Sheesh, there’s a ton of people on this thread who have obviously never dealt with the realities of keeping a handful of under-sixes in one safe spot whilst cutting raw meat/bleaching floors/having a BM in peace, etc.
Pharisees....
All at one time? That's a mental image I can do without!
I use play dough and art projects for that. I set up an Art box (plastic tub) for my grandson when he was maybe two, and at that age I closely supervised him and there was very little in the box- crayons and paper I think. As he gets older I have added to it and added to the rules; now he has a great selection and knows the rules. It is his choice whether to paint, color, play with play doh- cut and glue, whatever. When I need some peace it is time for him to do art.
This works great as long as you have strictly enforced the rules along the way- I learned to do that the hard way when my youngest made a mural about 3 feet tall and 15 feet wide in my hallway- in my defense her brother was babysitting when that happened.