Three children in the summer holidays

[Sarah62]

Starting to panic about the summer holidays, I’ll be on my own with the kids for 6 weeks. What can we do? They are age 8, 6 and 2. Most things the older kids want to do such as climbing, bowling, trampolining, cinema cannot be done with the 2 year old. I don’t think I could manage a beach day with all 3 of them on my own.

Unfortunately I don’t have anyone else to team up with as my friends are working throughout and sending their kids to clubs every day.

We’ve done all our local parks and national trust places to death during lockdown, similar with crafts, baking etc. Any suggestion of going to a park/national trust is usually met with groaning and whining from the older 2 which really grinds me down!

I find taking all three children out on my own very stressful. Obviously the 2 year old will need constant adult supervision, the older children would go off and play at a park for a short time but it’s stressful trying to keep an eye on all of them especially when it’s very busy.

I’m looking forward to spending more time with them but I’m absolutely dreading the holidays. What can I do???? We’ve only got a very tiny garden too. Can’t afford to put them in clubs/nursery any extra hours.

1. start looking on Gumtree/market place/eBay for some good value second-hand toys which will keep them busy. Aquaplay lock box,
2. Invite other kids for play dates. It may sound daft having more kids in the house, but they keep each other amused and it stops sibling bickering! Also, parents are likely to return the favour at a later date!
3. Have a look at what’s on in the local library. There are often story-telling and craft sessions. There’s even a book club for 8-11 year olds at ours. Other siblings can browse elsewhere in the library, or bring something quiet to do.
4. Draw up a rough rota for the TV!
5. Have a look at your local wildlife trust’s website. There are usually loads of cheap events such as these ones near me www.essexwt.org.uk/events/2021-07-31-hanningfield-pond-dipping

www.essexwt.org.uk/events/2021-08-04-belfairs-wednesday-woodland-explorers

Is your two year old normally in nursery? If so, is there a reason you are pulling them out over summer? Or is it term time only?

No partner to take some annual leave for a couple weeks to help? We split the holidays between us along with a couple weeks of clubs.

Could you have your elder child’s friends to your house so they are entertained for a few hours? Shove in some pizzas etc..

Free activities - our local library runs some stuff & a local museum.. or if not entirely free, only say £5 for a day of crafts. Not sure if you could stretch to that?

It’s probably going to be a long 6 weeks but you can do it! I’d maybe set some guidelines with the older kids, explain that this isn’t easy for you to keep everyone entertained. There may be times you are bored but you can always go read a book or go on the iPad or whatever tech they have. You don’t want constant whinging. It won’t always work but if you set ground rules & expectations off the bat, they are there. Maybe write them down & stick them on the fridge.

You could also do small rewards for helping you with things. I know they are a bit older but say they get a star everytime they help you with shopping or cooking or with the toddler or are just generally helpful.. at the end of the week, they’ll get a small gift, a magazine or some chocolate or an ice cream. Give them some incentive to work towards!

Fruit/veg picking might work for all 3 at that age, and be containable but give the older ones some space.

I am in the same boat and I find that as long as we go out once a day then we’re sorted. Even if it’s just a trip to town for an ice cream
And a bit of shopping. A long walk there and back the. They can play/TV.
Inviting other kids over is a winner. We also do national trust sometimes with bribery, such as you choose the goodies for the picnic we will have etc. Choose one a playground.

Have you looked at your local churches? Two of our local ones do very cheap holiday clubs (around £4). The hours are shorter than the ones aimed at working parents (around 10am-2pm) but it will keep the elder two occupied for a day or two.

Also have a look at 1000 hours website for ideas/inspiration

I have the same age gap - it’s tricky when they’re this age. Mine are 11, 15 & 17 now and don’t require much entertaining anymore.

I made the beach work for us, because it was close and free. It was a knackering day for me, but they enjoyed it. We had zoo passes and we would go after lunch when queues had died down a bit. Trampoline parks & soft play were okay as long as I kept up with the baby, the older two would stick together. We did film afternoons, water fights in the garden. Weekend was divide & conquer, one of would take the older two somewhere a bit more to their taste and the other would keep the toddler entertained, or we might all go to the cinema but watch two different films.

We always did whatever the summer reading challenge was at the library. I used to use Tesco vouchers to buy Lego/. Some days we’d do an hour of school type stuff If one of them needed a bit of help with something.

Good luck!

Is there anything that you can sell to raise a bit of money for holiday clubs or days out?

For the beach are there any local teenagers you know who can come along and help for a few quid - maybe do sandcastles with the 2 yr old while you swim with the older two?

When I had 4 under 7 I invested in 4 T shirts all the same colour.. Anyone remember The Sweater Shop?
Easy to see them all out and about!!

When I had 4 under 7 I invested in 4 T shirts all the same colour. I've only got 2 but used to stick them in neon T-shirt's so that I could spot them as well

Do you have any family at all that can help? Any grandparents? If so could they maybe have the toddler while you have a day out with the older ones.
You don’t mention a partner. Are they around at all? Even at weekends? Do they have any annual leave days they could take?
Is your garden big enough for a small paddling pool that all the kids can play in?
Do you drive? Can you travel to parks further away? New to you ones. Or get a train there?
Wildlife parks/zoos. Picnics - even a carpet picnic in the bad weather can be fun.
Family film afternoon with snacks.
Buy some new arts and crafts. Decorate cupcakes or biscuits.

