How to manage playing at home with different ages?

[eczemamummy]

Hive mind-advice needed! I just wondered how other people manage to keep babies safe when they have older siblings with choking sized little toys, in a way that still enables older child to play freely!? We have a playroom off the lounge which is obviously incredibly helpful but my little girl (4) can't get anything out and play on the floor because baby (15 months) comes over and picks things up/tries to eat them/is generally curious (disruptive!) It means she can't just play freely. This isn't due to a lack of being with them/supervision-even when I'm sitting there/playing with him too I just spend all my time moving him away from her things! We tried her playing at the dining table but that means she's 'separate' to us and again if she played in her room it would mean me/us not being able to be with her as well as baby. We've so far managed it by 'halving' the playroom so that they both have their own space and baby can't reach DDs things, but it doesn't feel like it works as he can't get to all his bits and no-one has enough room to play!

I just wondered how others manage it!? Thanks for reading x

DD plays at the dining room table and DS plays on the dining room floor? Then they're in the same room and you can interact with both. We had thought we'd also put a stair gate on DD1's bedroom so that she could play in there whilst DD2+parent played on the landing (it's a big landing), but in practice we haven't bothered – we'd have to buy another stair gate, and it's never quite been worth the hassle. It might be to you, though.

This is a hard stage!

I think you just have to reorganise your space. Maybe get a table in the playroom? Or a stairgate between playroom and lounge and one plays in one room and one plays in the other?

Thanks both! We have a kitchen diner which we could possibly utilise more although it's not as nice to play in compared to the lounge etc!

We did consider a stair gate in the lounge but didn't persue as we couldn't find one to fit (double doors!) x maybe we need to re-consider and search abit harder!

It's funny because we have two older ones and I don't remember it being a problem with them! Our little one must be more curious than the others ever were! X

We didn't really buy any Lego until DS1 was nearly 5, at which point DS2 was 2 and a bit and had stopped putting things in his mouth.

That was the only one we really worried about. Craft stuff including beads etc was done at the table so DS2 couldn't reach

@Legomania yes it's the teeny tiny Lego and sylvanian families that I'm regretting getting her in to

Eldest played with a stairgate closed so her brothers couldn't get in. Or she played on the dining table, which was too high for them to reach.

Lego mostly only comes out when they are napping. Makes it more special!

I think having those toys up on a table is the answer. Either a table in the playroom or living room, or you all go in the kitchen diner.

It is a tricky age.