Things to do with 6 year olds: 101 awesome activities for kids ages 5 to 8

101 awesome activities for kids ages 5 to 8

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These activities for 5-year-olds and older are perfect for staving off boredom.

Do you struggle with thinking of fun activities to keep your child entertained on the weekends and after school? You’re not alone! It can certainly be difficult to come up with unique activities for kids. And although it might be easy to just pop in a movie or allow your little one to play games on the tablet, psychologist and play expert Dr. Jacqueline Chinappi, of South University in Savannah, Georgia, urges you to remember that too much screen time can contribute to behavioral problems, obesity and attention issues.

In today’s digital world, this is a growing concern. In fact, according to Dr. Anne Fishel, of the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, children around 8 years old at times have up to 11 hours of screen time per day.

Help your little one exercise their mind and body by trying out these 101 fun activities for 5- to 8-year-olds.

1. Make a batch of homemade play dough.
2. Go on a nature walk and collect leaves or rocks.
3. Move the furniture around so your little gymnast can practice their tumbles.
4. Play “Go Fish.”
5. Make a fort out of blankets and pillows.
6. Plant flowers in the garden.
7. Camp out in the backyard.
8. Read a classic children’s book out loud together.

9. Learn to ride a bike.
10. Go berry picking.
11. Bake a pie using your freshly picked berries.
12. Grab some binoculars and go birdwatching.
13. Learn how to play the recorder.
14. Make sock puppets.
15. Press flowers and put them in a scrapbook.
16. Build a model airplane.

17. Learn how to knit.
18. Visit your local zoo.
19. Visit a farmers’ market.
20. Play dress-up.
21. Learn how to braid hair.
22. Grab some chalk and decorate the sidewalk.
23. Have an outdoor picnic.
24. Observe insects through a magnifying glass.

25. Is it raining? Have a picnic indoors instead!
26. Visit animals at a pet store. (Just try not to bring them all home!)
27. Make a map of your house or apartment.
28. Learn how to jump rope.
29. Make a guitar out of a box and rubber bands.
30. Visit your neighbors.
31. Bake brownies.
32. Pop some popcorn, and snuggle up to watch some home movies.

33. Plant a vegetable garden.
34. Build a snowman.
35. Have a snowball fight.
36. Make a pizza with all your favorite toppings.
37. Visit a pumpkin patch.
38. Make friendship bracelets.
39. Turn a pine cone into a bird feeder by adding some peanut butter and birdseed.
40. Learn a magic trick.

41. Cut out homemade paper dolls.
42. Play freeze tag.
43. Play “Simon Says.”
44. Interview a grandparent.
45. Get out a bag of hair ties and create some fun hairdos.
46. Go to the library.
47. Go on a hike.
48. Build a sandcastle.

49. Have a tea party with real tea and snacks.
50. Cut out pictures from magazines to make a collage.
51. Play “Red Light/Green Light.”
52. Color!
53. Write an original song.
54. Take turns drawing each other’s portraits.
55. Paint each other’s fingernails.
56. Play “Hide-and-Seek.”

57. Teach your dog or cat how to do some tricks.
58. Make your own bubble solution.
59. Lay out an ice cream sundae bar.
60. Play “Follow the Leader.”
61. Tie-dye T-shirts.
62. Have a fashion show.
63. Feed ducks at a local pond or lake.
64. Make shadow puppets on the wall.

65. Play a board game.
66. Turn craft foam into bath floats.
67. Make pinch pots out of air-dry clay.
68. Slice apples and turn them into paint stamps.
69. Turn your living room into a winter wonderland with toilet paper, cotton balls and pillows.
70. Break out your makeup and let your child give you a new look.
71. Put on a play.
72. Do a word search.
73. Visit a local farm.
74. Run through a sprinkler.

75. Make nature crafts.
76. Learn how to hula hoop.
77. Make muffin tin crayons.
78. Cut snowflakes out of paper.
79. Play mini golf.
80. Make hot chocolate.
81. Lie down in your backyard, and talk about the shapes you see in the clouds.
82. Create a secret handshake.
83. Go fishing.
84. Put together a puzzle.

85. Play musical chairs.
86. Learn how to do a cartwheel.
87. Make rainbow foam.
88. Create a paper chain with colorful construction paper.
89. Learn how to play checkers.
90. Make a drum out of an oatmeal container.
91. Visit a science museum.
92. Learn a new language.
93. Make leaf and tree rubbings with paper and crayons.
94. Catch fireflies.

95. Go for a drive with no destination.
96. Make a sundial out of paper plates.
97. Play “Duck, Duck, Goose.”
98. Build a dream house out of Legos.
99. Have your child write a letter to her favorite book character.
100. Do a crossword puzzle.
101. Find rocks outside and paint them.

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List of 20 Best Activities for 6 Year Old Kids

• Video: 8 Best Developmental Activities for 6 Year Old Kids

• Learning Activities

• Art and Craft Activities

• Indoor Activities

• Outdoor Activities

Last Updated on November 19, 2020

A child is always in a learning mode but it takes a peak when he hits six. It is time for you to introduce games or activities that would impart cognitive or emotional skills at this point. Here are some activities that you can try.

Video: 8 Best Developmental Activities for 6 Year Old Kids

Learning Activities

The age of 6 is tender but ripe for grasping new things. Teach them the following most productive educational activities for 6-year-olds.

1. Creating New Words

Words are always fun and if they are used the right way, they can be used to teach your kid a lot.

How to Do

Prepare some cards with small words of 3 letters. Ask your kid to come up with new words that have the same letters.

What Does It Teach?

Your kid is now learning new words. So it will help him memorise spellings and come up with his own words.

2. Mirror

The game requires only a mirror and nothing else. It’s as simple as it can get.

How to Do

The game requires a lot of mimicking. Act out something in front of the mirror and ask your child to mimic it.

What Does It Teach?

The game is perfect to develop motor skills. The act of mimicking would develop his bones and motor skills, as well as teach him to deliver quick responses.

3. Discuss While Reading

A little background check can always benefit your kid and help him understand things better. This a very good reading activity for 6-year-olds.

How to Do

Read stories or things that would make him or her interested. Keep asking your child questions or if they come up with some, give your best to clarify it.

What Does It Teach?

The process would make him curious. It would make him imagine things and the more of it the better. It would help them with a solid understanding of the subject.

4. Riddles

Riddles are a fun way to talk to someone. You can always create your own riddles to get your kid engaged.

How to Do

Start with simpler and regular ones. This will make your child curious and if he gets the answer, he will be elated. Make your own riddles and ask your child to make some new.

What Does It Teach?

This activity teases the brain and it will make your child think in a different way by exercising his brain.

5. Finish the Story

You can always ask your kid to finish the story. This is a good way to engage your 6-year-old in writing activities.

How to Do

Create an impromptu story and stop midway. Then, ask your child to write the end.

What Does It Teach?

This will be a fun activity. It can help your child in imagining a perfect end for the story. Also, it will help him develop writing skills.

Art and Craft Activities

Art and craft activities are always a fun way to teach your kids things that would give them a solid foundation. Following are some of the creative activities for 6-year-olds.

1. Play with Wind Vane

A simple thing to do, but your child would enjoy this activity a lot.

How to Do

You need a paper, a pair of scissors, a paper cup with a lid preferably, a pencil with an eraser on one end, few pebbles, a straw, some glue, and a compass.

Cut one square and one triangle out of a large piece of paper. Then, slit the straw on both ends. Add the triangle piece on one end and on the other, and fix the square one with glue. Put some pebbles in the cup to make it stable, and then close the lid. Erect the pencil in it with the eraser side out of it. Fix the straw with a pin on top of the rubber in such a way that the straw stays away from the rubber tip. Now, take it outside in the wind with a compass placed beside it. Let your kid note the direction of the wind.

What Does It Teach?

It can give your child exposure to craft while teaching how wind can cause movement.

2. Origami

This old form of Japanese art is both elegant and creative.

How to Do

You can always buy a set or you can cut out square pieces from newspaper and colour them. Then show your kid how to make little frogs or a bunny.

What Does It Teach?

This little game would keep your child hooked and let him explore his creativity.

3. Act Out Stories

It is a fun way to teach your kid new stories.

How to Do

Just take a favourite story of your kid and play characters in it. Ask him or her to write their own dialogue and then act. You can always do it in front of your family members.

What Does It Teach?

This will hone their acting skill and help them get involved in characters. It will give them a different perspective and help them overcome the fear of performing in front of others.

4. Drawing

Colours can always get your kids excited.

How to Do

You just need some paper, a pencil, rubber and colours. You can always get some books with pictures to colour as well.

What Does It Teach?

It is a creative way to help your kid give colours to his fantasies. As it is more primal in nature, it will assist your kid in noticing things minutely.

5. Basic Cooking

Involving your kids in the kitchen would be fun to start with. They may make a mess, but they will learn more.

How to Do

Start with basics like how to flip a pancake or how to make scrambled eggs. Discuss the steps involved in it and teach them the art of measurement. Gradually, you can grade up to little snacks.

What Does It Teach?

It will make them responsible and give them the skills to be independent. They will start showing you respect for what you do in the kitchen.

Indoor Activities

If you involve them in various indoor activities, they will quickly learn to organise things on their own. Get them interested in these 6-years-old’s cognitive development activities.

1. LEGO

A good activity to start with is LEGO. It is one of the finest activities for 6-year-olds at home.

How to Do

Playing with LEGO blocks is fun. This will challenge your child and provoke him into using his imagination. Guide him as little as possible.

What Does It Teach?

The game helps kids understand shapes and precision. This can also lead to arguments where they would start thinking rationally.

2. Treasure Hunt

It is an extremely motivating game that can get your kid excited.

How to Do

Hide some object or a reward somewhere inside the house and leave clues for him. Let him decode clues on their own.

What Does It Teach?

You kid will learn to focus and pay attention to details to solve a problem.

3. Make Cards

Be it any occasion, ask your child to make a card.

How to Do

You only need paper and some colours. If you kid feels like, he can add glitters and other things.

What Does It Teach?

Making a card for someone would create an association. Your child will get to know the value of occasions and culturally it would enrich him.

4. Writing in a Diary

Ask kids to maintain a diary every day.

How to Do

Buy your kid a nice diary with pages providing ample space for days to write about.

What Does It Teach?

A diary would help him to vent out his personal things. It can also make him more empathetic. He will start noticing things closely and feel them in detail.

5. Chute and Ladder

This Indian game can help you make your kid’s boring days cheerful.

How to Do

Buy a chute and ladder board game and play the game with your child.

What Does It Teach?

This game is a perfect way to teach your kid about probability and luck.

Outdoor Activities

Boxing your kid up inside the house would do no good. It is time to let him understand how things work outside.

1. Visit the Zoo and Museum

This outdoor activity can open up his imagination.

How to Do

Visit these places with your kid and tell him fascinating stories about animals in the zoo or the historical artefacts in the museum.

What Does It Teach?

This will teach your kid about past and heritage, and also introduce him to the natural world.

2. Take a Snap

This can later even become his profession.

How to Do

Buy him or her a camera and let him explore and take pictures of whatever catches his fancy

What Does It Teach?

This can really get him intrigued and help him learn technicalities. Kids will start noticing things in a better way and create their own perceptions of them.

3. Go Camping

Go into the wild with your kids. Don’t think of it as just boy-centric, this can be a fun activity for a 6-year-old girl as well.

How to Do

Choose a safe place away from the city. Get the essentials with you and set off. Teach your kid about little things in detail. Give him small chores to do.

What Does It Teach?

This will teach kids to be self-sufficient and how to manage things in adverse situations. Also, it will teach them survival tricks.

4. Go Fishing

Have fun while fishing.

How to Do

Get some angling rod, a bucket and bait for fishes.

What Does It Teach?

Fishing can teach your kid a lot of patience.

5. Plant a Tree

Gardening can be super fun. And yes, it will allow him to play with dirt.

How to Do

Get a sapling and your garden tools and some water. Let him dig the ground and put the sapling. Then, allow him to water it.\

What Does It Teach?

It will bring your kid close to nature and teach him to take care of other beings.

It is the right time to start exposing your child to various activities and get him intrigued to promote development. Be innovative in your approach and have fun to the fullest.

Also Read:

Funny Winter Activities for Your Children
List of 15 Team Building Activities for Children
List of 20 Best Activities for 7-Year-Old Kids

30 Best Indoor And Outdoor Learning Activities For 6-Year-Olds

Combing learning with play can never make your little one a dull kid.

Image: Shutterstock

Six-year-olds can read books independently, speak entire phrases, comprehend numbers, and draw various geometric forms. So it’s the right time to start laying the foundation for learning by enrolling them in different activities for 6-year-olds. You don’t have to always force children to participate in educational activities. There are various other fascinating methods to have fun while learning new things. Continue reading this post to learn about numerous activities your child would like.

30 Activities For Six-Year-Olds

Fun Activities

One of the most important activities that your child should do is play. But as parents, you may want them to learn something while playing. We have some fun learning activities that your kid can enjoy while also reaping benefits.

