If you have children of varying ages, you know that it can be difficult to find activities for everyone to do together. This is especially true for toddlers, who generally have boundless energy without a long attention span or ability to understand complex instructions. If you find yourself looking for ways to occupy your toddlers with older siblings, here are some crowd-pleasing ideas that everyone will love.
Art
Thanks to their diversity and flexibility, art projects are a great way to get kids involved regardless of age. Simply make a variety of craft supplies available, including stickers, washable markers, pom poms, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, etc. Then invite your children to create together. If your older children are mature enough to watch out for the younger ones, you could also include beads, glue, scissors, or paint. But clearly, these supplies are for an older audience and should only be used under supervision.
Playdough
While playdough may seem like a small child’s activity, typically older children (and even adults!) find it irresistible. You can plan challenges, like playdough cake decoration or recreating your favorite dish, or just let the group play their own way. However you choose to do it, you will be amazed at the creativity and laughter this open-ended activity provides. Be prepared, of course, for colors to be mixed and some of the playdough to dry out. Playing this way over hard floors is highly recommended.
Backyard Sports
Toddlers with older siblings frequently want to be bigger so they can keep up. Encourage your older children to be patient with their smaller siblings and to include them when possible. One great way to help the toddlers feel big is through outdoor sports. This could mean soccer, baseball, or any other game you can pick up in a grassy area. Take your equipment out to the yard and make it happen! Alternatively, older siblings frequently love to play on playgrounds with their younger brothers and sisters. Take a picnic to Briscoe Park or Grayson Park, and watch your kids bond through their adventures.
Fort-Building
An essential part of childhood, fort-building is the perfect intersection of big kid and little kid interests. With a good supply of bedsheets, flashlights, and moveable furniture, your kids could build a fort and disappear for hours. Toddlers with older siblings will have the thrill of having a sturdy, spacious fort without needing to struggle through building it themselves.
Follow the Leader
Another game that appeals to all ages is Follow the Leader. Older kids enjoy the creativity of leading and the challenge of imitating the leader when it isn’t their turn. At the same time, younger kids love to be included as they follow and are thrilled to be in charge when their turn as leader rolls around. It may help to set time limits on who can lead, as well as what moves the leader can make since a toddler’s range of motion is not as great as that of older children.
Read
There are few things better than reading stories together. If your older children can read independently, encourage them to choose some of their favorite books from their toddler years and read them to their younger siblings. This could become a very sweet tradition between your children, perhaps after school or before bed each night. Additionally, it has the added benefit of boosting both children’s literacy skills.
Siblings are a great gift to each other, lending support and understanding into adulthood. However, it can be challenging to coordinate activities and play times that a diverse group of siblings will enjoy. Next time you’re looking for a pastime for the whole crew, try one of these ideas for a sure win. Are you looking for childcare for your young children? Consider Legacy Academy Snellville, Snellville’s best preschool. Call or visit today for more information.
