Wet half term!

When I had GD, and it was raining, I would get the clothes airers out and some sheets and let her make dens. She created field hospitals for poorly animals (cuddly toys) or made pop up restaurants with play food and toy kitchen equipment. Probably only work with the youngest. I keep a big plastic crate of craft items and paints too.
Make your own pizza with shop bought bases and a selection of toppings.
A very large collection of DVDs, age suitable of course, for when we all run out of steam.

Painting, board games, jigsaws, charades, get them to rehearse and put on a show. My grandchildren like to sew and stick and make things. You can get lots of cheap bits from The Works or kits from Hobbycraft (all on line).

Why not make an old fashioned puppet theatre from a large box. They could design the scenery and create a performance.
Cooking is always good - design a pizza, bread, biscuits.
We love a book called 365 Science Activities. It is quite cheap and only uses things you already have in your house.
Das is good - you make models, leave them to dry and then paint them.

I always enforced a quiet half hour when mine were growing up and do that with the grandchildren too. We all sit and read after lunch.

How about old fashioned card games - modern children don't seem to know them.

Hope this helps.

We have our GS for two days this week, and there's always a trip to the swimming pool. If the weather keeps us in he likes traditional card and board games, building with K'nex and I have a large bag of 'stuff' in the garage for junk modelling. Last time he was here we made a Temple of Doom for his Lego figures! We've also made masks by covering a balloon in papier-mâché and then painting it when it's dry (but they do take a while to dry, so it's probably best to pre-prepare one!). I have promised him we'll make pancakes this week too! We do fit some TV in and also a bit of time on the iPad as a treat.

My 12 year old DGD made Rocky Road by herself this week, no baking needed. She used the Nigella recipe found on line as it was so simple.

Are they bringing stuff from home too? I hope so.

Best wishes.

I had my grandbabies here overnight ,9 and 13 . We made pancakes for supper and had enough for breakfast , we played the word game 'We're going on a picnic 'that I discovered here ( they loved that ). We made plasticine people , did some maths online, talked and giggled a lot, wrestled in my bed then all watched The Croods in my bed , drew pictures of Spiderman . Then they went home - house a mess , plasticine stuck to the table , exhausted old Granny - happy kids ! Clean up later this afternoon .
We'd planned going to the beach in the rain but it started to sleet so scuppered that idea , but I've been instructed to buy buckets and spades , we're going there next week !

I too have a GS here next week for a few days - he is 11 and still loves us all to play board games with him and to watch films together so I expect its a bit of that. He does love to go to the park to practice his cricket - job for DH I think!

My Granddaughter is 11. She enjoys board games and a card game called Uno.
Hobbycraft were selling pottery money boxes at the weekend (various designs) that come with tiny pots of paint so children can paint them, £1.50 - £2.00 each.
Cooking, sewing, sticking and colouring all go down well.

As someone who hates board games I would go down the cooking and cutting and sticking route. It all depends on the ages of course but for older ones I would first suggest a long lie in!!
If that is a cop out or they are larks I pray for good weather for you. Our half term is next week and I am only on duty one day for an 11 year old who loves going out for hot chocolate and coffee for me. That is a morning gone.

I always used to do a bit of messy science with my DGCs. Get in a supply of balloons, vinegar and bicarb and you can make rockets, volcanoes, cable cars and much more. You will find lots of websites, this is one: www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments.html

I know how you all feel. My grandchild is only one and it's been hell not getting out because of the weather. You are kind of limited with things to do when you have them all day. The wee one doesn't even have a nap, so you are on the go all the time.

I love having her but I can find it hard going at times.

Mine are all going way

No school run, no pick ups.

Mine are all going way

Mine are all going way

Mine are all going way

Thank you all for some good suggestions. I have added in a trip to The Range art and craft department with money for each to spend. Hope they will each choose something fairly time consuming! I found an Usborne book of card games so we might learn some new ones. I like some of the science experiments so we will make the kitchen even more messy, and they have a film editing app for their ipad so they are already preparing the script for their magnum opus!