1. Tongue twisters

Tongue twisters are a combination of unusual sounds and are often difficult to pronounce. They are a good way for children to improve their vocabulary and pronunciation. Your six-year-old can have a fun time by repeating the funny tongue twisters and also include the rhythm and sounds while practicing English. It improves reading and memory skills. We have a few for you to try:

• Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
• Any noise annoys an oyster, but a noisy noise annoys an oyster more.
• A big bug bit the little beetle but the little beetle bit the big bug back.
• Cooks cook cupcakes quickly.

2. Language games

Image: Shutterstock

Improving language is not limited to grammar books. Playing language games once or twice a week can provide an interactive learning experience. Some of the popular language games include:

• Unscramble words: Interchange the letters of simple words and ask your child to find out the correct word.
• Riddles: Make a phrase or describe a thing and let your kid identify the subject.
• Word game: Give a big word and ask your child to come up with a list of words using the word’s letters. For instance, if the word is a COMPUTER, then the words that can be made with these letters are top, put, pet, top, and more.

3. Listening games

Listening is a skill that helps build reading ability, improve speech, and develop social and communication skills. We have a few simple and fun activities that you can try for your six years old child.

• Say a series of words and ask your child to pick the odd one out.
• Word Chain is a fun game that needs careful listening. Start with a random word, and let your child come up with the next term that starts with the last letter. For instance, your word is Apple, the next one would be Elephant, and then Tiger.
• A Line-up story is another exciting game that helps improve language and listening skills. One person has to say a random sentence, and the other has to continue the story by adding a line. The game goes on, and eventually, the story turns out to be funnier than expected.

4. Phonic games

Phonics is the relationship between the alphabet and sounds. Learning to use phonics correctly from a younger age can make it easier for children to spell long and challenging words. Here are some creative activities.

• Rhyming words: Rhymes can be a light-hearted way for little ones to understand phonics. Give a list of words on a paper and ask your child to come up with a list of rhyming words.
• I spy: It is one of the best activities that can be played anywhere, be it while traveling or when bored. Make a sound of the word that you want your kid to identify. For instance, say, I spy something that begins with bbb or aaa.

5. Action games

Six-year-old children like to be involved in action-packed games as they are packed with energy and enthusiasm. Such activities also enhance multitasking, improve communication skills, and let the child play and exercise simultaneously. Throw and catch the ball, juggle with a ball or bottle, and treasure hunt are some easy and enjoyable activities.

6. Memory games

Image: Shutterstock

Memorizing words or phrases plays a beneficial role in a child’s development. You can play the game with your six-year-old at home or in the park or even while traveling. Spot the difference, magic cup game, and card game are some easy choices to start with.

Art and Craft Activities

Art and craft activities nurture attention, listening, imagination, and communication abilities. These also help your child identify texture, colors, and shapes, build creativity, and improve motor skills.

7. Origami

Image: Shutterstock

Origami is the art of folding a sheet of paper to make sculptures of animals, birds, or objects. It also brings out the creative side of the child. Give some colorful and smooth-textured sheets of paper to your child, show them how to make an origami (here are some ideas), and let them enjoy it alone or with friends.

8. Drawing

The most basic activity that six years old children can do is to draw and color. This simple activity offers benefits such as improving visual analysis and concentration, strengthening hand-eye coordination, and facilitating the better expression of thoughts and ideas.

9. Play with wind vane

When art and craft are merged with science, it becomes one of the best logic-based activities. Teach your child to make a wind vane, an instrument used to show the wind’s direction. All you need is a marker, pointer, and cardboard. It is fun to make and play with.

10. Basic cooking

Image: Shutterstock

You can encourage your six-year-old to indulge in cooking as it is one of the most exciting activties ever. However, it requires adult supervision. Let your child participate in basic cooking activities such as decorating baked items, greasing the pans, dicing soft foods, and mixing ingredients for baking. These are easy and safe activities that steadily develop your child’s interest.

11. Screen games

You can let them play games on the computer, join an online club, and read a book online. However, restrict the screen time to a couple of hours or less. Pick games that you can play with the child or the entire family can play together.

12. Act out stories

Acting out a story that your child has recently read or watched can help them remember it and strengthen their ability to read comprehensions. It is also suitable for their cognitive development. You can use props to make the activity more interesting and amusing.

Learning Activities

School is not the only place where a child learns new things. You can improve their knowledge and socio-emotional development skills by getting them involved in learning activities at home.

13. Tactile games

Tactile or sensory games stimulate your child’s senses by encouraging them to investigate, question, explore, and create while playing. They also improve problem-solving capacity, motor skills, and language development. Playing with clay, stacking blocks, and slimes are some of the simple and fun tactile games they can play.

14. Math games

Learning math can become tedious if your child learns it only at school. You can make it engrossing by playing math games such as Jenga, Dominos, Snakes and Ladders, and Business. There are several math board games and interactive games that you can allow your child to play. They can learn addition and subtraction, shapes and sequences, counting, and number relationships to strengthen their reasoning and problem-solving skills. Don’t forget to give them bonus points for good work!

15. Reading together

Image: Shutterstock

Reading from a young age fosters imagination and improves understanding of a language. To make reading a compelling activity, you can read stories to your child and ask them to read it to you. Sometimes, you can read the stories together and discuss them, too. Try to make reading a part of your child’s routine.

16. Mirror games

Six-year-old children can enjoy mirror activities in different ways. Mirrors can be used for science experiments and also for some fun time. You can even use spinning tops and flashlights to make reflections. Make your children write the alphabet or numbers on a sheet of paper and let them check what happens when they see them in the mirror. Such activities can be quite intriguing for children.

17. New words

Introduce your children to new words to improve vocabulary and language skills. You can also ask them to use those words in sentences to understand their use. An entertaining way to do it is by picking random words while watching movies or cartoons and then asking the child to use it in a sentence.

18. Riddles

Riddles can let your child laugh and, at the same time, boost their creative thinking and verbal fluency. You can ask riddles to your children or let them create some on their own. Here are a few that you may ask your six-year-old kid.

• Where can you find streets, cities, shops, and towns, but no people? (Answer: Map)
• What has two hands and a face but no legs? (Answer: Clock)
• I am tall when young and short when old? (Answer: Candle)

Indoor Activities

There are plenty of indoor activities for six-year-olds that help improve brain development, language skills, general intellect, and physical development. Not to forget, they are fun-filled, too.

19. Treasure hunt

Treasure hunt or scavenger hunt is an interesting activity in which you have to hide objects and leave a series of clues for your child. Playing the game regularly can help your child with physical exercise, improved attention and creativity, self-confidence, and imagination.

20. Writing in a diary

Your six-year-old child can learn discipline and organize thoughts by keeping a diary. It allows them to be expressive. Writing also provides an opportunity to improve handwriting, vocabulary, and grammar.

21. Cardmaking

Image: Shutterstock

Making a greeting card involves cutting, drawing, coloring, gluing, and getting crafty. It improves your child’s motor skills and power of imagination. Buy colors, glitters, and sheets of paper to make cards for different occasions, such as birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, and Father’s day.

22. Board games

Playing indoor board games with family and friends helps improves a child’s problem-solving skills, improves strategy skills and concentration, and strengthens communication. Some of the popular ones include Tic-tac-toe, Guess who, Snakes and Ladders, Connect 4, and Scrabble junior.

Outdoor Activities

Playing outdoors is crucial for a child’s overall health and development. Playing in parks and grounds helps children learn new things, develop positive attitude and communication, and create a connection with nature.

23. Visit a museum

Children can learn about history by visiting a museum. It encourages them to ask questions and learn more about the world and the universe. Take your six-year-old to a museum in your town or city and help them compare the past with the present.

24. Gardening

Image: Shutterstock

Let your six-year-old get close to nature through this activity. Sowing a seed, mulching, watering plants, and other gardening activities cultivate a unique learning experience. Teach children basic gardening skills to make them understand the importance of nature and love nature.

25. Camping

Give a camping experience to your little ones once in a while. You can start once they are six years old. It helps in unplugging from the routine life, motivates working in a team, fosters social skills, and helps connect with nature, family, and friends. Before you camp outside, you can even build a tent with blankets over two pieces of furniture.

26. Obstacle course

Make an obstacle course in the park or backyard of the house and let your child improve their gross motor skills. You can make them hop over the bricks, crawl under the chairs, stretch their hands and legs, and twirl around.

27. A family walk

Image: Shutterstock

Take your child for a walk amidst the natural surroundings. It can be in the nearby woods or a park. Let them talk to you freely, share their feelings, explore nature, touch the flowers and leaves, and breathe in the fresh air. It could strengthen your bond and make them appreciate nature.

28. Picnic with friends and family

A picnic is a wonderful activity to keep children close to nature and loved ones. It is a good opportunity to play games, rest, hang around, and relish delicious homemade snacks. This activity strengthens the familial bond and also gives the child a break from the monotonous school life.

29. Cycling

Image: Shutterstock

Encourage your six-year-old to cycle to keep them active, build muscle mass, boost confidence, strengthen social skills, improve navigational skills, and have unlimited fun. Once they are comfortable cycling, they can have bike rides with family and friends.

30. Backyard games

Hopscotch, hide and seek, bowling with recycled bottles, tire swing, and water play are a few simple outdoor activities that you can encourage your child to play. Ask them to call their neighborhood friends or cousins. Let them enjoy, have fun, and cherish their childhood days.

Some rejuvenating activities for 6-year-olds can be a great way to activate all their senses. Young children should not be limited to studies and schoolwork, rather they should be exposed to different activities. It will help them gain immense interest in extracurricular activities. Remember that their physical and mental development is possible only when they are more actively involved and interested in doing something they genuinely enjoy. Maybe a little push from your end could help them pursue these interests more seriously.

Key Pointers

• Repeating tongue twisters can be fun for a six-year-old, improving reading and memory skills.
• Activities such as Origami and acting out stories will help enhance their communication skills and imagination.
• Introducing them to activities such as New words and Riddles will sharpen their focus and improve their attention.
• Indoor activities like journaling will help in brain development, and outdoor activities like cycling will ensure their physical wellbeing.

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Harshita is a graduate in commerce and holds a PG Diploma in Patent and Copyrights Law from NALSAR University. She has also pursued CA and has more than three years of internship experience in auditing. Her love for travelling has taken her to various parts of the world, and writing the travelogues was what brought out her love for content writing…. more

Dr. Elna Gibson is a general pediatrician. She did her MBChB and specialization as a pediatrician in South Africa at the University of Pretoria. She obtained MMed Pediatrics (masters) with distinction in 1993. As a young specialist, Dr. Gibson spent some time in the Netherlands, and then settled in the Vaal Triangle where she has practiced for 25 years. She… more

Things to do with kids: 72 activities to entertain them

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‘Things to do with kids’ is a phrase many parents have searched over the years. Free things, easy things, educational things… there are so many things to do with kids. 

And with the school summer holidays and half terms, many mums and dads are after inspiration to help keep the kids engaged – be that a fun family day out in London a wander around a popular Gruffalo Trail or maybe some inspiring indoor activities for kids when the weather turns.

Stephanie Lowe , Family Editor at Goodto.com says; “To keep kids successfully entertained is the Holy Grail of parenting, especially during school holidays. Anything that keeps them engaged and maybe teaches along the way is a winner.”

We’ve compiled together a list of fabulous things to do with kids, including everything from crafts to games and activities that will help develop key skills too. And, bonus, most of these ideas are suitable for all ages, with some adult supervision required.

Things to do with kids

1. Create your own stickers

Everyone loves stickers! Using this handy guide, you can get crafty and learn how to make your own stickers using materials at home. It’s a super easy activity and kids will be wowed as they turn their very own drawings into stickers to cover their bedroom and bits with.

Ages: 4+

2. Go for a bike ride

Both adults and kids’ bikes can be bought for good prices on sites like GumTree and ebay , but be sure to check they’re selling in your local area.

Then all you have to do is take your new ride to the park (for the little ones) or the open road (for older kids).

Ages: 4+

3. Take a museum tour

Free museum tours are perfect to keep the kids engaged, educate them a little on new subjects and tire them out enough for bedtime all wrapped up in one activity. Take a look at our article on Free museums . We cover all museums across the UK. 

They include Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle and the Tower of London, along with those in the USA and Europe.

4. Join in with a Joe Wicks workout

That’s right, Joe Wicks is back is still a firm favourite with kids. Perfect for adults and children, enjoy a bit of bonding and via a HIIT workout. Discover where to watch Joe Wicks workouts and get stuck in with the kids this week.

Ages: 4+

5. Interview a family member

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Kids are curious, encourage this curiosity and help them set up an interview with a family member, challenge them to find out something you never knew. Maybe call it ‘pretend journalists’ or ‘pretend genealogists. 

Questions to ask;

• Where did you grow up?
• Do you share a name with someone else in the family?
• Did you have a nickname growing up? 
• When and where were you born?
• Where was your first house?
• What other houses did you live in?

Age: 9+

6.

Make your own puzzle

If you’ve got through all the puzzles follow this great WikiHow tutorial explains how to turn a family photo, a photo of your favourite pet, television show or characters from your favourite book into a DIY puzzle. It’s a great way to get the kids crafting and the step-by-step guide makes it a super simple activity.