I have somewhat similar, children aged 3-11.
3 year old is usually in term time only nursery.

I have booked a few holiday club type things - two eldest are doing a tennis camp 3 days, one is doing a trampolining day - and have booked youngest two into a childminder 2 days.

One week my dh is off and we're taking them all camping.

I've tried to plan a mix of quiet days and busy days throughout every week so we don't have a week with loads of stuff and then a week with nothing. If we have a week where Monday we're going swimming, Wednesday we're going to the beach with grandparents and Thursday 2 are at a club and one has a friend round, then I don't care if the other days they play 8 hours of roblox...

Thanks everyone some good ideas here.

Unfortunately in our area it seems trampoline sessions are only aimed at toddlers to age 6, or over 6 only so they can’t all go to the same session. I had thought about taking 1 or 2 kids to soft play whilst the older one or two did climbing but due to covid you have to pre book a time slot and the activities are not on at the same time.

I have thought about asking friends over but to be honest I’m a bit reluctant to do this while I’m on my own. Watching 4 kids instead of 3 could be tricky. Also assume that the one without a friend visiting would cause trouble complaining etc but I could be wrong?! Worth a try I guess, but I’d feel much more comfortable if there were 2 adults.

I’ve had a look at low cost holiday clubs but church groups etc are not running - covid. I’ve booked a couple of days sport camp so that should be great.

The toddler usually goes to nursery 1 day a week and will continue through summer, in theory could go more days but £60 a day it’s not really an option.

The days are going to be long aren’t they :(

Ignore the groaning, they’ll be fine once you get there.

That’s all I can think of in addition to what others have said.

No family nearby but OH will take a few days off and will be home on weekends.

Will definitely be up for visiting new parks etc but we’ve kind of done most of the ones within a reasonable distance now that lockdown is easing.

Summer reading challenge would be good for the middle child but the library is not open due to covid - well, it’s open one day a week but only during school hours so assume they don’t want any kids in

Think I just need to get my head in the right place, after this last lockdown I am absolutely done!

The day the toddler is at nursery you do bowling/trampolining/cinema. One activity a week of that kind is enough and you can use the 'carrot' of that activity to ward off moaning about other activities i.e. if you don't moan at X then on Wednesday we'll do Y.

Does the 2 year old nap? If so, use that time to do something grown up with the other two, make them feel special and again use the promise of this to promote good behaviour for the rest of the day.

If the older children have sensible friends then you'll be fine. You don't need to keep fully on top of two 8 year olds!

Do a home cinema (popcorn and curtains shut). Go to the park but make it a scavenger hunt or art activity. Do a treasure hunt with clues around the house for older ones.

I think a lot of it is in how you sell it. Make it sound exciting and it will be.

Also, drag out activities as long as possible. So for the home cinema. Make a shopping list together. Go to shops. Pick up popcorn/pic n mix etc. Come home. Make popcorn (make your own). Make pic n mix (get a few bags of sweets and then mix them up/share them out. Set up room to watch film (curtains shut/pillow/blankets etc. Then watch film. If they're arty maybe they could make tickets etc.

Definitely make the nursery day the day you do a big kid activity with the others.

Personally I would invite friends over for the 8 & 6 year old on the same day, take the hit on having 5 kids in the house! The older ones will entertain each other and you just have the toddler to worry about.
Then get the return play date for both on the same day and have a chilled day with the 2 year old.

a bit left field but in the half term holiday I booked a cheap Travelodge/premier inn family room in a town not too far from home for £30 (midweek) and took my 3 kids (1, 6 and 8). We went to the park and a (free) museum, bought food for a 'hotel picnic', face masks, big bubble baths and watched TV in bed (no TVs upstairs at home!). It was only one night, but I dragged the excitement out for days with packing, googling the place we were going, looking at maps, etc. like you, we were bored of the same local things and haven't been anywhere new for ages (although I booked somewhere local-ish so we could abandon if it didn't work!). We are doing the same again in the summer (to a different place).

I’m not surprised you’re feeling exhausted. Well done for getting through the last year of lockdowns. I have three kids with a similar age gap to yours and when the youngest was 2, we did all the specific activities you mentioned in your post.

Good luck getting through the 6 weeks of summer. I’m just coming out of the exhaustion phase now all three of mine are school age.

I feel for you. When my youngest was two I also had 12, 10, and 7 yo DCs. It was hard finding something to keep them all happy.

Have a solid routine. On the days that you aren’t doing anything significant keep to a basic plan.
Something like :
Breakfast
Up and dressed
Walk/trip to the park
Shared film snack
Independent play till lunch
Lunch
Craft type activity
Independent play
Read/story time
Play outside
Play a game
Cook dinner/tea together
Eat
Then whatever you do in the evenings.

A plan helps you get through each part of the day, and being able to predict what is happening next will keep them feeling more grounded.

Compromise is ok on days out.

I recently done one of these

www.treasuretrails.co.uk/

Was a good couple hours plus, took a picnic and my 2 loved it. Your little one could join in with bit of paper and pen.

We always have stuff to do, crafts etc I like to play categories. I find lists on line, pick a letter and we write it down, usually hilarious fun.

I set them up a little outdoor camp last year as well, I look for stuff on Pinterest, rock painting, jar of lolly sticks with various activities so they can choose an activity out etc

Are there any clubs run by charities? DS2 spends all the holidays at his.