I'd be happy to have my GD (13) and GS (11) for half term, but their mum is a teacher, so they now have a family tradition of going ski-ing at February half term which lets me off the hook.

Oh no, half term, another glorious week of having the bear with the sore head in his man cave upstairs! Throw lots of food his way and get my shoes on! Come on doggie, we're off out!

Don't get me wrong, I have done all the running about, parks, picnics, zoos even Disneyworld. But now I am worn out, tattered around the edges and him upstairs won't even give me the time to share a meal together away from his computer and facebook chat with the girl of his dreams, so time for me to do my thing now.

Many thanks to Humbertbear for mention of '365 Science Activities'. I looked it up on Amazon, bought it on eBay, it's arrived today and I'm going through it to check I have all ingredients etc, and that will be the Easter holidays sorted. A super book, and I also ordered companion volume of 365 Things to Make and Do.

Rubylady that sounds like a dire situation but you sound very positive which is great !!

We have half term planned out, movies on Monday with DGD, DGS1 and DGS3 ( 2 for 1 movie tickets).

Then it's back to ours to rescue Grampy form DGS4 .

Then it's hide and seek ( I never move from my chair but they have huge fun) .

Then they'll cook me dinner ( I have them well trained , but Grampy helps) .

Tuesday , is our day off. Wednesday is swimming . Thursday is painting, sticking and glueing day - and we will be glittering Grampy!

Finally , Friday is carpet picnic, camping in the lounge and hunting for bears .

I will then need a week to recover

I am going to book a pub-lunch-a-day. We all like eating.

I've no doubt teacher Aunty will do some 'making' with them. [yawn] And then there's their skateboards.

I am so glad they are older now. God! I can remember playing post office. And shops.

Chucking a ball up the stairs and trying to catch it is still fun. I do it on my own sometimes.

(We have a wooden staircase so it bounces well)

I have really enjoyed reading this thread. What brilliant holidays ahead and most of all how lovely that you can be there to support and enjoy - even if it is exhausting - or in Anya's case have a very well earned rest from the usual melee.

We are at a much earlier stage, with DD and SIL coming to stay with 5 week old DGS for the first time ever. Busy cleaning the house from top to bottom - and procrastinating here every time I finish a big job like floors ...

As DD and SIL work in education, like me, we all tend to catch up in the term holidays. Mind you, we have already sown the idea that they might sometimes like to come and stay here while we go away ... we live in a little cottage on a farm and it is perfect for a getaway.

We will have a housefull as lots of extended family are invited to meet the baby on Saturday and to add to it all DS1 has just phoned to say can he come and stay too?! Only two bedrooms, but we do have a sofa bed so we will squeeze him in.

My butchers sells huge packs of bacon - feel like I need to buy one and a couple of dozen rolls to feed all the troops! I know catering for GCs must need a whole lot of organisation too as they get older and perhaps fussy with it.

Good luck everyone xx

My lot are 6,5 and just 2. Sometimes a tricky combination. Jingbellsfrocks, you made me laugh!. I would try chucking a ball upstairs (on my own) too but a bungalow makes that a bit of a non starter!.

We have a brilliant newsagent/ craft shop in a neighbouring town and I think I will take them to one of their crafting sessions. Also a good theatre for a children's show one afternoon. It's the 2 year old that is a bit of a fly in the ointment for some things. Lovely boy though.

Good luck Gransnetters!.

Trips out to the cinema and the local swimming pool ar good my grandson loves to play board games and you can't go wrong with rocky road nana3.

What about getting the bus somewhere (which is usually an experience for children whose family have cars) then walking back home. You could play the game.... Spot different kinds of things ie a certain bird or a yellow car Etc in the walk home. That will always burn off some energy and it's a cheap day out....Enjoy