Keeping tiny toys away from a baby

[ItsNiceItsDifferentItsUnusual]

I have a 3.5 yr gap between dc, so ds1 is now very much into tiny things like lego and playmobil, and ds2 is about to crawl. The combination of tiny pieces and a roving baby is making me really nervous.

How did you handle this? I was wondering about getting a playpen but to me this is more a short term solution, like when you pop to the loo or make a sandwich - he obviously can't be in there for too long. But ds1 plays all day and although he's very good at keeping all the pieces fairly together, it's still potentially dangerous and I'm worried that one momentary slip of attention on my part could be all it takes for ds2 to get his hands on something.

Any advice?

I'm struggling with this too. I have persuaded DD1 that it would be nice to keep some things in her room and she can play there when she needs a break from the baby. She likes this.

I've explained to her why it is important to keep small items away from the baby and I got her to test things by seeing if they would pass down a look roll tube. She's actually been quite responsible and finds the baby something suitable to play with when she's got the Lego out.

She also does puzzles and things at the kitchen table now so they are high up.

Acknowledging how annoying it is for her seems to have helped her to be cooperative.

I've known people to buy a playpen for the OLDER child.
Can you have a small toys only in the bedroom/guest room/dining room rule?

I let him have them in his bedroom. Also got him Duplo which they both could enjoy together.

Little toys always get played with at the table in our house - also saves you from accidentally stepping on a piece that didn't get put away properly...

Small things kept boxed and out of reach. That's my intention anyway...
Anything a particular choke hazard due to shape I try and dispose of

Thanks, useful ideas. We'll be facing this next year as DD recently received various Sylvanian family sets for her 3rd birthday and we have twins on the way in Jan. I'm hoping she'll be happy keeping some of it in her room but she won't want to play there all the time. I probably will end up with some sort of room divider some of the time... I'm already lecturing her about keeping the little bits safe and putting them away, I've also removed about half of the tiny bits from each set...

When my dd was at the stage of putting everything in her mouth,I took all of ds’s small toys upstairs in his room,and took some of his bigger toys into the living room.
He was happy to play with the smaller toys in his room.

DD always played in their bedroom while DS2 and I were in the TV room.

Thanks this is all really helpful. I hadn't even considered suggesting ds1 moves upstairs for some play.

The kitchen table would be the perfect solution, but he likes to play on the floor really and I can see why, he gets loads of cars, men, props out etc and it can't really be done properly at a table.

Isittheholidaysyet I had actually wondered about the playpen for ds1 but didn't know if that was weird! In a way that would be easiest because ds1 can spread out within that space, while ds2 explores elsewhere.

The rest of the house is baby friendly, it's just the million tiny toys that ds plays with constantly.

3.6 years between dc3&4. He is 1 and she is 4 and a half. No small toys allowed downstairs.

I try to keep small toys upstairs as well, but inevitably something slips through. DS had a stretchy-person toy in his nappy one day; I hadn't even realised he swallowed it.

One thing that does set my mind at ease is from watching him eating. He really does know how to cough up something that isn't going down the right way and luckily he isn't much of a chewer/mouther.

I'm still vigilant of course but I don't freak out.over it, iyswim.

I was quite relaxed about ds3 and tiny toys. I found he was much better about not putting something in his mouth than the other two had been - especially ds1 who nearly choked on a coin and ds2 who shoved raisins up his nose . We did try and keep lego in ds1’s bedroom but inevitably things will slip.

5 year gap here. We did Lego on a tray on the dining table. Playmobil during nap time usually. Then we graduated to playmobil under supervision from about 18 months. Lego together from about 2.

OP, the friend it worked best for bought one of those large hexagonal playpen, which can be used as fold out barriers.

It depends on your house layout as well, if you have separate downstairs room, rather than open plan, can you stick a stair gate in the doorway of one room so the older DC can play in there. If you are in kitchen, can you take baby and leave DC1 with the living room, for instance.

By age three, he will probably be able to jump/climb/open stairgates and playpen, so he won't be restricted by them.

Thanks, I think that's what I'll do. Ds1 likes to be with me at the moment and likes me to play with him boring , though that may change soon - so realistically I can't see him playing upstairs or in a separate room currently. I think I'll get the sort of playpen you suggest, and either have it as ds1's area, or split the room in half.