Ages: 5+ (with adult supervision)

7. Create your own music video

TikTok exploded onto the scene in 2020 for the first time and now, everyone is a star with lip-syncing videos going viral every day. But you don’t have to join TikTok to have your own fun with lip-syncing, dancing, and miming.

Create your own music video and have fun with the whole family, simply using an iPhone. Get the kids to design the video, including what the lighting will be, what song is going to be sung, what everyone will wear, and what the set will look like.

Then use your iPhone, propped up on a surface, to record the video. Send to family and friends to give them a laugh.

8. Enjoy a virtual trip to the Aquarium

While a trip to the aquarium might rack up financially, the wonders of the deep blue sea are just a few clicks away thanks to the cameras installed in various tanks around the world.

The videos are either live or pre-recorded and uploaded by the aquariums themselves, so they’re great quality. Our favourite is the Monterey Bay Aquarium, as they have live cams for their fish, sharks, jellyfish and more.

Ages: 3+

9. Host a family Come Dine With Me

If you’ve already got the cooking down and the little ones are set to feature on The Great British Bake Off any day now, why not host your very own Come Dine with Me?

Each week, one member of the family comes up with a menu and cooks a starter, main and dessert.

It’s a great way to get everyone cooking in the kitchen. Older children or adults can help little ones with the choosing of the menu and cooking (beans on toast anyone?).

Use our recipe finder to discover some of the easy, delicious and quick recipes that kids of any age can make at home – from starters to desserts.

Ages: 5+

10. Take a virtual trip to the zoo

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Save on pennies with the zoos who also have live streams of the animals.

Our favourite is the famous San Diego Zoo live cams . They broadcast the daily lives of some of the most fascinating animals around, such as hippos, penguins, polar bears, tigers and more.

So whatever the little ones’ favourite animals are, they can get up close and personal in a way they would otherwise never have been able to. You could even set up a bingo game and the can stamp the animals they see.

Ages: 3+

11. Build an indoor fort with pillows

11. Build an indoor den with pillows

With the current cold weather, maybe a bike ride or a walk in the park isn’t for you.

Stay inside this week and build a den from pillows and sofa cushions instead. It’s as simple as it sounds and lets kids’ creativity go wild as they arrange the living room or their bedroom into a den and create their very own playground. 

By giving your kids boundaries (showing them what they can build with) and autonomy (leaving them to it) to build what they want you’ll see creativity and engagement shoot up.

Ages: 4+

Credit: Getty

12. Set up a marble run

Do you have a big bag of marbles? Or a selection of all, lightweight balls like ping pong calls? Create your very own marble run with the kids.

All you need to do is get creative with some toilet roll tubes and other cardboard to create an obstacle course for your marbles. See how long and complex you can make it, without stopping the track of the ball rolling.

Ages: 5+

13. Create pictures with melted crayons

This is definitely one for anyone whose craft drawer is overflowing with broken, used-up, or otherwise useless crayons.

Remove any paper or plastic wrapping from the crayon. Then using a hairdryer, melt the crayons onto paper or cardboard and create your very own work of art.

Ages: 7+

14. Learn how to code

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Any child that loves working away on an tablet or laptop might be interested in learning how to code. While it might be one for slightly older kids, even younger ones can join in with some of the fun activities that Learning Resources has put together.

Complete with fun characters to help them through the programme, it’s a low-stress activity that keeps little ones’ minds occupied – at least for a few hours.

Ages: 7+

15. Make a stop motion video

Stop motion videos are so much fun to make, so easy and loads of fun!

This video by Chloe Meyers is a great place to start. Once you’ve got all the basics covered you can create your very own stop motion videos using whatever you like. Lego and Playmobil figures work really well, but you could also make your own from scratch using playdough.

Ages: 8+

Create colourful ice sculptures from your freezer

All you need to make your very own colourful ice sculptures is a range of bowls, muffin tins or containers in different shapes and sizes, some food colouring and access to water and a freezer. 

Add the food colouring and water into the containers (why not try loads of different colours in all the different containers to create a frozen rainbow?), then pop it in the fridge. Once frozen, take the containers out of the fridge and use some warm water to pop the ice from the container.

Stack the different shapes on top of each other to create your very own masterpiece! If they don’t stick together naturally, use a little warm water to melt the ice pieces together.

Ages: 5+

17. Play a biscuit board game

Sounds fun right? Biscuit board games come straight from the Great British Bake Off and when pulled off well, they do exactly what they say on the tin.

It’s a board game that you can eat. They’re super fun to make because there’s a designing process, a baking bit, and then importantly, a playing (and eating) bit. Just be sure to wash your hands before you dive in.

Ages: 6+

18. Get into painting

It may sound simple but painting is one of the best ways to keep kids busy in lockdown.

While galleries and craft clubs at museums might be off the table for now, that doesn’t mean that painting has to stop. There are loads of painting tutorials for kids online, so depending on their age, they can get stuck in with loads of exciting new painting techniques and ideas.

We love the tutorials by Gogh Box Art Crate – perfect for all ages!

Age: 7+

19. Make a play with a chatterbox (fortune teller)

In the spirit of thinking ahead, why not play around with a homemade fortune teller? Just like we all had in the playground! With a handy tutorial you and the little ones can create a fun chatterbox to try out with the family. Pick a number…open the flap…pick another number…find out your fortune – it’s as simple as that.

Ages: 4+

20. Make bath bombs

Whether it’s little ones splashing around in the colourful water, or adults taking a moment to relax with scented oils after a stressful day, a bath bomb is a winner in everyone’s books. And they’re so easy to make at home. So instead of splashing out on a fancy one, you can make one with some kitchen equipment and a few scented supplies.

Credit: Getty

Find out how to make your own bath bomb for an afternoon of science experimenting and crafting fun with the kids.

Ages: 6+ (with parental supervision)

21. Visit a farm

Introduce your children to animals by taking them to a farm. Even if you live in a city, there are lots of city farms around the country, and many of them cost peanuts to get into. It’s also a great opportunity to get up close to wildlife if your child’s only previous contact has been with a cat or dog. Find your nearest free farm.

Age: 4+

22. Get stuck into a craft kit

Craft kits are the most affordable way to keep kids entertained for a whole afternoon. They can look after the garden’s wildlife with a ladybird house-making kit for example, or make a fun decorative piece for their bedroom with this unicorn dream catcher kit from Baker Ross.

Whether they love painting, sticking, gluing, or building, there’s something for everyone with so many out there to choose from. We’ve rounded up some of the other best buys in our selection of craft kits for kids .

Ages: 3+

23. Get crafty with toilet roll tubes

There’s nothing more classic to do on a rainy afternoon than to make crafts out of toilet roll . Whether it’s a new game made out of cardboard, a pen holder for the office, a new decoration for the kitchen…there are so many options.

Credit: Getty

All you need to get started is a couple of empty toilet roll tubes, some paint and glue.

Ages: 3+

24. Get stuck into a PlayHooray activity sheet

While kids are sure to have homework and other tasks set by their school, breaking work up with play is vital to keeping minds focused. PlayHooray has printable activity sheets available for you to download with a whole host of fun games and craft projects, all set according to your child’s age. Get them here .

Ages: 6+

25. Teach them cross-stitch

Cross stitch is enjoying a new lease of life and is a great way to get kids involved in arts and craft. You can get special kits designed for younger children, so they won’t hurt themselves on the needles and the pattern will be easier to follow.

Age: 7+

Credit: Getty

26. Mess around with doodling

Doodling isn’t just for the back of notebooks. If you’ve got plenty of scrap paper lying around the house, doodling is one of the best creative uses for it. Get your kids out of their shells and put their ideas and thoughts down on paper with some fun afternoon doodling.

Stuck for inspiration? There are loads of videos on Youtube about how to get them to start thinking of ideas, like this one .

Age: 3+

27. Do a science experiment

If your child has an interest in science, nurture it. There are loads of really fun (and safe) science D.I.Y experiments you can do, with just the objects in your home and ingredients in your kitchen. But for some of them, it might be best to move it into the garden – otherwise, you’ll be repainting the walls as well.

But science experiments like this Elephant’s Toothpaste experiment  promise minimum mess and are really fun.

Age: 9+ (with parental supervision)

Credit: Getty

28. Get messy with play dough

28. Get messy with play dough

Almost a rite of passage, play dough is easy to make up and you can scent and colour it any way you fancy.

We’ve got a fool proof play dough recipe plus lots of fun makes to do with it.

Age: All ages love play dough, but perhaps just make sure they’re at an age where they understand it’s not the best thing to eat.

29. Bake something tasty in the kitchen

Cooking is one of the best things to do with kids, it teaches them so much no matter their age. There are loads of simple recipes you can try out with your children. If you’re concerned about them getting things in and out of the oven, then why not try one of our no-bake cake recipes, which have to be chilled in the fridge. If they really love it, then why not challenge them to come up with different sandwich fillings for a fun afternoon tea ?

If you’re happy to get them baking, take a look at our easy baking recipes for kids. Everyone loves cakes and encouraging your kids to help you make one of their favourites should be lots of fun. See our cooking with kids recipes here.

Age: 2+

Credit: Getty

30. Have a pancake flipping contest

Pancakes have a simple recipe and are easy to make, and flipping is so much fun.  

It’s a minimal mess with maximum fun. See who can flip the most pancakes then tuck in and enjoy the delicious crepes, American pancakes, or Scotch pancakes for lunch, dinner, or dessert. Whatever you fancy.

It’s a game that’s cheap to pull together and suitable for kids of all ages as you can always move the pancake from a hot pan into a cold one before little ones get flipping.

Discover our range of pancake recipes and toppings for pancakes on the website.

Ages: 4+

Credit: Getty

31. Write a story

Use your imaginations and write a story together. It doesn’t have to be original, the kids could write down their favourite fairy tale and just change the ending if they feel like it.

Another great idea is to write chain stories with family members. Each person writes a paragraph and then shows the final line only to the next writer. Once the final person has written their section, read the whole story out loud – it’s usually pretty funny!

For more inspiration take a look at story starters , which provide lots of creative writing prompts for children.

Age: 6+

32. Make a lava lamp

Lava lamps are not only colourful accessories for your home and an exciting craft activity for kids, they’re a great way to teach them about chemical reaction and density. So learning how to make a lava lamp is a great science experiment to keep them learning.

Ages: 5+

Credit: Alamy

33. Make a scavenger hunt

Come up with a list of odd and fun items for your kids to find. They can hunt around the house or your garden.

Suggested items can be: a stamp, a straw, a rubber band, a penny dated in a particular decade (before the kids were born, or perhaps have them find one in the year the birthday child was born), or a toothpick. If you live in the country or go to a park, some suggestions are a pine cone, a worm, a bug, a white rock, something red, or a feather.

Age: 8+

34. Get them gardening

Gardening is one of our favourite things to do with kids! Even though it’s a little cold at the moment, it’s something you can still get stuck into.

Growing plants is great fun and it’s even more fun, if they can watch their work get bigger and flower in front of their eyes. There are lots of plants that even a young child can grow without too much trouble, from small trees to herbs and vegetables.

If you don’t have a garden, then a window box or small pots are the answer and it won’t matter what time of year you plant them. Try growing herbs like basil, parsley or cress – that way they can eat them once they’ve grown.

Age: 5+

35. Make a sundial

Teach your kids how people used to tell the time before clocks and watches were invented. All you need is a compass to find out where north is and then put a stick in the ground and watch the shadow change position as the sun moves.

Age: 7+

36. Create a keepsake box with pressed flowers

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! This outdoor crafting activity for kids is a great way to get them in the garden and soaking up the sunshine over the Easter holidays.

You will need: 

– A cardboard box – Paper – A few heavy books – Freshly cut flowers – A glue stick – Paint/felt tips/glitter – collage materials of your choice for extra decoration

What to do: 

1. Gather some freshly cut flowers. 2. Open up a heavy book and place paper over both pages to keep them clean. 3. Lay a flower on top of one of the pieces of paper, so that the other will cover it when the book is closed. Make sure you only put only one flower in between each sheet – you can put multiple sheets in one book, though. 4. Close the book, and weigh it down with more books. Do the same for the rest of the flowers, and leave them for about two weeks. 5. Start decorating. Give each child a cardboard box (shoe boxes are perfect) and get them to design the background using paint or any craft materials you have at home. 6. Once the flowers are pressed, carefully take them out of the books and glue them on the box. Be sure to put the glue on the box itself rather than the flower. 7. Once the flowers are stuck down, leave them to dry and they’ll have the perfect homemade keepsake box for keeping things that bring back special memories.

Ages: 5+

Credit: Getty

37. Join a craft club

Hobbycraft launched an online version of their popular Kids’ Craft Club . Every day they posted a new crafting idea on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram stories around a theme, like space, colouring, family portraits, origami. That means there are now loads of fun crafting ideas on the Hobbycraft website and social media channels.

All you have to do is head to the Ideas Hub for instructions on how to get going.

Perfect for keeping mini-makers busy at home!

Ages: 4+

38. Indoor treasure hunt

A treasure hunt is a great way to connect and engage with little ones by creating a fun game with their favourite treats.

