Well, as you know, I did have four pre-school children. I don’t know what I would have done without Donny, as he was extremely helpful at all times. That’s probably why, when pressed for an answer to “Who’s your favorite child?” After “Whoever needs me” as a reply and pressed for another answer, I say now, “Donny, because he helped me.” So, don’t overlook the capacity of a six-year old to play “Mommy” with you.
Of course, throwing a blanket or sheet over a coffee-table to make a bear’s den is always fun, especially if you can convince your crowd that they are all bears and want to crawl in and out of the den. (That’s a rainy-day saver.) A six-year old would enjoy rolling out pie-dough and pouring a can of cherry-pie mix in and then adding the criss-cross dough lid. (This kept Ronny busy for hours.
In good weather you can buy finger paints and paper to keep them busy at your picnic table. (You WILL need this because meals in the yard are a snap…no clean up…can be hosed down after each session of creativity or spilly meal. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are also real food and easy. They all need real milk and real fruit juice. I added V-8 to the spaghetti so they’d get veggies when they didn’t want veggies. I poured extra orange-juice into ice-cute trays and stuck a toothpick into each cube so they would have a treat after naps. Yes, don’t forget naps. they needs to lie down for at least a half hour every afternoon…because YOU need a break. then YOU lie down and rest with them. Quiet reading of “Goodnight Moon” is a good prelude to naps.

Who will be responsible for all of this laundry? Will a teen-ager come in and distract the kids while you push laundry? Can you pay her back by promising her that you’ll teach her how to sew/knit/crochet, help her pass her finals? In a span of two weeks you may welcome a helping hand. Also, do you have all of their various medications lined up and their pediatricianss’ phone nunmbers lined up? Suppose there’s a sudden chest cold and fever? You might need a lot of advice all of a sudden. Are the neighbors aware of your new responsibilities? What if YOU become suddenly ill? then what?

Good luck with this undertaking. I admire your endless spunk.
Love and hugs, Grama Ginny

My sister-in-law just started this blog with fun/easy craft projects for kids. Simple things to do:
http://heapsoflaundry.blogspot.com/

Some suggestions:
1. Lunch/Snack-Do it in a muffin tin. We do Muffin Tin Mondays at our house. My boys LOVE it. Check out my blog and http://sycamorestirrings.blogspot.com and you can get all the info.
2. Get them outside if you can. If you keep them inside you’ll go crazy : ) We spend a lot of time at local parks or just in our backyard. It’s completely unstructured, but they’re having fun and running off energy. We set up obstacle courses in our backyard (usually sports related for my boys), but you can do anything. Go on a nature walk and have them point out everything they can find of a certain color, or collect rocks to bring back home and paint, there’s lots to do outside if you look.
3. At that age they’ll probably love to help with your kids, so let them. Ask them to help you by grabbing diapers, sippy cups, etc. It will make them feel involved and not like burden.
4. Set up a reward system for them. Maybe a sticker chart or something. Something that makes them feel special. When they help you with one of your kids or are kind to their sibling give them a sticker or something else. It will help them feel appreciated in a new environment. Being in a new situation can bring out the worst in kids so having something on hand to reward good behavior will set the tone for positive behavior right off the bat. Just make it simple. Right away, on the first day, when they do something good, say “hey joey, thanks for helping me with that. Here’s a sticker. You can put it on that sticker chart over there with your name on it or wear it on your shirt if you want.”
Hope some of that helps.

Good luck and don’t pull your hair out! :)