KidsParenting

Getting Kids Of Different Ages To Play Well Together

It’s a challenge that many parents are going to have to face at some point. If you have more than one child (and they’re not of the same age) then, at some point, that age gap is going to make playing together a little more difficult. Interests in kids can change as they age, but that doesn’t mean that playing together becomes impossible. You just need to find the things that can keep the whole family connected.

Head out and explore

One way to get everyone involved is to make a day of heading out into the wilderness, taking the time to enjoy all the natural sights and sounds of the nearest park, woodland path, beach, or other natural hotspots. Kids love nature scenes just as much as any adult, it’s something that doesn’t really change with age. Plus, getting them out and trekking with you is an easy way to make exercise more fun, helping the family stay active together. Just make sure that the routes and areas you are choosing are suitable for the youngest amongst you.

Choose some open-ended toys

There are some toys that are more suited to children of specific ages. However, there are also toys that are much more open-ended and can be enjoyed by kids of most ages. For instance, any animal figurines or toys that make use of their imagination will be attractive to kids of a wide range of ages. Similarly, things like building blocks can be interesting to kids of all ages, some of whom might like building complex structures with them, others who might enjoy simply knocking them around a bit.

Play games suited for all ages

There are plenty of games in which the rules are so simple, that all members of the family can join in. For instance, you can get a stock of personalized cornhole bags for all kinds of lightly competitive games out in the backyard. Tossing the bag into the hole is a simple but addictive game and you can make it more suited to people of different ages by changing the position where they can throw the bag from. It’s a good way to engage everyone and enjoy some light competition without letting the younger players be on the losing side constantly.

There’s always the soft play

There might be many parents reading this and groaning at the idea, but the power of soft play is hard to argue with. In terms of letting kids of almost all ages run off and have a wild amount of fun, there are few places better for it. The vast majority of soft plays are going to have areas for the little ones to play safely, as well. Sure, it will mean keeping your eyes peeled the whole time but it’s a good solution for the severely bored.

It’s not always easy convincing older siblings to play with the younger members of the family. However, getting involved yourself can definitely be a factor that brings the rest of the family together.

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Jess Benoit

Jess is a homeschooling mama of 3, wife, gamer, Whovian, Nerd

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