Hide small chocolates or sweets around the house (but remember where you put them, otherwise you’ll be stepping on foil wrappers for weeks!) and create a set of clues for your kids to use, then set them loose to hunt down all that buried treasure.

Ages: 7+

39. Make a bird feeder

Wildlife is always visiting gardens and window boxes. Make them feel at home and watch pretty birds flock to your outdoor space with this easy-to-make feeder craft.

Made using ingredients from your cupboards and some basic crafting supplies, there’s no shortage of fun to be had as you learn how to make a bird feeder.

Ages: 5+

Credit: Future

40. Listen to some stories

From Monday 6 April, children’s publisher Puffin will be airing 20-minute storytime episodes, every weekday at 3:30pm on their YouTube channel as well as on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

The sessions will include readings and draw-alongs with authors and illustrators, designed to get kids joining in at home. As Puffin is known for classics like Charlotte’s Web, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Roald Dahl’s The BFG, we’re expecting exciting things!

Ages: 7+

41.

Practice mindfulness

Online yoga classes for kids have been popular for the last couple of years, combining physical exercise with mindfulness.

It can be tricky to get little ones sitting down for just five minutes so you might be sceptical of them doing yoga. But it’s not all about the downward dog, there are loads of child-orientated videos that make yoga fun for kids – using stories, characters and playfulness. And you can join in too.

Check out some of the great videos on Youtube with Cosmic Kids Yoga.

Ages: 2+

42. Try your hand at ice-dying

42. Try your hand at ice-dying

You might have heard of dip-dying and tie-dying, but have you had a go at ice-dying yet? This fun activity combines DYLON fabric dyes with just the ice in your freezer to completely re-vamp old clothes and linens.

Pick a colour (that you won’t mind seeing ALL around the house) and try it out today, with this handy ice dying step-by-step guide. As things to do with kids go this is a great idea!

Ages: 9+

43.

Create a memory box

The folks at Write from the Heart have come up with a great activity to keep little ones and adults busy. A memory box will keep imaginations flowing and small hands occupied, creating something they can continue to contribute towards in the future.

Pick a box that’s big enough to hold lots of items – like a wooden one – then get decorating. They could write their name on the box, cover it with glitter and draw all their favourite memories from the last couple of years. Then sit down with them and look through family photos and other memories to put into the box.

Ages: 7+

44. Create some flying paper planes

Use up all that scrap paper that was destined for the recycling and build a fleet of paper airplanes. Then you can launch them from an upstairs window, or in the back garden. You could make different kinds and see which one flies the furthest. Follow these simple steps for perfect planes.

Age: 5+

45.

Make a wormery in your back garden

If you’re feeling really green-fingered, then you can also try helping them collect worms for their own wormery. Just after it rains is the best time to hunt for worms.

Once you’ve collected five or so then put them in a large Tupperware box or old ice-cream tub with some soil. Make holes in the top so they can breathe. Then you’ll be able to feed the worms food scraps, including eggshells and vegetable peelings. The worms will make great compost, which you’ll be able to use in your garden.

Age: 7+

46. Make paper mache

So much fun can be had with just a balloon and some glue. This paper mache recipe will take you through exactly how to make the gooey mixture (maybe do it in the garden to be safe) that will keep your child entertained for hours on end.

Ages: 6+

Credit: Getty

47. Become a model maker

What kid doesn’t love getting their hands dirty? Get some modelling clay, a plastic knife and mould away. You can even buy self-hardening clay if you want them to become permanent.

Age: 8+

48. Play a board game

It’s a classic, but a good one! There are some amazing board games for kids out there. We love playing Articulate, the describing game as it’s great for everyone of all ages and you can also get a special kids version . Scattergories, Scrabble and of course, Monopoly are always winners too.

Age: 7+

49. Take a walk

Walking is a great way to get familiar with your surroundings. Whether you live in a city, town or the country, there will be places to go they’ve never been before.

Think of somewhere with spectacular views, or a part of your local area that has lots of history attached to it – the local cemetery is often a great bet with kids. If you’re not sure where to go, enter your location into the Woodland Trust website for lots of ideas.

Age: 6+

Credit: Getty

50.

Get them to make a map

50. Get them to make a map

You draw the squares on a large sheet of paper and see how easy they find it to draw the local neighbourhood. Get them to imagine they’re a bird in the sky looking down. Not as easy as it sounds.

Age: 9+

51. Have a karaoke competition

If you have a games console, then something like SingStar is fantastic. Alternatively, karaoke CDs cost very little from music stores. Make sure you sing along to some of the songs as well. There’s nothing like embarrassing yourself to entertain your kids.

Age: 8+

Credit: Getty

52. Make a family tree

How much do your kids know about their family? Do they know anything about your parents’ parents? Not only is drawing family trees fun, but it is also one of our favourite things to do with kids to teach them a bit about history. You may unearth some really interesting stories about your own family that you never knew.

Age: 9+

53. Paint Rocks

This has a two-pronged attack for keeping kids engaged. First up you go rock hunting.  Being outside gives kids time to move their bodies and a natural environment reduces stress and fatigue in little ones too. Once you’ve collected the rocks, grab markers or paints and stickers and go to town on designing and colouring them in. 

Age: 2+

54. Learn origami

The ancient Japanese art of paper folding is easy to do and one of the cheapest things to do with kids. You can fold a sheet of paper into pretty much anything, as long as you’ve got a pattern – and making paper animals is one of the best ways to entertain your kids on a rainy afternoon. Origami-instructions.com is a great place to start.

Age: 8+

55. Do some junk modelling

55. Do some junk modelling

Get together a load of things like egg boxes, cereal cartons, plastic milk bottles and let their imaginations run riot. If you get some friends round and ask them to bring their own junk, it becomes even more fun. You just need to provide the sticky tape, scissors, glue and paint and keep an eye on them.

Age: 6+

56. Put on a play or comedy show

Encourage your child’s creative side and get them to prepare a comedy routine with a few knock-knock jokes that’ll have the whole family in stitches. Or find a box of dressing-up clothes and have them come up with a story for a play. You might need to help them with some ideas (princess trapped in a castle; stranded on a desert island are two). Don’t forget you’ll also have to sit through the performance. If they’re feeling extra creative, they could have a go at making their own puppet theatre .

Age: 6+

Credit: Getty

(Image credit: Getty Images)

57. Build an outdoor den

Taking them out to the great outdoors is one of the best things to do with kids. All you need is a large blanket or sheet and some cushions and let them pretend they’re in a tropical rainforest, or somewhere similar. A large box is also a great idea for a cave – this is likely to entertain them for hours.

Age: 5+

58. Teach them to knit

Test their skills with a pair of needles? Never done it yourself? Read our guide on how to knit.   And, for some fantastic knitting patterns, including cute and cuddly toys for kids, visit our sister site Women’s Weekly.

Age: 7+

Credit: Getty

59. Make a rain gauge

Making a weather station is one of the best things to do with kids to get them outdoors. Get the kids learning science at home by setting up a homemade weather station in the garden. A rain gauge will measure how much rain falls (perfect for the weather we get here!), a wind vane will let you know which direction the wind is blowing and a barometer will help the kids learn about air pressure. They can keep a weather diary and write down all their findings.

How to make a rain gauge

• You just need an empty two-litre plastic bottle, which you cut two thirds of the way up. Then turn the top part of the bottle upside down and place it in the bottom part using sticky tape to secure.
• Use a ruler to make a scale in centimetres on a piece of tape and stick it on the bottle.
• Find an open space in the garden away from any shelter and dig a hole to bury the gauge so that around 5cm of it is sticking out of the ground.
• Then simply check your rain gauge every day at the same time, measure the amount of rain it has collected and empty the bottle.

60. Make a wind vane

The second part of your weather station is a wind vane. It will let you know which direction the wind is blowing and a barometer will help the kids learn about air pressure. They can keep a weather diary and write down all their findings.

• Draw a 25cm arrow on a piece of card and cut it out, then draw around the arrow to make another one and cut it out.
• Place a pen top between the two arrows and glue together. Get four matchsticks and a cork and push the matchsticks into the long side of the cork at right angles to each other.
• Label four pieces of card with N, S, E, W and attach these to the ends of the matchsticks with Blu-tack.
• Fill a bottle with sand and push a knitting needle into the cork and then push into the sand. Balance the arrow on top of the needle and place the wind vane in an open area using a compass to point the N label North. The arrow will show you the direction the wind is blowing from.

61. Fruit picking

For a cheap and fun way to entertain the kids during the summer months visit your local strawberry picking farm from late May or go apple picking  from August, plus other seasonal fruits. And, it’s one of the best things to do with kids to get them to eat their five portions of fruit and veg. After they’ve gathered their fruits, teach them to make fruit cakes, pudding and even jam.

Don’t forget to pack a picnic and make the most of your day – lots of the places on our list have plenty of other activities available, from tractor and pony rides through to cooking classes.

Age: 3+

Credit: Getty

(Image credit: Family Veldman)

62. Make a miniature garden

Don’t ditch the foil trays that ready meals come in. They make great containers for a mini garden. You’ll just need a bit of tack to stick the rocks and twigs in. Add some toy figures to make it more lifelike. You could also use sand to make it a beach scene.

Age: 7+

63. Catch a movie

Netflix may be easier to get your hands on, but nothing beats the thrill of a trip to the local cinema. If you’re on a budget, many have Saturday morning kids films. Alternatively, it’s always cheaper to go during the day.

Do a home movie, and check out the 50 family movies every child should watch before they turn 16.

Age: 7+

64. Host a dance party

Invite around some of your kids’ friends, put together a new playlist and let them dance till they drop. All you’ll have to do is provide drinks and snacks!

This is one of the best things to do with kids to tire them out before bedtime. If they’re more into acting than dancing, hold a Hollywood party instead.

Age: 8+

65. Play some sport

Out of lockdown, most local leisure centres have loads of opportunities to learn new sports, from martial arts to badminton, football to trampolining, swimming to tennis. What’s more, they usually provide the equipment so you won’t have to shell out for lots of expensive kit, until they’re totally hooked! Cycling is another great activity for youngsters. Of course, this new pursuit might require the purchase of a kids’ bike, but there are some great model options out there.

If you have to stay in the house for whatever reason and are lucky enough to have a garden, get them outside playing. Whether it’s badminton over the garden table or throw-and-catch on the grass, it will keep them moving.

Age: 7+

66. Check out your local library

If you haven’t managed to create a bookworm, then this could be the perfect place to start. Out of lockdown, there’s something for everyone here, regardless of whether they’re a sports buff, adventure fan or prefer something more romantic. Best of all, if they find some they like, it costs nothing to take them out! Find your local library.

Age: 6+

67. Seaside trip

You’re never that far from the beach in the UK, and even if the sun’s not shining, it can be great fun, walking along the beach looking for ‘lost treasure’. You can find crabs and barnacles in rock pools, lots of shells, and amazing coloured pebbles.

Age: 2+ 

68. Find an old ruin

Castles are magical places and capture the imagination of most boys and girls, who love crossing moats, running up and down spiral staircases and looking at cannons. Find the best value castles to visit.

Age: 6+

69. Listen to a podcast

Choose and listen to a podcast as a family. Either all together on the speaker or set it as ‘homework’ to all listen to it and then sit together and discuss it on the weekend. It’s a great way to kick start conversations, and you can take it in turn to choose a new one each week. 

Age: 12+

70. Keepy Uppy

Keepy Uppy is also known as ‘don’t let the balloon touch the ground’. It lends hours of fun and helps to build team trust. The main goal; the balloon must never touch the ground. 

Age: 3+

71. Balance like a pro

Challenge your kids to balance a bean bag, book, or cushion on their body while moving like an animal. They can balance it on their head and hop like a kangaroo, balance it on their back and run on all fours like a cheetah, the choice is theirs. This helps with creativity, understanding their body, and problem-solving.

Age: 5+

72. Host a tea party

Have your little ones create the invites, then they can pop round to friends and family – or just their toys – to deliver them. Next, they help you to make the tiny cucumber sandwiches, set the table, and get the teacups out. Ready for a real-life tea party. 

Ages: 4+

You might also like: 

35 crafts to do with your kids
Indoor activities for kids
Science experiments for kids
Easy craft ptojects

Video of the Week:

Grace Walsh is a Features Writer for Goodto.com, covering breaking news health stories during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as lifestyle and entertainment topics.  She has worked in media since graduating from the University of Warwick in 2019 with a degree in Classical Civilisation and a year spent abroad in Italy. It was here that Grace caught the bug for journalism, after becoming involved in the university’s student newspaper and radio station. 

Things to do with kids: 72 activities to entertain them

(Image credit: Getty / Future)

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‘Things to do with kids’ is a phrase many parents have searched over the years. Free things, easy things, educational things… there are so many things to do with kids. 

And with the school summer holidays and half terms, many mums and dads are after inspiration to help keep the kids engaged – be that a fun family day out in London a wander around a popular Gruffalo Trail or maybe some inspiring indoor activities for kids when the weather turns.

