with a 5 yr old?

[TheMaskedHorror]

That will take about 45 mins?
I have a demanding 3 month old too so it needs to be not too dependent on me.

I have this slot every week now with ds2 while ds1 has an after school activity and I really would like to spend it doing something with him. I feel like he does get a bit overlooked in a typical middle child way, although I really try not to.

Will you be at home or out and about?

Baking, or crafts?

home. out is easier :)

Both of mine love cooking or baking, you could put dc3 in a sling if needed.

Sorry not baking as thats something both like to do and I'm rubbish at crafts.
I need something specific.

board games? dd1 (5) loves them, and they're easy to play with dc3 on your lap or in a sling

A spefic craft I mean.

Board games is a great idea! We never seem to have time for board games even though I'd love to play them more with dcs and dh.

Get yourself onto Pinterest, absolutely tonnes of ideas on there

Will check out Pinterest :)

Modelling clay? Make an animal, or a pencil pot and paint it?
I quite like getting a load of old boxes and packaging, some masking tape and getting DD (also 5) to decide what she wants to make - could be a house or a farm, a dinosaur or a plane. Big boxes are good for ships/planes etc.
Make a mosaic design out of ripped up bits of tissue - or draw something like a big bird and rip up tissue paper to make feathers and stick them on with glue sticks, or get some craft feathers.
Fish tank in a box - tissue paper/dishcloths
Spooky shoe box - paint it black inside then make dangly spiders and hang them inside - pom poms and pipe cleaners.
None of these require much skill.

Ds has a book of paper monsters that are fun to make, even for a crack handed fool like me. Called Papertoy monsters.

Or we do a magazine that he likes: he loves Power Rangers and Ben 10, and they often have quite good games in them, surprisingly.

Or check out theimaginationtree.com - tonnes of really fab ideas there too

here

board games are great, my 5 year old loves snakes and ladders, ludo, guess who, downfall etc. Or how about just reading books together?

We played a game of Frustration, did a couple of jigsaw puzzles and looked at some dinosaur books. It was really nice.

I'll check out all the links for ideas for the following weeks. Thanks :)

Paper airplanes. Easy enough to make, plus tonnes of more complex designs if you have a google. Fun to colour in and decorate and fun to fly. My 4 year old can't quite make them by himself yet but he loves to decorate the ones I make and fly them around the house.

Hats and masks can be made fairly easily and then decorated with paint/glue/sequins etc

If you live near a Wilkinson they are great for cheap and cheerful 'ready-made' crafts. Last time I looked they had wooden boxes to decorate and blank puzzles to draw your own picture on and colour in.

Hama beads, making something specific with Lego, ds1 likes to draw pictures to make into a little picture book and I write the story that he makes up. Board games are great too.