great multi-age activities?

[*Lisa*]

I have a 7 year old and a 2 year old, and I'm in desperate need of activities that will keep them both interested an happy. Anybody have any ideas or sources for ideas?
Thanks!

[elizawill]

salt dough is awesome & can be used with all ages! whatever they create, you can bake it, paint it, etc. at christmas, we make salt dough ornaments - but you can use it like clay and create anything, ykwim? we also love air dry clay, and it is great for all ages as well. painting is fun. give your toddler finger paints ...or put food color in vanilla pudding. your older child can use a better set of course. anyway, there is a lot more of course, but that's all that's coming to my tired brain at the moment

[pigpokey]

My kids do home school swim team at a facility with a warm 90 degree lesson pool next to the lap pool. If there is not a lesson going on, the swim team moms are welcome to swim in the warm pool with younger children while the older children work out. Are you still in State College? I looked at the web site for the SCAY pool and they have some swim team hours that are at the same time as open swim in their warm pool ("therapy pool").

Another activity we are at that has both 7 year olds and 2 year olds is daytime open play at a gymnastics center. It's technically supposed to be for 1-5 year olds but they let the home school kids come in older, as long as they are not creating any hazards for the younger kids.

[OTMomma]

The ideas above are good. My 7 year old and 2 year old both like playing with wooden blocks- though I have to make sure the 2 year old isn't just smashing the 7 yo's work. They both like helping me cook- we make pizzas that the kids help top, and we've made cookies. Dancing to music. Making music. Playing in the sand. Hide and go seek.

[yllek]

painting

collage

nature walk

storytime

watering plants

washing the car or outside furniture or toys

playing with balloons (do a quick static electricity lesson for the 7 yo)

scooters (my 5 yo and my 2 yo both have their own age-appropriate versions)

cooking

creating forts (this works best if the 7 yo isn't too particular about the fort getting knocked down or if the 2 yo isn't a fort destroyer)

playground

visiting zoos, petting zoos, organic farms, etc.

[Mama Shifra]

Making candles with sheet beeswax.

Painting with liquid watercolors.

[zjande]

Well, right at this moment, my 2, 4, and 11 yr old sons are all enjoying their regular daily game of chasing each other around with their guns they make out of K'nex. That's about the only thing I can think of to add to the already good suggestions. Art activities are always a hit with all their ages. And outdoor play. Thankfully my 11 yr old is patient so he builds forts for them pretty often.

[*Lisa*]

Thanks, all! This is a great list

[Lillian J]

I think you'd find some good ones in Linda Dobson's book, The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas: 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12. Linda Dobson, a categorized collection of over 500 tried-and-true educational activities for all subjects, submitted by many homeschooling families. You can take a look inside it on the Amazon site. Lillian

[RiverSky]

Children's museum visits

Park days

indoor playgrounds (sometimes at malls, sometimes independent businesses)

my older children still both enjoyed story time at the library or bookstores,
even when they were doing picture books for younger ones. Or they could read their own book on the outskirts of the storytime for toddlers. Alternatively, if there are library activities for the 7 year old, you and the toddler can stay on the edge of the activity, reading board books and playing with library toys (train table or whatever they have).