Stephanie Lowe , Family Editor at Goodto.com says; “To keep kids successfully entertained is the Holy Grail of parenting, especially during school holidays. Anything that keeps them engaged and maybe teaches along the way is a winner.”

We’ve compiled together a list of fabulous things to do with kids, including everything from crafts to games and activities that will help develop key skills too. And, bonus, most of these ideas are suitable for all ages, with some adult supervision required.

Things to do with kids

1. Create your own stickers

Everyone loves stickers! Using this handy guide, you can get crafty and learn how to make your own stickers using materials at home. It’s a super easy activity and kids will be wowed as they turn their very own drawings into stickers to cover their bedroom and bits with.

Ages: 4+

2. Go for a bike ride

Both adults and kids’ bikes can be bought for good prices on sites like GumTree and ebay , but be sure to check they’re selling in your local area.

Then all you have to do is take your new ride to the park (for the little ones) or the open road (for older kids).

Ages: 4+

3. Take a museum tour

Free museum tours are perfect to keep the kids engaged, educate them a little on new subjects and tire them out enough for bedtime all wrapped up in one activity. Take a look at our article on Free museums . We cover all museums across the UK. 

They include Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle and the Tower of London, along with those in the USA and Europe.

4. Join in with a Joe Wicks workout

That’s right, Joe Wicks is back is still a firm favourite with kids. Perfect for adults and children, enjoy a bit of bonding and via a HIIT workout. Discover where to watch Joe Wicks workouts and get stuck in with the kids this week.

Ages: 4+

5. Interview a family member

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Kids are curious, encourage this curiosity and help them set up an interview with a family member, challenge them to find out something you never knew. Maybe call it ‘pretend journalists’ or ‘pretend genealogists. 

Questions to ask;

• Where did you grow up?
• Do you share a name with someone else in the family?
• Did you have a nickname growing up? 
• When and where were you born?
• Where was your first house?
• What other houses did you live in?

Age: 9+

6.

Make your own puzzle

If you’ve got through all the puzzles follow this great WikiHow tutorial explains how to turn a family photo, a photo of your favourite pet, television show or characters from your favourite book into a DIY puzzle. It’s a great way to get the kids crafting and the step-by-step guide makes it a super simple activity.

Ages: 5+ (with adult supervision)

7. Create your own music video

TikTok exploded onto the scene in 2020 for the first time and now, everyone is a star with lip-syncing videos going viral every day. But you don’t have to join TikTok to have your own fun with lip-syncing, dancing, and miming.

Create your own music video and have fun with the whole family, simply using an iPhone. Get the kids to design the video, including what the lighting will be, what song is going to be sung, what everyone will wear, and what the set will look like.

Then use your iPhone, propped up on a surface, to record the video. Send to family and friends to give them a laugh.

8. Enjoy a virtual trip to the Aquarium

While a trip to the aquarium might rack up financially, the wonders of the deep blue sea are just a few clicks away thanks to the cameras installed in various tanks around the world.

The videos are either live or pre-recorded and uploaded by the aquariums themselves, so they’re great quality. Our favourite is the Monterey Bay Aquarium, as they have live cams for their fish, sharks, jellyfish and more.

Ages: 3+

9. Host a family Come Dine With Me

If you’ve already got the cooking down and the little ones are set to feature on The Great British Bake Off any day now, why not host your very own Come Dine with Me?

Each week, one member of the family comes up with a menu and cooks a starter, main and dessert.

It’s a great way to get everyone cooking in the kitchen. Older children or adults can help little ones with the choosing of the menu and cooking (beans on toast anyone?).

Use our recipe finder to discover some of the easy, delicious and quick recipes that kids of any age can make at home – from starters to desserts.

Ages: 5+

10. Take a virtual trip to the zoo

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Save on pennies with the zoos who also have live streams of the animals.

Our favourite is the famous San Diego Zoo live cams . They broadcast the daily lives of some of the most fascinating animals around, such as hippos, penguins, polar bears, tigers and more.

So whatever the little ones’ favourite animals are, they can get up close and personal in a way they would otherwise never have been able to. You could even set up a bingo game and the can stamp the animals they see.

Ages: 3+

11. Build an indoor fort with pillows

11. Build an indoor den with pillows

With the current cold weather, maybe a bike ride or a walk in the park isn’t for you.

Stay inside this week and build a den from pillows and sofa cushions instead. It’s as simple as it sounds and lets kids’ creativity go wild as they arrange the living room or their bedroom into a den and create their very own playground. 

By giving your kids boundaries (showing them what they can build with) and autonomy (leaving them to it) to build what they want you’ll see creativity and engagement shoot up.

Ages: 4+

Credit: Getty

12. Set up a marble run

Do you have a big bag of marbles? Or a selection of all, lightweight balls like ping pong calls? Create your very own marble run with the kids.

All you need to do is get creative with some toilet roll tubes and other cardboard to create an obstacle course for your marbles. See how long and complex you can make it, without stopping the track of the ball rolling.

Ages: 5+

13. Create pictures with melted crayons

This is definitely one for anyone whose craft drawer is overflowing with broken, used-up, or otherwise useless crayons.

Remove any paper or plastic wrapping from the crayon. Then using a hairdryer, melt the crayons onto paper or cardboard and create your very own work of art.

Ages: 7+

14. Learn how to code

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Any child that loves working away on an tablet or laptop might be interested in learning how to code. While it might be one for slightly older kids, even younger ones can join in with some of the fun activities that Learning Resources has put together.

Complete with fun characters to help them through the programme, it’s a low-stress activity that keeps little ones’ minds occupied – at least for a few hours.

Ages: 7+

15. Make a stop motion video

Stop motion videos are so much fun to make, so easy and loads of fun!

This video by Chloe Meyers is a great place to start. Once you’ve got all the basics covered you can create your very own stop motion videos using whatever you like. Lego and Playmobil figures work really well, but you could also make your own from scratch using playdough.

Ages: 8+

Create colourful ice sculptures from your freezer

All you need to make your very own colourful ice sculptures is a range of bowls, muffin tins or containers in different shapes and sizes, some food colouring and access to water and a freezer. 

Add the food colouring and water into the containers (why not try loads of different colours in all the different containers to create a frozen rainbow?), then pop it in the fridge. Once frozen, take the containers out of the fridge and use some warm water to pop the ice from the container.

Stack the different shapes on top of each other to create your very own masterpiece! If they don’t stick together naturally, use a little warm water to melt the ice pieces together.

Ages: 5+

17. Play a biscuit board game

Sounds fun right? Biscuit board games come straight from the Great British Bake Off and when pulled off well, they do exactly what they say on the tin.

It’s a board game that you can eat. They’re super fun to make because there’s a designing process, a baking bit, and then importantly, a playing (and eating) bit. Just be sure to wash your hands before you dive in.

Ages: 6+

18. Get into painting

It may sound simple but painting is one of the best ways to keep kids busy in lockdown.

While galleries and craft clubs at museums might be off the table for now, that doesn’t mean that painting has to stop. There are loads of painting tutorials for kids online, so depending on their age, they can get stuck in with loads of exciting new painting techniques and ideas.

We love the tutorials by Gogh Box Art Crate – perfect for all ages!

Age: 7+

19. Make a play with a chatterbox (fortune teller)

In the spirit of thinking ahead, why not play around with a homemade fortune teller? Just like we all had in the playground! With a handy tutorial you and the little ones can create a fun chatterbox to try out with the family. Pick a number…open the flap…pick another number…find out your fortune – it’s as simple as that.

Ages: 4+

20. Make bath bombs

Whether it’s little ones splashing around in the colourful water, or adults taking a moment to relax with scented oils after a stressful day, a bath bomb is a winner in everyone’s books. And they’re so easy to make at home. So instead of splashing out on a fancy one, you can make one with some kitchen equipment and a few scented supplies.

Credit: Getty

Find out how to make your own bath bomb for an afternoon of science experimenting and crafting fun with the kids.

Ages: 6+ (with parental supervision)

21. Visit a farm

Introduce your children to animals by taking them to a farm. Even if you live in a city, there are lots of city farms around the country, and many of them cost peanuts to get into. It’s also a great opportunity to get up close to wildlife if your child’s only previous contact has been with a cat or dog. Find your nearest free farm.

Age: 4+

22. Get stuck into a craft kit

Craft kits are the most affordable way to keep kids entertained for a whole afternoon. They can look after the garden’s wildlife with a ladybird house-making kit for example, or make a fun decorative piece for their bedroom with this unicorn dream catcher kit from Baker Ross.

Whether they love painting, sticking, gluing, or building, there’s something for everyone with so many out there to choose from. We’ve rounded up some of the other best buys in our selection of craft kits for kids .

Ages: 3+

23. Get crafty with toilet roll tubes

There’s nothing more classic to do on a rainy afternoon than to make crafts out of toilet roll . Whether it’s a new game made out of cardboard, a pen holder for the office, a new decoration for the kitchen…there are so many options.

Credit: Getty

All you need to get started is a couple of empty toilet roll tubes, some paint and glue.

Ages: 3+

24. Get stuck into a PlayHooray activity sheet

While kids are sure to have homework and other tasks set by their school, breaking work up with play is vital to keeping minds focused. PlayHooray has printable activity sheets available for you to download with a whole host of fun games and craft projects, all set according to your child’s age. Get them here .

Ages: 6+

25. Teach them cross-stitch

Cross stitch is enjoying a new lease of life and is a great way to get kids involved in arts and craft. You can get special kits designed for younger children, so they won’t hurt themselves on the needles and the pattern will be easier to follow.

Age: 7+

Credit: Getty

26. Mess around with doodling

Doodling isn’t just for the back of notebooks. If you’ve got plenty of scrap paper lying around the house, doodling is one of the best creative uses for it. Get your kids out of their shells and put their ideas and thoughts down on paper with some fun afternoon doodling.

Stuck for inspiration? There are loads of videos on Youtube about how to get them to start thinking of ideas, like this one .

Age: 3+

27. Do a science experiment

If your child has an interest in science, nurture it. There are loads of really fun (and safe) science D.I.Y experiments you can do, with just the objects in your home and ingredients in your kitchen. But for some of them, it might be best to move it into the garden – otherwise, you’ll be repainting the walls as well.

But science experiments like this Elephant’s Toothpaste experiment  promise minimum mess and are really fun.

Age: 9+ (with parental supervision)

Credit: Getty

28. Get messy with play dough

28. Get messy with play dough

Almost a rite of passage, play dough is easy to make up and you can scent and colour it any way you fancy.

We’ve got a fool proof play dough recipe plus lots of fun makes to do with it.

Age: All ages love play dough, but perhaps just make sure they’re at an age where they understand it’s not the best thing to eat.

29. Bake something tasty in the kitchen

Cooking is one of the best things to do with kids, it teaches them so much no matter their age. There are loads of simple recipes you can try out with your children. If you’re concerned about them getting things in and out of the oven, then why not try one of our no-bake cake recipes, which have to be chilled in the fridge. If they really love it, then why not challenge them to come up with different sandwich fillings for a fun afternoon tea ?

If you’re happy to get them baking, take a look at our easy baking recipes for kids. Everyone loves cakes and encouraging your kids to help you make one of their favourites should be lots of fun. See our cooking with kids recipes here.

Age: 2+

Credit: Getty

30. Have a pancake flipping contest

Pancakes have a simple recipe and are easy to make, and flipping is so much fun.  

It’s a minimal mess with maximum fun. See who can flip the most pancakes then tuck in and enjoy the delicious crepes, American pancakes, or Scotch pancakes for lunch, dinner, or dessert. Whatever you fancy.

It’s a game that’s cheap to pull together and suitable for kids of all ages as you can always move the pancake from a hot pan into a cold one before little ones get flipping.

Discover our range of pancake recipes and toppings for pancakes on the website.

Ages: 4+

Credit: Getty

31. Write a story

Use your imaginations and write a story together. It doesn’t have to be original, the kids could write down their favourite fairy tale and just change the ending if they feel like it.

Another great idea is to write chain stories with family members. Each person writes a paragraph and then shows the final line only to the next writer. Once the final person has written their section, read the whole story out loud – it’s usually pretty funny!

For more inspiration take a look at story starters , which provide lots of creative writing prompts for children.

Age: 6+

32. Make a lava lamp

Lava lamps are not only colourful accessories for your home and an exciting craft activity for kids, they’re a great way to teach them about chemical reaction and density. So learning how to make a lava lamp is a great science experiment to keep them learning.

Ages: 5+

Credit: Alamy

33. Make a scavenger hunt

Come up with a list of odd and fun items for your kids to find. They can hunt around the house or your garden.

Suggested items can be: a stamp, a straw, a rubber band, a penny dated in a particular decade (before the kids were born, or perhaps have them find one in the year the birthday child was born), or a toothpick. If you live in the country or go to a park, some suggestions are a pine cone, a worm, a bug, a white rock, something red, or a feather.

Age: 8+

34. Get them gardening

Gardening is one of our favourite things to do with kids! Even though it’s a little cold at the moment, it’s something you can still get stuck into.

Growing plants is great fun and it’s even more fun, if they can watch their work get bigger and flower in front of their eyes. There are lots of plants that even a young child can grow without too much trouble, from small trees to herbs and vegetables.

