Childcare in Summer Hols

For dull days try some shaving foam on the kitchen table. Sensitive foam is the safest bet. It’s very easy to clear up and a great deal of fun!

Goodness! I wish you had all been around when my children and grandchildren were small! What brilliant ideas!

If it's a sunny day they can spend hours with a magnifying glass burning g their names onto a piece of wood.

Nowadays they go everywhere by car, so a bus trip is an adventure. Go online, there are all sorts holiday activities organised by local groups, by he council and by the libraries.

Ask your local mums about best parks and take them to different ones.

Speak to their mums and see if playdates are possible with their friends. If you do not mind the mess, then your 4yr old can do junk modelling so keep all your toilet rolls and cereal packets. I agree with AliBee about chalk outside - far less messy than paints.

If staying at home I'd buy a splash mat (dog one as stronger lol) they're circular and the outer sprays up and the middle fills up like a splash pool,
A pop up tent (small) for picnics and dens full of cushions, blankets etc.. Make a fairy garden/big hotel out of twigs etc.... Chalk the patio, pavement paint the sheds/walls with water and big brushes. Treasure hunts, gather foliage make pictures, bark rubbing, planting, watering plants,
Outside
Local parks.. Picnics take bikes, scooters,kites, foam gliders(cheaper and a big love for children)
Woodland(den building on a bigger scale) bug hunts, etc
Streams.. If local to a stream invest in a Magnet fishing, my GC love it and we spend hours fishing for treasure.
Wellies for splashing in streams and inevitably puddles too....
Indoors
Dens with chairs, tables and sheets
Painting cheap and cheerful hobby craft activities
Puppet on lolly sticks, sock puppets,
Junk modeling with all your recycling.
Gloop (flour and water) for mark making
Pasta necklace, painted.
Watch stick man, find and stick and make a stick man.
Go on a bear hunt (story) use the house as the river, cave, snow storm etc... (can be done outside too)
Make bird feeders,
So many ideas sorry lol

I also look after my grandchildren on a weekly basis. My problem is that the 10 year old granddaughter broke her femur in an arguement with a car! She will be on crutches for most of the summer holidays so I am restricted to what she can do. Her little brother who in nearly 4 is so easy to please, just give him a ssndpit and he will happily play there all day. Any ideas on what to do with the 10 year old?

Home made slim, moon dough etc very easy and cheap, add glitter, gems etc to it, tie dye kits, dye bags, shirts, teatowels etc.. Rock painting, mug painting, jewelry making (beads etc) flower pressing, as above make bird feeders, bug hotels (all table top activities) simple sewing ideas, pencil cases etc, model head (got one cheap off ebay) style hair etc (even let her on your hair /face, I let my GC brush and style my hair lol and put makeup/nail varnish on)

That's a tricky age gap isn't it? Their needs are quite different.
Can you arrange a regular 'team up' with someone else with similar aged children? I remember mine being so much easier when they had someone else to play with - even babies/toddlers seem to like company.

granto3 do you knit or crochet? If so, you could teach the 10 year old to knit/crochet. Make a scrapbook of the things she’s done during the holidays?
Good luck!