Mumsnet users share ways to keep their children of different ages entertained during half term with PizzaExpress

[EllieMumsnet]

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It’s half term and both you and your DC deserve some family time before the last leg of the summer term begins. If you have children of different ages, you know it can be difficult to find activities that entertain both. PizzaExpress would love find out the ways you bridge the age gap with activities that keep the children entertained, letting them express themselves.

Here’s what PizzaExpress has to say: “We love welcoming families into our restaurants and understand how precious time together is. Our goal is to make the time at PizzaExpress as enjoyable as possible, which includes not only delicious pizza but also fun & creative activities for Piccolos of all ages and the whole family to get involved in. What is it that makes it tick and ensures well-behaved children all round?”

Do you get them in the kitchen helping you create new dishes for the family? Perhaps you take family trips out that cater for all ages or go for a meal out in a family-friendly restaurant? Or maybe you have different variations of the same activity such as a colouring book for your younger DC and free-style painting for your older DC?

Whatever your ways to keep your DC of different ages entertained during the half term, post on the thread below and you will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

we get our three kids (14, 13 and 8) to go on country walks with us. We might bribe them with a coke at a pub en route, and we might play word games like GHOST (add a letter with the aim of not forming a word) to avoid boredom. They also enjoy the swimming pool and eating out so long as the food arrives fairly fast. Would be great if the pizza places also did an activity sheet for older kids, although the colouring in has always been popular and the 13 yo will still join in.

I have 3 aged 11, 8 and 5. We like going to the woods and climbing trees / making dens and having hot chocolate (as let’s face it, it’s often pretty chilly glares at grey skies ). I make a great long list throughout the year of places to go in the holidays - especially free / cheap ones like country parks, woods, beaches, museums / NT etc. It helps that one of my closest friends has children of a similar age and we like doing the same outdoors-ey type thing.

I find that we have to be out as much as possible otherwise they fight like hell

A ball and a big empty space!

Our kids were always pretty good at amusing themselves when they were younger. However, a trip to the park on our bikes was always a favourite on a sunny day. On rainy days the cinema, bowling (which is pretty reasonable price wise off peak) or a film afternoon at home was always popular.

Use our membership for National Trust, English Heritage.
Get them to help us make the 'nic nic' (picnic)
Go to farms
Rock painting and hunting (our village is mad on this at the moment)
Creating obstacle courses in the garden
Finding new playgrounds/parks
Dds are 5 and 2

The park works - little one can play on the equipment and there’s always someone that bigger one knows from school there in the holidays so he gets his football playing fix.

Family cycle rides if everyone is free. Lots of swimming. Play dates at parks or local free museums. Going to the library and reading. A few activities like Forest club or coding workshop. Baking. Gardening.

Buy a weekly bus pass and use it as much as possible! Walks, museums, library, baking, picnics, meetup with friends and the occasional meal out...

even though there are four years between my DC's, my huge collection of wooden train track, trains and carriages is always a favourite half term treat, the track weaves in and out of the living room, down the hallway, with bridges tunnels and changing points. The hours of fun playing with the same toy (sometimes in different rooms with their trains) is lovely to watch. Every time I go to a car boot, I always pick up more track and trains for our collection. A trip to our local swimming pool is always fun, slip on the armbands, and the pool gets out all of the large floats and buoyancy aids, and is a cheap and fun day out. Finally making cornflake buns with melted chocolate and raisins is quick, cheap easy and again, fun. The results can be eaten after tea.

The local farm is a hit with both of our two.

Kayaking, pond dipping, cinema, board games. Kids aged 3 to 14

We have movie nights at home, go swimming, days out with friends at the park with a picnic, go to local events, my eldest son loves football so went training with at a holiday club for the week.

Watch DVDs, visit nature reserves and museums, go to the park, visit friends, play board games ... the list goes on.

Some things have universal appeal for kids- the park, the beach or going swimming are good bets.
Also some art/crafty activities than can use the same basic components but be adjusted to their interests/skill levels.

When the weather's nice it's so much easier to get activities in the garden- drawing with pavement chalks, playing in the paddling pool, messing about with a ball, even blowing bubbles!

My three are aged between 11 and 18, so we've reached the point where we really can't please all three of them. However they all enjoy going on a long walk - usually interspersed with stops for drinks or ice creams - and usually all enjoy the same films too (think Marvel, Star Wars etc) so a trip to the cinema is a safe bet. Other than that, there will usually be one who will want to stay home while we go out, or do something with their friends instead.

Being outside & exploring is great, especially if it includes some form of 'treasure hunt' - clues are easily adaptable for different ages. If I've had time I'll print out the clues but it's easy to do off the hoof too.

Hangriness can be a thing in our family so having plenty of snacks & nibbles on hand is key to happiness.

Just having time to hang out & each do their own thing, under the same roof, is also great.

Going swimming, cinema, baking, gardening and going to play areas.

the Park keeps ours occupied for hours. Usually a picnic as well. We have been lucky with the weather this week.

Swimming, meals out, the park, picnics, some TV, craft time, Lego/duplo. Mine are different ages but love having the time to hang out together in half term.

Treasure Trails make a great day out for all age groups. Even the reluctant ones get into discovering hidden facts about wherever we are - even our local area. Great fun!

they bike ride while i run

slime factory in the garden is the current preference

involve them in all my chores-meal prep, cleaning and gardening - who can pull up the most weeds etc

pouring water and plastic toys into a large mole and freezing and then giving them
plastic tools to dig the toys out used to work well

trips to the park with a list of things to do/ find

I have children ranging from 4 to 19, I keep them all entertained by going to country parks with a picnic. Everyone loves running around.

Going for a walk, feeding the ducks and going to the park keeps both my 1 and 4 year old happy

We are fortunate to live in a large and lively seaside town. My DC have just 2 years between them but everyone loves paddling, building sandcastles and an ice-cream. We go to the beach in all weathers and always discover something new whether it's a moody ocean or a special stone.

Museums and outdoor walks/parks are always a hit