If you don’t have a garden, then a window box or small pots are the answer and it won’t matter what time of year you plant them. Try growing herbs like basil, parsley or cress – that way they can eat them once they’ve grown.

Age: 5+

35. Make a sundial

Teach your kids how people used to tell the time before clocks and watches were invented. All you need is a compass to find out where north is and then put a stick in the ground and watch the shadow change position as the sun moves.

Age: 7+

36. Create a keepsake box with pressed flowers

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! This outdoor crafting activity for kids is a great way to get them in the garden and soaking up the sunshine over the Easter holidays.

You will need: 

– A cardboard box – Paper – A few heavy books – Freshly cut flowers – A glue stick – Paint/felt tips/glitter – collage materials of your choice for extra decoration

What to do: 

1. Gather some freshly cut flowers. 2. Open up a heavy book and place paper over both pages to keep them clean. 3. Lay a flower on top of one of the pieces of paper, so that the other will cover it when the book is closed. Make sure you only put only one flower in between each sheet – you can put multiple sheets in one book, though. 4. Close the book, and weigh it down with more books. Do the same for the rest of the flowers, and leave them for about two weeks. 5. Start decorating. Give each child a cardboard box (shoe boxes are perfect) and get them to design the background using paint or any craft materials you have at home. 6. Once the flowers are pressed, carefully take them out of the books and glue them on the box. Be sure to put the glue on the box itself rather than the flower. 7. Once the flowers are stuck down, leave them to dry and they’ll have the perfect homemade keepsake box for keeping things that bring back special memories.

Ages: 5+

Credit: Getty

37. Join a craft club

Hobbycraft launched an online version of their popular Kids’ Craft Club . Every day they posted a new crafting idea on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram stories around a theme, like space, colouring, family portraits, origami. That means there are now loads of fun crafting ideas on the Hobbycraft website and social media channels.

All you have to do is head to the Ideas Hub for instructions on how to get going.

Perfect for keeping mini-makers busy at home!

Ages: 4+

38. Indoor treasure hunt

A treasure hunt is a great way to connect and engage with little ones by creating a fun game with their favourite treats.

Hide small chocolates or sweets around the house (but remember where you put them, otherwise you’ll be stepping on foil wrappers for weeks!) and create a set of clues for your kids to use, then set them loose to hunt down all that buried treasure.

Ages: 7+

39. Make a bird feeder

Wildlife is always visiting gardens and window boxes. Make them feel at home and watch pretty birds flock to your outdoor space with this easy-to-make feeder craft.

Made using ingredients from your cupboards and some basic crafting supplies, there’s no shortage of fun to be had as you learn how to make a bird feeder.

Ages: 5+

Credit: Future

40. Listen to some stories

From Monday 6 April, children’s publisher Puffin will be airing 20-minute storytime episodes, every weekday at 3:30pm on their YouTube channel as well as on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

The sessions will include readings and draw-alongs with authors and illustrators, designed to get kids joining in at home. As Puffin is known for classics like Charlotte’s Web, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Roald Dahl’s The BFG, we’re expecting exciting things!

Ages: 7+

41.

Practice mindfulness

Online yoga classes for kids have been popular for the last couple of years, combining physical exercise with mindfulness.

It can be tricky to get little ones sitting down for just five minutes so you might be sceptical of them doing yoga. But it’s not all about the downward dog, there are loads of child-orientated videos that make yoga fun for kids – using stories, characters and playfulness. And you can join in too.

Check out some of the great videos on Youtube with Cosmic Kids Yoga.

Ages: 2+

42. Try your hand at ice-dying

42. Try your hand at ice-dying

You might have heard of dip-dying and tie-dying, but have you had a go at ice-dying yet? This fun activity combines DYLON fabric dyes with just the ice in your freezer to completely re-vamp old clothes and linens.

Pick a colour (that you won’t mind seeing ALL around the house) and try it out today, with this handy ice dying step-by-step guide. As things to do with kids go this is a great idea!

Ages: 9+

43.

Create a memory box

The folks at Write from the Heart have come up with a great activity to keep little ones and adults busy. A memory box will keep imaginations flowing and small hands occupied, creating something they can continue to contribute towards in the future.

Pick a box that’s big enough to hold lots of items – like a wooden one – then get decorating. They could write their name on the box, cover it with glitter and draw all their favourite memories from the last couple of years. Then sit down with them and look through family photos and other memories to put into the box.

Ages: 7+

44. Create some flying paper planes

Use up all that scrap paper that was destined for the recycling and build a fleet of paper airplanes. Then you can launch them from an upstairs window, or in the back garden. You could make different kinds and see which one flies the furthest. Follow these simple steps for perfect planes.

Age: 5+

45.

Make a wormery in your back garden

If you’re feeling really green-fingered, then you can also try helping them collect worms for their own wormery. Just after it rains is the best time to hunt for worms.

Once you’ve collected five or so then put them in a large Tupperware box or old ice-cream tub with some soil. Make holes in the top so they can breathe. Then you’ll be able to feed the worms food scraps, including eggshells and vegetable peelings. The worms will make great compost, which you’ll be able to use in your garden.

Age: 7+

46. Make paper mache

So much fun can be had with just a balloon and some glue. This paper mache recipe will take you through exactly how to make the gooey mixture (maybe do it in the garden to be safe) that will keep your child entertained for hours on end.

Ages: 6+

Credit: Getty

47. Become a model maker

What kid doesn’t love getting their hands dirty? Get some modelling clay, a plastic knife and mould away. You can even buy self-hardening clay if you want them to become permanent.

Age: 8+

48. Play a board game

It’s a classic, but a good one! There are some amazing board games for kids out there. We love playing Articulate, the describing game as it’s great for everyone of all ages and you can also get a special kids version . Scattergories, Scrabble and of course, Monopoly are always winners too.

Age: 7+

49. Take a walk

Walking is a great way to get familiar with your surroundings. Whether you live in a city, town or the country, there will be places to go they’ve never been before.

Think of somewhere with spectacular views, or a part of your local area that has lots of history attached to it – the local cemetery is often a great bet with kids. If you’re not sure where to go, enter your location into the Woodland Trust website for lots of ideas.

Age: 6+

Credit: Getty

50.

Get them to make a map

50. Get them to make a map

You draw the squares on a large sheet of paper and see how easy they find it to draw the local neighbourhood. Get them to imagine they’re a bird in the sky looking down. Not as easy as it sounds.

Age: 9+

51. Have a karaoke competition

If you have a games console, then something like SingStar is fantastic. Alternatively, karaoke CDs cost very little from music stores. Make sure you sing along to some of the songs as well. There’s nothing like embarrassing yourself to entertain your kids.

Age: 8+

Credit: Getty

52. Make a family tree

How much do your kids know about their family? Do they know anything about your parents’ parents? Not only is drawing family trees fun, but it is also one of our favourite things to do with kids to teach them a bit about history. You may unearth some really interesting stories about your own family that you never knew.

Age: 9+

53. Paint Rocks

This has a two-pronged attack for keeping kids engaged. First up you go rock hunting.  Being outside gives kids time to move their bodies and a natural environment reduces stress and fatigue in little ones too. Once you’ve collected the rocks, grab markers or paints and stickers and go to town on designing and colouring them in. 

Age: 2+

54. Learn origami

The ancient Japanese art of paper folding is easy to do and one of the cheapest things to do with kids. You can fold a sheet of paper into pretty much anything, as long as you’ve got a pattern – and making paper animals is one of the best ways to entertain your kids on a rainy afternoon. Origami-instructions.com is a great place to start.

Age: 8+

55. Do some junk modelling

55. Do some junk modelling

Get together a load of things like egg boxes, cereal cartons, plastic milk bottles and let their imaginations run riot. If you get some friends round and ask them to bring their own junk, it becomes even more fun. You just need to provide the sticky tape, scissors, glue and paint and keep an eye on them.

Age: 6+

56. Put on a play or comedy show

Encourage your child’s creative side and get them to prepare a comedy routine with a few knock-knock jokes that’ll have the whole family in stitches. Or find a box of dressing-up clothes and have them come up with a story for a play. You might need to help them with some ideas (princess trapped in a castle; stranded on a desert island are two). Don’t forget you’ll also have to sit through the performance. If they’re feeling extra creative, they could have a go at making their own puppet theatre .

Age: 6+

Credit: Getty

(Image credit: Getty Images)

57. Build an outdoor den

Taking them out to the great outdoors is one of the best things to do with kids. All you need is a large blanket or sheet and some cushions and let them pretend they’re in a tropical rainforest, or somewhere similar. A large box is also a great idea for a cave – this is likely to entertain them for hours.

Age: 5+

58. Teach them to knit

Test their skills with a pair of needles? Never done it yourself? Read our guide on how to knit.   And, for some fantastic knitting patterns, including cute and cuddly toys for kids, visit our sister site Women’s Weekly.

Age: 7+

Credit: Getty

59. Make a rain gauge

Making a weather station is one of the best things to do with kids to get them outdoors. Get the kids learning science at home by setting up a homemade weather station in the garden. A rain gauge will measure how much rain falls (perfect for the weather we get here!), a wind vane will let you know which direction the wind is blowing and a barometer will help the kids learn about air pressure. They can keep a weather diary and write down all their findings.

How to make a rain gauge

• You just need an empty two-litre plastic bottle, which you cut two thirds of the way up. Then turn the top part of the bottle upside down and place it in the bottom part using sticky tape to secure.
• Use a ruler to make a scale in centimetres on a piece of tape and stick it on the bottle.
• Find an open space in the garden away from any shelter and dig a hole to bury the gauge so that around 5cm of it is sticking out of the ground.
• Then simply check your rain gauge every day at the same time, measure the amount of rain it has collected and empty the bottle.

60. Make a wind vane

The second part of your weather station is a wind vane. It will let you know which direction the wind is blowing and a barometer will help the kids learn about air pressure. They can keep a weather diary and write down all their findings.

• Draw a 25cm arrow on a piece of card and cut it out, then draw around the arrow to make another one and cut it out.
• Place a pen top between the two arrows and glue together. Get four matchsticks and a cork and push the matchsticks into the long side of the cork at right angles to each other.
• Label four pieces of card with N, S, E, W and attach these to the ends of the matchsticks with Blu-tack.
• Fill a bottle with sand and push a knitting needle into the cork and then push into the sand. Balance the arrow on top of the needle and place the wind vane in an open area using a compass to point the N label North. The arrow will show you the direction the wind is blowing from.

61. Fruit picking

For a cheap and fun way to entertain the kids during the summer months visit your local strawberry picking farm from late May or go apple picking  from August, plus other seasonal fruits. And, it’s one of the best things to do with kids to get them to eat their five portions of fruit and veg. After they’ve gathered their fruits, teach them to make fruit cakes, pudding and even jam.

Don’t forget to pack a picnic and make the most of your day – lots of the places on our list have plenty of other activities available, from tractor and pony rides through to cooking classes.

Age: 3+

Credit: Getty

(Image credit: Family Veldman)

62. Make a miniature garden

Don’t ditch the foil trays that ready meals come in. They make great containers for a mini garden. You’ll just need a bit of tack to stick the rocks and twigs in. Add some toy figures to make it more lifelike. You could also use sand to make it a beach scene.

Age: 7+

63. Catch a movie

Netflix may be easier to get your hands on, but nothing beats the thrill of a trip to the local cinema. If you’re on a budget, many have Saturday morning kids films. Alternatively, it’s always cheaper to go during the day.

Do a home movie, and check out the 50 family movies every child should watch before they turn 16.

Age: 7+

64. Host a dance party

Invite around some of your kids’ friends, put together a new playlist and let them dance till they drop. All you’ll have to do is provide drinks and snacks!

This is one of the best things to do with kids to tire them out before bedtime. If they’re more into acting than dancing, hold a Hollywood party instead.

Age: 8+

65. Play some sport

Out of lockdown, most local leisure centres have loads of opportunities to learn new sports, from martial arts to badminton, football to trampolining, swimming to tennis. What’s more, they usually provide the equipment so you won’t have to shell out for lots of expensive kit, until they’re totally hooked! Cycling is another great activity for youngsters. Of course, this new pursuit might require the purchase of a kids’ bike, but there are some great model options out there.

If you have to stay in the house for whatever reason and are lucky enough to have a garden, get them outside playing. Whether it’s badminton over the garden table or throw-and-catch on the grass, it will keep them moving.

Age: 7+

66. Check out your local library

If you haven’t managed to create a bookworm, then this could be the perfect place to start. Out of lockdown, there’s something for everyone here, regardless of whether they’re a sports buff, adventure fan or prefer something more romantic. Best of all, if they find some they like, it costs nothing to take them out! Find your local library.

Age: 6+

67. Seaside trip

You’re never that far from the beach in the UK, and even if the sun’s not shining, it can be great fun, walking along the beach looking for ‘lost treasure’. You can find crabs and barnacles in rock pools, lots of shells, and amazing coloured pebbles.

Age: 2+ 

68. Find an old ruin

Castles are magical places and capture the imagination of most boys and girls, who love crossing moats, running up and down spiral staircases and looking at cannons. Find the best value castles to visit.

