does anyone find this

[lou lou]

i look after two three year olds and one little boy who is 14 months old and he is a lovely little boy and he is full time but i find i cant do a lot with the 3 year olds as everything is in the mouth and he is allways climbing every time i turn my back he puts things in his mouth so i have to have eyes on him all the time and i will probably only get an hours sleep out of him so sometimes feel that i am not doing enough with the 3 year olds and have to let them just play on their own, which they do they play lovely together which is great but just worrry as i should be doing more projects with them i was just wondering if any one else finds this if they have a little one to look after and what you do.

[The Juggler]

if you are following their interests in setting up your setting and they are engaged with their play then you are providing for them. As long as you can talk with them when they ask questions and watch their play a bit for signs of frustration so you can intervene that's fine.

:)

[sweets]

i have a similar mix of children some days. i cordern off part of my lounge with my coffe table and a couple of storage boxes so that the 3 year old can get 'small' toys out and set up train sets and the baby cant get at him.

it is hard having different ages but as long as both sets of ages get some attention during the day and you do an activity that it is aimed at them then free play doesnt do them any harm.

[angiemog]

He sounds just like the little boy I look after. I know exactly where you are coming from. The only thing I have found works is if he is strapped in his high chair when I have crafts out especially the paint. I have also done crafts with the older ones when he sleeps. I am lucky in the sense that he does sleep for 2 hours after lunch. I always try to make sure that I have things completely ready on hand so all I have to do is grab them when we have a few minutes. I do let him join in whatever we are doing but I also make sure that I am right by him, to stop him putting everything in his mouth.
Good Luck x

[huggableshelly]

There is nothing wrong with letting the older ones play on their own, you can always make suggestive comments when you are able too or praise such as WOW thats tower is so tall, can you make it taller? and so on.

dont feel guitly about not doing projects with them, let them enjoy playing without you.

[miffy]

I know what you mean and I would try and do craft things with the older ones whilst baby is asleep if it was something that he couldn't do or have him in the highchair joining in.

I think we can try too hard and often older ones are wanting to do their own thing, make up their own games etc.

Miffy xx

[chibault]

Look at activities which mean the younger boy is strapped in his high chair. Have you tried gloop with them all? It works for younger and older and it doesn't matter if the young one eats some as it's only cornflour and water. With the older children it can be a science activity you can show them how it is unusual in that it's a liquid, then under pressure becomes a solid, it's called a non Newtonian liquid as it doesn't follow newtons laws on physics essentially. Then try something like playing with fruit the older ones can wash and cut (with plastic) knives and try cutting into different shapes you can discuss why they are healthy to eat, discuss colour, discuss taste. The little one can squish them, smell them and eat them, look at them and them probably throw them on the floor!!!! Parents really like this activity especially if their kids are reluctant fruit eaters.
Hth, let us know how you get on...
Becky xK:D

[TheBTeam]

I would go with the occasional strapping in approach too, and try to get activities that he can do too but strapped in, or if not give him a shape sorter or something that he can do for a while.