What to do with toddlers when the big kids are out of school?

[tulip27]

Any ideas to stop little ones being squashed by the schools out crowd?

errr .. watch them?

most big kids tend to be excellent with smaller children

Just to say I sympathise as I also worry where to take DD who's 2. It's not just that I worry about bigger children squashing her you also feel that mums with older ones are sometimes annoyed with you for allowing a little one to join in on things during school holidays, like you're supposed to stay in for six weeks. Have you got any other friends with kids the same age? I tend to meet round people's houses more and turn the kids loose in the garden! The only places I avoid during the hols are soft play places. I find the weather more annoying than the holidays! Sorry not much help but just wanted to say I know where you're coming from.

sympathy - all the parks and soft play places are suddenly MOBBED with bigger children!

friends houses/back gardens?
arrive at parks really early before they get busy...or after 4.30pm when people are leaving?

Older toddlers quite like the park when older kids there.

DS keeps trying to get in the gang.

My plan is just to avoid places that attract lots of children (swimming pools, soft play etc) until the schools go back. They're just too crowded and noisy. Yesterday we went to a playground that ds normally loves, but he found lots of big children rather intimidating, and just stood there looking scared.

Next week we're going to visit some gardens and visit lots of tile warehouses. Older toddlers might be different, but ds is just as happy with that as with things specifically aimed at children.
We'll go to one local farm that tends to attract babies and toddlers rather than older children too.