Age: 6+

69. Listen to a podcast

Choose and listen to a podcast as a family. Either all together on the speaker or set it as ‘homework’ to all listen to it and then sit together and discuss it on the weekend. It’s a great way to kick start conversations, and you can take it in turn to choose a new one each week. 

Age: 12+

70. Keepy Uppy

Keepy Uppy is also known as ‘don’t let the balloon touch the ground’. It lends hours of fun and helps to build team trust. The main goal; the balloon must never touch the ground. 

Age: 3+

71. Balance like a pro

Challenge your kids to balance a bean bag, book, or cushion on their body while moving like an animal. They can balance it on their head and hop like a kangaroo, balance it on their back and run on all fours like a cheetah, the choice is theirs. This helps with creativity, understanding their body, and problem-solving.

Age: 5+

72. Host a tea party

Have your little ones create the invites, then they can pop round to friends and family – or just their toys – to deliver them. Next, they help you to make the tiny cucumber sandwiches, set the table, and get the teacups out. Ready for a real-life tea party. 

Ages: 4+

You might also like: 

35 crafts to do with your kids
Indoor activities for kids
Science experiments for kids
Easy craft ptojects

Video of the Week:

Grace Walsh is a Features Writer for Goodto.com, covering breaking news health stories during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as lifestyle and entertainment topics.  She has worked in media since graduating from the University of Warwick in 2019 with a degree in Classical Civilisation and a year spent abroad in Italy. It was here that Grace caught the bug for journalism, after becoming involved in the university’s student newspaper and radio station. 

Things to do with kids: 72 activities to entertain them

(Image credit: Getty / Future)

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‘Things to do with kids’ is a phrase many parents have searched over the years. Free things, easy things, educational things… there are so many things to do with kids. 

And with the school summer holidays and half terms, many mums and dads are after inspiration to help keep the kids engaged – be that a fun family day out in London a wander around a popular Gruffalo Trail or maybe some inspiring indoor activities for kids when the weather turns.

Stephanie Lowe , Family Editor at Goodto.com says; “To keep kids successfully entertained is the Holy Grail of parenting, especially during school holidays. Anything that keeps them engaged and maybe teaches along the way is a winner.”

We’ve compiled together a list of fabulous things to do with kids, including everything from crafts to games and activities that will help develop key skills too. And, bonus, most of these ideas are suitable for all ages, with some adult supervision required.

Things to do with kids

1. Create your own stickers

Everyone loves stickers! Using this handy guide, you can get crafty and learn how to make your own stickers using materials at home. It’s a super easy activity and kids will be wowed as they turn their very own drawings into stickers to cover their bedroom and bits with.

Ages: 4+

2. Go for a bike ride

Both adults and kids’ bikes can be bought for good prices on sites like GumTree and ebay , but be sure to check they’re selling in your local area.

Then all you have to do is take your new ride to the park (for the little ones) or the open road (for older kids).

Ages: 4+

3. Take a museum tour

Free museum tours are perfect to keep the kids engaged, educate them a little on new subjects and tire them out enough for bedtime all wrapped up in one activity. Take a look at our article on Free museums . We cover all museums across the UK. 

They include Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle and the Tower of London, along with those in the USA and Europe.

4. Join in with a Joe Wicks workout

That’s right, Joe Wicks is back is still a firm favourite with kids. Perfect for adults and children, enjoy a bit of bonding and via a HIIT workout. Discover where to watch Joe Wicks workouts and get stuck in with the kids this week.

Ages: 4+

5. Interview a family member

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Kids are curious, encourage this curiosity and help them set up an interview with a family member, challenge them to find out something you never knew. Maybe call it ‘pretend journalists’ or ‘pretend genealogists. 

Questions to ask;

• Where did you grow up?
• Do you share a name with someone else in the family?
• Did you have a nickname growing up? 
• When and where were you born?
• Where was your first house?
• What other houses did you live in?

Age: 9+

6.

Make your own puzzle

If you’ve got through all the puzzles follow this great WikiHow tutorial explains how to turn a family photo, a photo of your favourite pet, television show or characters from your favourite book into a DIY puzzle. It’s a great way to get the kids crafting and the step-by-step guide makes it a super simple activity.

Ages: 5+ (with adult supervision)

7. Create your own music video

TikTok exploded onto the scene in 2020 for the first time and now, everyone is a star with lip-syncing videos going viral every day. But you don’t have to join TikTok to have your own fun with lip-syncing, dancing, and miming.

Create your own music video and have fun with the whole family, simply using an iPhone. Get the kids to design the video, including what the lighting will be, what song is going to be sung, what everyone will wear, and what the set will look like.

Then use your iPhone, propped up on a surface, to record the video. Send to family and friends to give them a laugh.

8. Enjoy a virtual trip to the Aquarium

While a trip to the aquarium might rack up financially, the wonders of the deep blue sea are just a few clicks away thanks to the cameras installed in various tanks around the world.

The videos are either live or pre-recorded and uploaded by the aquariums themselves, so they’re great quality. Our favourite is the Monterey Bay Aquarium, as they have live cams for their fish, sharks, jellyfish and more.

Ages: 3+

9. Host a family Come Dine With Me

If you’ve already got the cooking down and the little ones are set to feature on The Great British Bake Off any day now, why not host your very own Come Dine with Me?

Each week, one member of the family comes up with a menu and cooks a starter, main and dessert.

It’s a great way to get everyone cooking in the kitchen. Older children or adults can help little ones with the choosing of the menu and cooking (beans on toast anyone?).

Use our recipe finder to discover some of the easy, delicious and quick recipes that kids of any age can make at home – from starters to desserts.

Ages: 5+

10. Take a virtual trip to the zoo

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Save on pennies with the zoos who also have live streams of the animals.

Our favourite is the famous San Diego Zoo live cams . They broadcast the daily lives of some of the most fascinating animals around, such as hippos, penguins, polar bears, tigers and more.

So whatever the little ones’ favourite animals are, they can get up close and personal in a way they would otherwise never have been able to. You could even set up a bingo game and the can stamp the animals they see.

Ages: 3+

11. Build an indoor fort with pillows

11. Build an indoor den with pillows

With the current cold weather, maybe a bike ride or a walk in the park isn’t for you.

Stay inside this week and build a den from pillows and sofa cushions instead. It’s as simple as it sounds and lets kids’ creativity go wild as they arrange the living room or their bedroom into a den and create their very own playground. 

By giving your kids boundaries (showing them what they can build with) and autonomy (leaving them to it) to build what they want you’ll see creativity and engagement shoot up.

Ages: 4+

Credit: Getty

12. Set up a marble run

Do you have a big bag of marbles? Or a selection of all, lightweight balls like ping pong calls? Create your very own marble run with the kids.

All you need to do is get creative with some toilet roll tubes and other cardboard to create an obstacle course for your marbles. See how long and complex you can make it, without stopping the track of the ball rolling.

Ages: 5+

13. Create pictures with melted crayons

This is definitely one for anyone whose craft drawer is overflowing with broken, used-up, or otherwise useless crayons.

Remove any paper or plastic wrapping from the crayon. Then using a hairdryer, melt the crayons onto paper or cardboard and create your very own work of art.

Ages: 7+

14. Learn how to code

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! Any child that loves working away on an tablet or laptop might be interested in learning how to code. While it might be one for slightly older kids, even younger ones can join in with some of the fun activities that Learning Resources has put together.

Complete with fun characters to help them through the programme, it’s a low-stress activity that keeps little ones’ minds occupied – at least for a few hours.

Ages: 7+

15. Make a stop motion video

Stop motion videos are so much fun to make, so easy and loads of fun!

This video by Chloe Meyers is a great place to start. Once you’ve got all the basics covered you can create your very own stop motion videos using whatever you like. Lego and Playmobil figures work really well, but you could also make your own from scratch using playdough.

Ages: 8+

Create colourful ice sculptures from your freezer

All you need to make your very own colourful ice sculptures is a range of bowls, muffin tins or containers in different shapes and sizes, some food colouring and access to water and a freezer. 

Add the food colouring and water into the containers (why not try loads of different colours in all the different containers to create a frozen rainbow?), then pop it in the fridge. Once frozen, take the containers out of the fridge and use some warm water to pop the ice from the container.

Stack the different shapes on top of each other to create your very own masterpiece! If they don’t stick together naturally, use a little warm water to melt the ice pieces together.

Ages: 5+

17. Play a biscuit board game

Sounds fun right? Biscuit board games come straight from the Great British Bake Off and when pulled off well, they do exactly what they say on the tin.

It’s a board game that you can eat. They’re super fun to make because there’s a designing process, a baking bit, and then importantly, a playing (and eating) bit. Just be sure to wash your hands before you dive in.

Ages: 6+

18. Get into painting

It may sound simple but painting is one of the best ways to keep kids busy in lockdown.

While galleries and craft clubs at museums might be off the table for now, that doesn’t mean that painting has to stop. There are loads of painting tutorials for kids online, so depending on their age, they can get stuck in with loads of exciting new painting techniques and ideas.

We love the tutorials by Gogh Box Art Crate – perfect for all ages!

Age: 7+

19. Make a play with a chatterbox (fortune teller)

In the spirit of thinking ahead, why not play around with a homemade fortune teller? Just like we all had in the playground! With a handy tutorial you and the little ones can create a fun chatterbox to try out with the family. Pick a number…open the flap…pick another number…find out your fortune – it’s as simple as that.

Ages: 4+

20. Make bath bombs

Whether it’s little ones splashing around in the colourful water, or adults taking a moment to relax with scented oils after a stressful day, a bath bomb is a winner in everyone’s books. And they’re so easy to make at home. So instead of splashing out on a fancy one, you can make one with some kitchen equipment and a few scented supplies.

Credit: Getty

Find out how to make your own bath bomb for an afternoon of science experimenting and crafting fun with the kids.

Ages: 6+ (with parental supervision)

21. Visit a farm

Introduce your children to animals by taking them to a farm. Even if you live in a city, there are lots of city farms around the country, and many of them cost peanuts to get into. It’s also a great opportunity to get up close to wildlife if your child’s only previous contact has been with a cat or dog. Find your nearest free farm.

Age: 4+

22. Get stuck into a craft kit

Craft kits are the most affordable way to keep kids entertained for a whole afternoon. They can look after the garden’s wildlife with a ladybird house-making kit for example, or make a fun decorative piece for their bedroom with this unicorn dream catcher kit from Baker Ross.

Whether they love painting, sticking, gluing, or building, there’s something for everyone with so many out there to choose from. We’ve rounded up some of the other best buys in our selection of craft kits for kids .

Ages: 3+

23. Get crafty with toilet roll tubes

There’s nothing more classic to do on a rainy afternoon than to make crafts out of toilet roll . Whether it’s a new game made out of cardboard, a pen holder for the office, a new decoration for the kitchen…there are so many options.

Credit: Getty

All you need to get started is a couple of empty toilet roll tubes, some paint and glue.

Ages: 3+

24. Get stuck into a PlayHooray activity sheet

While kids are sure to have homework and other tasks set by their school, breaking work up with play is vital to keeping minds focused. PlayHooray has printable activity sheets available for you to download with a whole host of fun games and craft projects, all set according to your child’s age. Get them here .

Ages: 6+

25. Teach them cross-stitch

Cross stitch is enjoying a new lease of life and is a great way to get kids involved in arts and craft. You can get special kits designed for younger children, so they won’t hurt themselves on the needles and the pattern will be easier to follow.

Age: 7+

Credit: Getty

26. Mess around with doodling

Doodling isn’t just for the back of notebooks. If you’ve got plenty of scrap paper lying around the house, doodling is one of the best creative uses for it. Get your kids out of their shells and put their ideas and thoughts down on paper with some fun afternoon doodling.

Stuck for inspiration? There are loads of videos on Youtube about how to get them to start thinking of ideas, like this one .

Age: 3+

27. Do a science experiment

If your child has an interest in science, nurture it. There are loads of really fun (and safe) science D.I.Y experiments you can do, with just the objects in your home and ingredients in your kitchen. But for some of them, it might be best to move it into the garden – otherwise, you’ll be repainting the walls as well.

But science experiments like this Elephant’s Toothpaste experiment  promise minimum mess and are really fun.

Age: 9+ (with parental supervision)

Credit: Getty

28. Get messy with play dough

28. Get messy with play dough

Almost a rite of passage, play dough is easy to make up and you can scent and colour it any way you fancy.

We’ve got a fool proof play dough recipe plus lots of fun makes to do with it.

Age: All ages love play dough, but perhaps just make sure they’re at an age where they understand it’s not the best thing to eat.

29. Bake something tasty in the kitchen

Cooking is one of the best things to do with kids, it teaches them so much no matter their age. There are loads of simple recipes you can try out with your children. If you’re concerned about them getting things in and out of the oven, then why not try one of our no-bake cake recipes, which have to be chilled in the fridge. If they really love it, then why not challenge them to come up with different sandwich fillings for a fun afternoon tea ?

