How the hell do you keep a one year old out of the big kids' games?

[LibrariesGaveUsPower]

I have been really looking forward to the summer and spending more time with my big kids - aged 6 and 4.

However, two weeks in I'm flagging. Days out are ok. Sunny days are fine. But rainy days they want to do things like hama beads, lego, sylvanian familes, painting... All things that the one year old crawls into and trashes (or stands by the table and pulls down). They are annoyed that I can't sit with them (because I'm in another room restraining a flailing, wailing baby who wants to play and won't be distracted). He's annoyed. I'm on the edge of tears.

Naps are short and hit and miss, so I can't structure the day like that.

Any wise words for things that will absorb the little one's attention for a few minutes? Maybe?

I have DCs 8&6 and 18 mnths so am in the same boat. The older two have a stair gate on the door to their room where little non baby toys go. They're quite good at playing there by themselves. I think we try to do some altogether activities like cupcake decorating alternated with playing with toys where I have to supervise the baby so the older ones don't feel neglected.

Obviously this doesn't work perfectly, being cooped up in the wet weather is driving us all mental, we went for a rainy walk this afternoon to get out of the house!

Anything the older ones are playing with the little one wants, I've given up trying to combine little toys with having her in the room

I kind of have that problem now with a 3yo who wants to play with dds 5, 7 and 8, but it is not being reciprocated!

Could you put 1 yr in high chair and give them tricky, time-consuming things to eat? Sultanas, cut up grapes. Or perhaps anything like blocks etc while in a high chair?

ESP with dc4, I think the high chair was a good restraint, because we could all still do stuff at the table, just outside of dc4s reach.

Now, when all else fails, I put dc4 on a stool and let her watch CBeebies on iplayer. Not my favourite method of distractions, but it is tricky!

Thanks for the sympathy! A shut door works for the girls (He's not walking yet, so can't turn a door handle and open yet). But I feel so sad not being with them.

Food is a possibility. He's a bottomless pit.

He has no interest in tv . I was relying on tv. The DDs picked up tv by one.

Ha I once put my eldest in the play pen to play in peace worked a treat

I used to put non toy items (wooden spoons, plastic containers/cups, an old bunch of keys and an old phone) on the floor for the younger one to investigate which seemed to keep them quiet and busy for quite awhile.

I put the 4 year old in a travel cot with his toys. He thinks it's great fun