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Children of different ages have different needs and different attention spans, so keeping them all happy can be a struggle. It’s tricky to find things to do that can hold the attention of the older ones, while being easy enough for younger ones to join in too. Aiming to find open-ended activities where everyone can play at their own pace is a good place to start. It’s also important to have realistic expectations - your children won’t always be great at sharing or working together, but providing them with activities that are suitable for all age groups will give them a chance to learn these skills together.

Here are some fun ideas for keeping the whole family entertained!

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You’re never too young or too old to have fun getting arty. While the older ones are busy making masterpieces, younger children will love the sensory experience and the chance to get messy. It's a great way to let children of all ages express themselves, and giving them the opportunity to get creative is also beneficial for brain development and mental wellbeing.

Read more about the benefits of art and craft for children.

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Give your older child the very important job of teaching the little ones a new skill, such as doing up a button, doing a forward roll or counting to ten. Giving them this responsibility will make them feel very grown-up, while the younger ones will love learning from the big kids!

Mastering something new gives children a big self-esteem boost. Read more about independent skills for toddlers to learn at home.

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Choose a simple recipe for you to make together. Older children can weigh and measure, while little ones can try pouring, mixing orÌýsieving. Avoid arguments by dividing up the tasks before you start, and allow double the time you think you'll need for the recipe. Everything might not go exactly to plan, but getting children involved in food preparation is a brilliant learning experience, and will make them more likely to try new food.

If you're not sure where to start check out these fun easy recipes to try at home, and make sure to follow our top safety tips for cooking with children.

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Ask your children to put on a show together and take turns being the director. They could do singing, dancing, playing music or even reenacting their favourite television show. Older children can sometimes develop inhibitions, so seeing their younger siblings performing and being silly could encourage them to do something they wouldn't normally do.

Sing along together with these songs from your CBeebies friends.

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Reading to each other is a great way to develop children's literacy skills and boost their confidence. For younger children who can't read yet, ask them to make up stories together. Let them inspire each other with their imaginations while also building their communication skills.

Read fives ways stories build better children, and download the CBeebies Storytime appÌýfor a whole library full of stories from all your favourite CBeebies friends.

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