How to keep safe regarding toys my 1 year old (his brother is 3 years old)

[Palmira78]

My children play together or share the sitting room when playing. The toys for my DS1 have smaller parts and I fear that this Christmas this will get worse. When DS1 plays with something DS2 gets attracted to it.
Do you keep children in different rooms when playing with certain toys?  Do you avoid any toys that can be dangerous for a baby?

[Lindsay27]

Are toys with small parts, particularly lego, is stored in the playroom or DSs bedroom and we tell him if he wants to play it in the living room (where we spend most of our time together) it has to be when DD is napping, otherwise he has to play with it in either his bedroom or the playroom. 

[Jodes112]

Ours were also in DS bedroom in a box with lid (small lego) he would get them out either in his bedroom or on the dining room table where DD couldnt get.

[Palmira78]

Thanks a lot for your ideas.
Playing on the dining room table is a way to keep them in the same room but safe. If I send DS1 to his room he will feel jealous and lonely, and I cannot leave DS2 unattended (he is still 11 months old).
This leads me to the following question. If your older son/daughter is playing in his bedroom, how do you avoid that the little one goes in there? Do you just close the door? Don't you have any kind of a drama there? My little one always wants to be with his brother, and now he only crawls...
In any case I see that playing in different rooms will be necessary because everything that my DS1 constructs, my DS2 destructs, and it is getting more and more difficult to prevent it. May be I am over thinking it too much.

[Jodes112]

Yeah, DS as he's grown with a smaller sibling has kind of learned to take himself off if he wanst to do something that wont get ruined. He's 6 now and dd 3. Its not too bad now as dd has also learned she doesnt break DS things. And at this age they can play together with bately any issues around safety. More just annoyence from DS lol.

I would speak with DS and just explain that your DD doesnt understand that the things he makes are really important to him, and that it might be a good idea to take them to a room or place where she cant get/reach, that way he can keep them safe and as he wants them. You can also use this to teach DD (as she grows) that she must not break her brothers things.

Yeh i would shut the bedroom door, if he is happy with that. If not i would leave it open however try and find a way baby cant get in - a baby gate? X

[Palmira78]

Thanks a lot for the great advice. Perhaps it is common sense, but I was not able to foresee all this (I am only one child myself :-))

[Jodes112]

No problem at all  Good luck!

[Katet]

I'm not sure if it's been said, but also setting the older child up in a play pen or travel cot where the younger one can't get in can be helpful... I know someone who did that so the Dog didnt' mess up their child's play LOL

[Palmira78]

Excellent suggestion Katet! Thanks!
Following your advice, yesterday I took out the play pen from the storage room and my DS1 already started playing in. He really loved it since he can have his stuff there (untouched!!) and at the same time share the space with us.
I was not going to use the play pen thinking that it was only useful when you only have 1 child. I thought that DS2 would get mad being inside there if his brother was out. However this way, my DS1 (3 years old) can get in and out by his own, when he wants his private space and DS2 can explore without any safety risks. Also I do not have to be continuously stopping DS2 from his destruction. My DS1 can put together a puzzle and no argument takes place with DS2.

[Jodes112]

Brilliant update 
Glad you found something that works x