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

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Any outdoor activists and picnics are a firm favourite thing over here. There is only 3year diffrences between my ds but I always take my preteen dsis and nephew for the holiday periods to. So there is a range of ages in the children. But all of them love the outdoors and are very competative bunch.

Visiting the beach works for all ages

Mine are 8 (girl) and 5 (boy) and we just spend as much time as possible outside.
As the weathers been so nice we literally went to the local river with the dog and they played all day in their pants.
Also swimming is good for both and they love an adventure in a forest or over the moors.

Mine are only little on in pre school holidays they are best entertained with exercise to tire them out - days out at National Trust properties, the park, swimming, going to the beach.

This is our first summer in our new house so kids are enjoying the garden pretty much all day.
We go to our local outdoor swimming pool with a picnic.
Bikes and scooters, badminton.
We went to an local event where kids cooked their lunch from scratch and ate outdoors.

I put in the garden swimming pool and tent:) my kids all week had fun in the garden, during the rain they play toys in the tent.

If one had a friend over, so did the other. Otherwise the lonesome one would torment the others until it all deteriorated into a yelling match.
Park works well as they can choose whether to play together or with other children. Fortunately there's also a good 4G signal for teen!

I did electronic baby sitting as every time I tried to get ds1 (13) and ds2 (11) to do anything it resulted in frustration (me) and anger or tears or screaming with each other and sometimes at me. Ds1 has asd and we're not sure if ds2 is yet. It's been one of the worst holidays so far. Ds1 moaned when I rented Jumanji 2, for him as it meant we didn't watch Black-ish ' like you said we would!!' I spent money on a film...

I find this one a bit hard with 5 Children. It is getting easier with the older ones wanting to do their own thing with friends but keeping the little ones busy in between the squabbles and tantrums during half term can sometimes be a battle!! They love helping me in the kitchen but that can be a headache with the mess. Thank goodness we have had some lovely weather during half term. There is nothing they like more when the sun is out so they can get the paddling pool out or the hose!! Where there's water there is laughter!!

Local farm park,
See family
Go swimming
Go to the park
Picnic in the garden (less mess in the house!)
Make dens
Lie in bed together- all four of us
Hang out with a paddling pool
Scoot
Jump on trampoline- lie on trampoline
Tickle each other
Cook together
More family
Plant our seedlings
Wash the cars
Build lego
I love half term. I get time off work to hang out with my family!!!

we have a local park that has different sections and caters for different ages. We live near a forest so go for long walks or bike rides to see the ponies. Craft/ recycling days are great fun the younger and older kids i either buy kids or just allow them to be creative with my craft materials the older ones love making things for their room while the younger ones make things to be displayed on the fridge or for nanna. my are keen bakers and the older ones help the tiny ones. Mine all love the library and the culture center which often has activities for different ages.

getting out into nature - woodlands, beaches etc appeals to all ages!

Swimming, going to the local park to play in the playground then have a picnic, walking our neighbours dog and going to the beach.

The age difference is only a problem when screen time is involved. Then they fight and want to watch different things. I will say one can watch the TV and one can use Netflix on the ipad. This helos when I am cooking dinner.

Since most of out halfterm was spent outdoors it wasn’t really a problem. We were at the beach, at the pool, in the forest, coastal walking, biking riding, scooting, and playing football and tennis. All activities catered for all ages.

I have 2dd's 3 years apart and find that getting out and about is fine as there's plenty to keep them both interested at parks, beach, zoo, trampoline parks.
If we are staying indoors I let them both invite a friend round so they can be happy and occupied without annoying each other.
They both enjoy baking or craft activities at home too, and these can be tailored to their ages/abilities easily to keep them both interested

Swimming, walking the dogs through local forestry sites while doing trails such as The Highway Rat. Baking cakes or biscuits is another popular one!

We go camping, swimming, park and soft play with our daughters (there's a 5 year gap)

Mine are 2 and 5. Both enjoy expensive events like the zoo, Thomas land, pantomimes. But these are rare treats.

To keep the costs low they also (thankfully!) enjoy swimming, trampolining, cinema.

Delightfully they enjoy things that are practically free too; bouncy castle at the pub play doh, running around the garden/paddling pool, parks, feeding the ducks, crafts and erm, watching telly.

They also chalk on the patio and 'paint' with water on there too.

Anything active, treetops adventure type things, swimming, football, going to the beach, theme parks and eating!

walks in the countryside

We have national trust, RHS & 2-4-1 cards for all the gardens, woods, etc, well worth it in half term!

We got a dog! 😄 Dog walks are popular no matter their age (they don’t always want to go out but enjoy it when they do, especially if we find a river to paddle in or a rope swing to play on). Everyone’s happy to collapse in front of a movie/play their own game of Lego afterwards.

Theme parks and food whether eating out or cooking/baking. I tend to let me older 2 measure out the ingredients and let my youngest mix so we all work together.

11,9 and 5 here, parks are good with room for older ones to kick a ball and younger one to play on play equipment. Bowling is also good as you can use the bumper lanes for the younger ones. Most of the 'chain' pizza places are also good.

The beach keeps us all happy, but we're hours from one of those, so bowling is great for all ages and for less pennies we usually take a picnic and go to a local beauty spot or swimming suits us all on a rainy day.