How to Keep a Multi-Age Group Happy

The age old question, how do you keep a bunch of kids of different ages playing nicely? Well, we may just have the answer.

These games will keep the little ones happy no matter their age, no more young ones getting left out, no older ones getting annoyed!

There's a simple key. Open-ended activities are great because everyone can join in at their own pace and with their own style.

A great application of this idea is to have an arts and crafts table. Simply load up an appropriately plastic ensorceled table area with art supplies, paints, brushes, crayons.

Give everyone some paper and let them at it! Kids from all ages can have a blast and the great thing is they get to do their own thing.

Get everyone working together with a collaborative task. This one is great, it builds friendships, emphasises teamwork and is a whole lot of fun.

Set a task for your kids. Big kids can do slightly more complicated tasks while the little ones can help with the easier tasks. A great example of this is a collaborative colouring-in board.

You'll need a fair sized piece of paper, or simply stick some A3 paper together until it feels big enough, and enough crayons to go around.

Now simply create a series of lines that intersect, a whole lot of overlapping ovals is a nice simple way to do it, but go nuts and get creative.

Now, simply charge the kids with colouring your creation in. This works best if they don't see you putting it together and if they just stumble upon it themselves, with a note, "colour in".

Another great collaborative project is a string of flag triangles. You know the ones, otherwise known as bunting.

You can promise the kids that if they play nicely you'll hang them up in the house (for an unspecified amount of time).

Simply get some A4 paper of different colours, even just white is fine, cut them until you have 2-3 triangles for each child.

Now all you have to do is distribute them evenly and let them have fun decorating their own creations.

Once done they can attach their now beautiful looking triangle flags to a piece of string so you can hang it up, they'll be so proud of working together!

The trick is always to pick open ended activities. Make it simple so that the youngest can easily join in and interesting enough that the oldest will still be enthralled.

Activities where they can all join in and work together or go at their own pace.

Hang around to encourage the older ones and help out the younger ones when they need it and multi-age groups will be happy for hours on end!