I want to get a picnic table for the grandkids. Any suggestions? I also would like a tower for them to help me at the kitchen counter. I think the 17 month old could do some simple tasks.
I saw a cute kids picnic table at Ikea but they were sold out in May- maybe they have more?
We have a Little Tikes picnic table, similar to the one our kids had as toddlers. I like it, but may take another look at the Step2 picnic table that’s larger once GD#2 is a bit older.
GS and GD have a Step2 picnic table. It is great!
The kitchen helper we have is an older version of this: Guidecraft Contemporary Kitchen Helper Stool - Ivory : Target
The one we have does not have the ‘keepers’ on the ends and we have never had a problem, but it looks like a good safety feature. We use it often for baking / cooking projects and ‘doing dishes’ (playing in the water). It folds for easy storage.
Our favorite games this summer (ages 4 and 6) are The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game, Connect 4, Zingo, and Guess Who? We have also played a lot of Pop the Pig, Candy Land, UNO, Hoot Owl Hoot, and that spinning Let’s Go Fishing game.
We went to drop some stuff off at the kids’ place and got to play with the baby for a little bit. My husband pulled out his phone and showed the baby’s photo we took last weekend to the baby. She looked at herself,
smiled, and then started giggling very loudly! Kids said that was the first time they heard her laugh! 
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My mother had a Lil’ Tikes table (the orange and yellow classic) for more than 30 years and I think it was used when she got it. Oldest grandchild is heading toward 40 and the youngest are almost 18. Even those kids who were about 10 sat at the table with the littler ones for many years. It was nice because it is all one piece so no falling off seats. Inside, outside, it was a workhorse.
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I had that same table for my kids. I wish we had kept it. We gave the slide, table and playhouse away about 15 years ago.
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That little tykes table was super strong and durable. I think my sis still has one she used in patio with gkids.
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We still have one that we bought at a garage sale when our 30 something kids were little.
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A work associate had some items I bought from her when her daughter outgrew stuff - so I purchased a nice small wooden table and two chairs (collectable, with the metal label along the side under the table edge) – my sister was a grandmother some years before me and I gave that to her for her house which she had a playroom for the kids.
When I had my DDs after my sister had her sons, she gave me a really handy wooden high chair that she had refinished. The tray has adjustable slots, and our kids have been very happy using it. DD1 has used it with all 4 of her kids. My in-laws had a toddler chair made for our DDs, which fit under our kitchen table nicely, and DD’s S2 has taken to it nicely. When GD2 is old enough, she will use both the high chair and then the toddler chair.
I recently bought a table and two chairs that had a lego type top on the table, along with lego pieces. I told DD to not get the lego pieces out until the younger two are old enough for it. She may decide not to set it up until later.
I also had a plastic table and two chairs which the kids used outside and in the garage. The table ‘survived’ and is still in our garage.
Soon I will have 4 grandchildren with 3 being local. It is nice having some children’s things at my house. I bought an inflatable pool at Target that the 16 month old is enjoying.
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I am at a beach house with my whole family. Three sons and DILs and 4 grandchildren. I’m truly not sure I can do this again next year for many reasons…the travelling and the expense and old age…but to see the 4 having such a good time is priceless. Today was a perfect beach day.
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D1 did FaceTime with me on their drive back home from the Hamptons. I said to the GD that I will come see her next Friday. The GD said back to me, “ I want Friday. You wake me up.” I usually showed up after her afternoon nap or got her in the morning if I slept over.
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I just returned from spending a long weekend with the 4 1/2-year old GD and the 22-month-old GS. As a younger sibling myself, I hate seeing the GD suck most of the oxygen out of the room. Poor GS gets overlooked sometimes. Also, both kids just started at the same day care last Monday – this is a first for GS; he’s always been taken care of by his other grandmother or a sitter. The poor little guy was exhausted and of course had a cold.
I’m amazed at how competent my son and DIL are. Lots of moving parts yet they’re keeping it all together really well.
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Just got back from doing the lion’s share of watching gd and gs. And he loping to cook (not my skill base), clean up after everyone, do laundry, etc. I.am.so.tired
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I was unbelievably tired after three days of taking care of one (plus large dog). I can’t even imagine. Sleep well!
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OMG–I totally get feeling spent after looking after toddlers. My D and family have been at our vacation place for three weeks. D is working long distance so my SIL and everyone else here (8 adults) have been taking turns watching GD (who is 2.5 yrs.).
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S & family decided to travel to TN/KY for a few days while little girls don’t have daycare/school. Thrilled to see them this afternoon and to spend time with all 3 granddaughters (almost 6, 3(Nashville GD), almost 3). Little one dumped so much rice on the floor that I almost felt like going back and leaving extra money. Fortunately, floor was tile and won’t really be too bad for clean up. They ran up and down the sidewalk of the strip mall outside the restaurant after dinner and were so cute, but so made me tired. It is very rare that I get to spend time with both kids and their families, so thankful but glad to have the remainder of the evening to regroup before tomorrow’s TBD activities! It all makes me appreciate my mother’s help years ago, but I do remember that she was younger than I am now when my kids were under 6.
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My mother loved babies. But she also did enjoy our DDs, as they were the youngest grandchildren, and mom liked my husband a lot (he was the best son-in-law). My dad died when DD1 was 1 YO (he died young, at 64, of cancer). In-laws raised 4 boys, so they enjoyed the grand-daughters (only 3 total, and I was a rock star having 2 of them).
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GS, who just turned 11 months, smiled at me as I came to the table for dinner tonight and said ga-mama. He definitely knows who I am and now is starting to use names for people.
He is a chunk. He weighs 22 lbs–only 6 lbs less than his 2.5+ year old sister, Twin A.
Both twins are quite tall for their age. As tall as many 4 year olds. D1 says their height has totally messed up her age estimates when children come into the ER. She keeps thinking child patients are younger than they actually are because they’re the same height as the twins.
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