Fun for kids age 2, 4, 8 and 10

February 12, 2009 2:41 PM

Ideas please for entertaining four kids, ages 2, 4, 8 and 10, for about two weeks.

Parents and four kids are moving to jobs in a new country. My (adult) daughter has volunteered to go too, and help look after the kids for a couple of weeks while parents settle in. She's used to babysitting but with the age range it won't be easy to entertain all of them all the time - or at least stop them being too bored. They're three girls and the 4yo is a boy.

How do you keep four different ages happy?

posted by anadem to sports, hobbies, & recreation (4 answers total)

Did you see my answer in your previous question?

- ideas for arts and crafts - maybe pick up some DIY instruction books beforehand, or print out directions from online places. Bring a few materials and pick up others there. You could definitely take the 8 and 10 year old to a market, and maybe with some extra hands you could take all four kids to pick up supplies.
- games to learn a language, if necessary? (is it?)
- write letters to friends/relatives back in London
- digital camera to document their new surroundings each day, and write a little story about their photos or what they learned
- procure dress up costumes and playthings once there - saris, dresses, beads, etc.
- favourite books from back home
- children's encyclopedias that focus on the area - learn about the history, legends, flora and fauna
- maybe buy some children's books in English about India, moving, new places, etc. and save some of them until you get there
- DVDs!!
- computer games if they're allowed
- cooking - almost all kids love to get involved - you could learn the names for some ingredients, go out and get them, cook a simple meal

What do the kids like to do now? What can you bring? How familiar are they with Delhi?

The key will be to get some time alone with the different ages - take the 8 and 10 year old to do stuff, and do other things with the 2 and 4 year olds.
posted by barnone at 2:50 PM on February 12, 2009

One of our family traditions: Kid A sits in a chair with an old sheet over his head. Kid B sits on kid A's lap. Kid A reaches his arms out making it look like it is Kid B's arms and hands. Kid B hides his own hands behind his back. Adult wraps sheet around Kid B making the whole set up look like one person. Everyone else is the audience.

Now Kid A pretends to be Kid B's hands and starts to do things, hopefully embarrassing Kid B like almost picking his nose, face palming, yawning, combing hair, rubbing his tummy like he's hungry, etc. It helps if you have some kind of kid's clown makeup like cheek rouge for Kid A to apply to Kid B's face. Adult should stand close by to make sure no one gets their eye poked out.

The littlest one's are in the audience first so they understand what is going to happen. Then they get a turn as Kid B, then as Kid A last. Works especially well with a mixed age group like this.

Everyone will be dying of laughter and it will take up a whole afternoon including an hour of clean-up.
posted by cda at 3:02 PM on February 12, 2009

thanks barnone I saw your useful ideas last week and hoped to get more by asking differently ... but either the question's too boring or I'm asking the wrong way
posted by anadem at 8:46 PM on February 12, 2009

Well, they will get bored if they are stuck in the house for two weeks. Scope out what is walking distance to the house, especially any natural areas. I assume you are giving her a vehicle that will transport all of them (or money for taxis). As soon as you get there you should set up a playroom so they can keep their mess confined to one spot. Maybe you should consider also hiring a local babysitter/guide who can help out and also show the children some local sites. Make sure to have a wagon to confine the two younger children and it will also allow longer ramblings than their little legs can stand.
posted by saucysault at 5:15 AM on February 13, 2009