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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We often go to soft play centres, they have areas for smaller kids and any kids 5 and up can go in the main area and they always have a blast :)

Having friends round makes life easier! Movies, popcorn and tea is always a winner, as is swimming. Also popular is our local National Trust site or museum, where they run lots of free workshops. Luckily at this time of year the weather is more likely to be in our favour - my least favourite holiday is February half term. Cold, wet, miserable!

They get sent to Gran to entertain as everything is fun there!

Drives out and take them out for a good tea pizzas everyone's favourite!

We live on the coast so if the weather is nice then we spend a lot of time on the beach, one is usually building sandcastles or throwing rocks in the river while the other is fossil hunting.
Play-doh is great for all ages too and our new favourite toy is a marble run - both my kids love getting involved in making creations.

We usually have a few play dates so they still see their friends and us parents get a little time for a catch up too, we also have picnics, walks and go swimming

Beach, meal out, walks in the countryside etc, swimming, playing in the garden, park etc. All things we enjoy to do with our dc (4 year gap).

The local splash pad, park and paddling pool in the garden have been winners here. I only have a 20 mth gap though so it's not too much of a problem.

The beach or to local parks that have splash/water features.
We also enjoy visiting grandparents!

We live fairly close to the beach, so we love going out for family picnics on weekends and often take our bikes for a ride along the seafront. If it’s raining a trip to the cinema is always good fun and we like going for a meal afterwards. Pizza is always our number one choice!

We have a family pass for a local zoo which both my girls enjoy - the play park there caters for all ages from toddlers to teenagers too. I also encourage my older DD to use a camera so she can take lots of pictures which we talk about after the day out. Family swim at the local pool is also a winner with both girls so long as both me & hubby go as my DDs are at different swimming levels so we often split between floats fun and swimming in the deep end.

Its tricky isnt it, when you have all different ages and intrests, but i find any outside activities usually tick the box, going to the park, trips to the beach or local woods always keeps everyone happy, and not forgetting the cool box for hungry little people....

Making dens in the Woods is our fave activity!

Clear the dining table and get out the crayons, glue and glitter and loads of paper and get creating, then pack a picnic and head to the park with a ball, kite and frisby. The internet is a great source of ideas too for cheap days out for events, attractions and gatherings - so make new friends and create new memories too,

Garden + unfettered access to the hosepipe always goes down well with my two but they are close in age, 15 months apart. DC1 reading to DC2 is also good as DC1 feels important and DC2 feels loved.

Meet up with friends in the park, pre-teens hang about with their phones and younger ones use the equipment. If it is wet we tend to have friends over too as they all entertain each other. Little ones love shadowing the bigger kids, and us grown ups can escape to the kitchen for tea and a natter.

If you can manage it a friend with similarly aged kids is brilliant. One of you can push the baby swings whilst the other takes the big kids to the otherside of the park

Swimming is the best option. My local pool has float and fun days so they have floats and music playing, the kids get super excited and its great way to get them active!

We have National Trust membership and use that frequently over the holidays, visiting our one local property and we take a football, scooters, take the dog and a picnic. There are events on frequently at NT property which are free with membership but even if these are not on, the kids still run around and have fun and are bribed into good behaviour with the promise of an ice cream at the end of the day.

Getting them involved in the garden with me

Out in the woods taking dog for a walk gathering items for their own museum bench at home. Also on the beach collecting driftwood and shells(not to mention the swimming and football!) Keep them moving - away from screens!

Beach for good cheap fun, or if bad weather, DVD with popcorn or baking

It is so difficult because although they are excited to be off school they tend to get bored so easily and quickly so it is a never ending chore trying to find things to entertain them. I always check the local paper to see what events are going on in the local area and am a member of some facebook groups too. For those rainy days I make sure I am stocked up with some films we can all sit and enjoy as a family.

I work fulltime so my DS is usually farmed out to various holiday clubs. This week he spend BH Monday with me, Tuesday with his dad (swimming). Wed, Thur, Fri he will be at a football club 9-3pm then will have to come back to my office with me until 5pm.

Holidays are difficult when you have limited amounts of annual leave and work fulltime.

I have 7, 8 and 16 year olds. It's hard to do stuff that we all equally enjoy. The eldest doesn't always come out with us but if there's burgers/pizzas/ice cream/cinema/bowling mentioned then he's in there like a shot, we all enjoy these so it's a good place to start. We all love the beach and my eldest will often have a wander by himself while we're building sandcastles and paddling. He enjoys sports on the beach if there's room - football, volleyball, tennis, boules, cricket, rounders so the seaside is a great choice. He's revising this half term though as he's mid way through his GCSEs and has half a days paid work at my office!