If you’re happy to get them baking, take a look at our easy baking recipes for kids. Everyone loves cakes and encouraging your kids to help you make one of their favourites should be lots of fun. See our cooking with kids recipes here.

Age: 2+

Credit: Getty

30. Have a pancake flipping contest

Pancakes have a simple recipe and are easy to make, and flipping is so much fun.  

It’s a minimal mess with maximum fun. See who can flip the most pancakes then tuck in and enjoy the delicious crepes, American pancakes, or Scotch pancakes for lunch, dinner, or dessert. Whatever you fancy.

It’s a game that’s cheap to pull together and suitable for kids of all ages as you can always move the pancake from a hot pan into a cold one before little ones get flipping.

Discover our range of pancake recipes and toppings for pancakes on the website.

Ages: 4+

Credit: Getty

31. Write a story

Use your imaginations and write a story together. It doesn’t have to be original, the kids could write down their favourite fairy tale and just change the ending if they feel like it.

Another great idea is to write chain stories with family members. Each person writes a paragraph and then shows the final line only to the next writer. Once the final person has written their section, read the whole story out loud – it’s usually pretty funny!

For more inspiration take a look at story starters , which provide lots of creative writing prompts for children.

Age: 6+

32. Make a lava lamp

Lava lamps are not only colourful accessories for your home and an exciting craft activity for kids, they’re a great way to teach them about chemical reaction and density. So learning how to make a lava lamp is a great science experiment to keep them learning.

Ages: 5+

Credit: Alamy

33. Make a scavenger hunt

Come up with a list of odd and fun items for your kids to find. They can hunt around the house or your garden.

Suggested items can be: a stamp, a straw, a rubber band, a penny dated in a particular decade (before the kids were born, or perhaps have them find one in the year the birthday child was born), or a toothpick. If you live in the country or go to a park, some suggestions are a pine cone, a worm, a bug, a white rock, something red, or a feather.

Age: 8+

34. Get them gardening

Gardening is one of our favourite things to do with kids! Even though it’s a little cold at the moment, it’s something you can still get stuck into.

Growing plants is great fun and it’s even more fun, if they can watch their work get bigger and flower in front of their eyes. There are lots of plants that even a young child can grow without too much trouble, from small trees to herbs and vegetables.

If you don’t have a garden, then a window box or small pots are the answer and it won’t matter what time of year you plant them. Try growing herbs like basil, parsley or cress – that way they can eat them once they’ve grown.

Age: 5+

35. Make a sundial

Teach your kids how people used to tell the time before clocks and watches were invented. All you need is a compass to find out where north is and then put a stick in the ground and watch the shadow change position as the sun moves.

Age: 7+

36. Create a keepsake box with pressed flowers

As things to do with kids go this is a great idea! This outdoor crafting activity for kids is a great way to get them in the garden and soaking up the sunshine over the Easter holidays.

You will need: 

– A cardboard box – Paper – A few heavy books – Freshly cut flowers – A glue stick – Paint/felt tips/glitter – collage materials of your choice for extra decoration

What to do: 

1. Gather some freshly cut flowers. 2. Open up a heavy book and place paper over both pages to keep them clean. 3. Lay a flower on top of one of the pieces of paper, so that the other will cover it when the book is closed. Make sure you only put only one flower in between each sheet – you can put multiple sheets in one book, though. 4. Close the book, and weigh it down with more books. Do the same for the rest of the flowers, and leave them for about two weeks. 5. Start decorating. Give each child a cardboard box (shoe boxes are perfect) and get them to design the background using paint or any craft materials you have at home. 6. Once the flowers are pressed, carefully take them out of the books and glue them on the box. Be sure to put the glue on the box itself rather than the flower. 7. Once the flowers are stuck down, leave them to dry and they’ll have the perfect homemade keepsake box for keeping things that bring back special memories.

Ages: 5+

Credit: Getty

37. Join a craft club

Hobbycraft launched an online version of their popular Kids’ Craft Club . Every day they posted a new crafting idea on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram stories around a theme, like space, colouring, family portraits, origami. That means there are now loads of fun crafting ideas on the Hobbycraft website and social media channels.

All you have to do is head to the Ideas Hub for instructions on how to get going.

Perfect for keeping mini-makers busy at home!

Ages: 4+

38. Indoor treasure hunt

A treasure hunt is a great way to connect and engage with little ones by creating a fun game with their favourite treats.

Hide small chocolates or sweets around the house (but remember where you put them, otherwise you’ll be stepping on foil wrappers for weeks!) and create a set of clues for your kids to use, then set them loose to hunt down all that buried treasure.

Ages: 7+

39. Make a bird feeder

Wildlife is always visiting gardens and window boxes. Make them feel at home and watch pretty birds flock to your outdoor space with this easy-to-make feeder craft.

Made using ingredients from your cupboards and some basic crafting supplies, there’s no shortage of fun to be had as you learn how to make a bird feeder.

Ages: 5+

Credit: Future

40. Listen to some stories

From Monday 6 April, children’s publisher Puffin will be airing 20-minute storytime episodes, every weekday at 3:30pm on their YouTube channel as well as on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

The sessions will include readings and draw-alongs with authors and illustrators, designed to get kids joining in at home. As Puffin is known for classics like Charlotte’s Web, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Roald Dahl’s The BFG, we’re expecting exciting things!

Ages: 7+

41.

Practice mindfulness

Online yoga classes for kids have been popular for the last couple of years, combining physical exercise with mindfulness.

It can be tricky to get little ones sitting down for just five minutes so you might be sceptical of them doing yoga. But it’s not all about the downward dog, there are loads of child-orientated videos that make yoga fun for kids – using stories, characters and playfulness. And you can join in too.

Check out some of the great videos on Youtube with Cosmic Kids Yoga.

Ages: 2+

42. Try your hand at ice-dying

42. Try your hand at ice-dying

You might have heard of dip-dying and tie-dying, but have you had a go at ice-dying yet? This fun activity combines DYLON fabric dyes with just the ice in your freezer to completely re-vamp old clothes and linens.

Pick a colour (that you won’t mind seeing ALL around the house) and try it out today, with this handy ice dying step-by-step guide. As things to do with kids go this is a great idea!

Ages: 9+

43.

Create a memory box

The folks at Write from the Heart have come up with a great activity to keep little ones and adults busy. A memory box will keep imaginations flowing and small hands occupied, creating something they can continue to contribute towards in the future.

Pick a box that’s big enough to hold lots of items – like a wooden one – then get decorating. They could write their name on the box, cover it with glitter and draw all their favourite memories from the last couple of years. Then sit down with them and look through family photos and other memories to put into the box.

Ages: 7+

44. Create some flying paper planes

Use up all that scrap paper that was destined for the recycling and build a fleet of paper airplanes. Then you can launch them from an upstairs window, or in the back garden. You could make different kinds and see which one flies the furthest. Follow these simple steps for perfect planes.

Age: 5+

45.

Make a wormery in your back garden

If you’re feeling really green-fingered, then you can also try helping them collect worms for their own wormery. Just after it rains is the best time to hunt for worms.

Once you’ve collected five or so then put them in a large Tupperware box or old ice-cream tub with some soil. Make holes in the top so they can breathe. Then you’ll be able to feed the worms food scraps, including eggshells and vegetable peelings. The worms will make great compost, which you’ll be able to use in your garden.

Age: 7+

46. Make paper mache

So much fun can be had with just a balloon and some glue. This paper mache recipe will take you through exactly how to make the gooey mixture (maybe do it in the garden to be safe) that will keep your child entertained for hours on end.

Ages: 6+

Credit: Getty

47. Become a model maker

What kid doesn’t love getting their hands dirty? Get some modelling clay, a plastic knife and mould away. You can even buy self-hardening clay if you want them to become permanent.

Age: 8+

48. Play a board game

It’s a classic, but a good one! There are some amazing board games for kids out there. We love playing Articulate, the describing game as it’s great for everyone of all ages and you can also get a special kids version . Scattergories, Scrabble and of course, Monopoly are always winners too.

Age: 7+

49. Take a walk

Walking is a great way to get familiar with your surroundings. Whether you live in a city, town or the country, there will be places to go they’ve never been before.

Think of somewhere with spectacular views, or a part of your local area that has lots of history attached to it – the local cemetery is often a great bet with kids. If you’re not sure where to go, enter your location into the Woodland Trust website for lots of ideas.

Age: 6+

Credit: Getty

50.

Get them to make a map

50. Get them to make a map

You draw the squares on a large sheet of paper and see how easy they find it to draw the local neighbourhood. Get them to imagine they’re a bird in the sky looking down. Not as easy as it sounds.

Age: 9+

51. Have a karaoke competition

If you have a games console, then something like SingStar is fantastic. Alternatively, karaoke CDs cost very little from music stores. Make sure you sing along to some of the songs as well. There’s nothing like embarrassing yourself to entertain your kids.

Age: 8+

Credit: Getty

52. Make a family tree

How much do your kids know about their family? Do they know anything about your parents’ parents? Not only is drawing family trees fun, but it is also one of our favourite things to do with kids to teach them a bit about history. You may unearth some really interesting stories about your own family that you never knew.

Age: 9+

53. Paint Rocks

This has a two-pronged attack for keeping kids engaged. First up you go rock hunting.  Being outside gives kids time to move their bodies and a natural environment reduces stress and fatigue in little ones too. Once you’ve collected the rocks, grab markers or paints and stickers and go to town on designing and colouring them in. 

Age: 2+

54. Learn origami

The ancient Japanese art of paper folding is easy to do and one of the cheapest things to do with kids. You can fold a sheet of paper into pretty much anything, as long as you’ve got a pattern – and making paper animals is one of the best ways to entertain your kids on a rainy afternoon. Origami-instructions.com is a great place to start.

Age: 8+

55. Do some junk modelling

55. Do some junk modelling

Get together a load of things like egg boxes, cereal cartons, plastic milk bottles and let their imaginations run riot. If you get some friends round and ask them to bring their own junk, it becomes even more fun. You just need to provide the sticky tape, scissors, glue and paint and keep an eye on them.

Age: 6+

56. Put on a play or comedy show

Encourage your child’s creative side and get them to prepare a comedy routine with a few knock-knock jokes that’ll have the whole family in stitches. Or find a box of dressing-up clothes and have them come up with a story for a play. You might need to help them with some ideas (princess trapped in a castle; stranded on a desert island are two). Don’t forget you’ll also have to sit through the performance. If they’re feeling extra creative, they could have a go at making their own puppet theatre .

Age: 6+

Credit: Getty

(Image credit: Getty Images)

57. Build an outdoor den

Taking them out to the great outdoors is one of the best things to do with kids. All you need is a large blanket or sheet and some cushions and let them pretend they’re in a tropical rainforest, or somewhere similar. A large box is also a great idea for a cave – this is likely to entertain them for hours.

Age: 5+

58. Teach them to knit

Test their skills with a pair of needles? Never done it yourself? Read our guide on how to knit.   And, for some fantastic knitting patterns, including cute and cuddly toys for kids, visit our sister site Women’s Weekly.

Age: 7+

Credit: Getty

59. Make a rain gauge

Making a weather station is one of the best things to do with kids to get them outdoors. Get the kids learning science at home by setting up a homemade weather station in the garden. A rain gauge will measure how much rain falls (perfect for the weather we get here!), a wind vane will let you know which direction the wind is blowing and a barometer will help the kids learn about air pressure. They can keep a weather diary and write down all their findings.

How to make a rain gauge

• You just need an empty two-litre plastic bottle, which you cut two thirds of the way up. Then turn the top part of the bottle upside down and place it in the bottom part using sticky tape to secure.
• Use a ruler to make a scale in centimetres on a piece of tape and stick it on the bottle.
• Find an open space in the garden away from any shelter and dig a hole to bury the gauge so that around 5cm of it is sticking out of the ground.
• Then simply check your rain gauge every day at the same time, measure the amount of rain it has collected and empty the bottle.

60. Make a wind vane

The second part of your weather station is a wind vane. It will let you know which direction the wind is blowing and a barometer will help the kids learn about air pressure. They can keep a weather diary and write down all their findings.

• Draw a 25cm arrow on a piece of card and cut it out, then draw around the arrow to make another one and cut it out.
• Place a pen top between the two arrows and glue together. Get four matchsticks and a cork and push the matchsticks into the long side of the cork at right angles to each other.
• Label four pieces of card with N, S, E, W and attach these to the ends of the matchsticks with Blu-tack.
• Fill a bottle with sand and push a knitting needle into the cork and then push into the sand. Balance the arrow on top of the needle and place the wind vane in an open area using a compass to point the N label North. The arrow will show you the direction the wind is blowing from.

61. Fruit picking

For a cheap and fun way to entertain the kids during the summer months visit your local strawberry picking farm from late May or go apple picking  from August, plus other seasonal fruits. And, it’s one of the best things to do with kids to get them to eat their five portions of fruit and veg. After they’ve gathered their fruits, teach them to make fruit cakes, pudding and even jam.

Don’t forget to pack a picnic and make the most of your day – lots of the places on our list have plenty of other activities available, from tractor and pony rides through to cooking classes.

Age: 3+

Credit: Getty

(Image credit: Family Veldman)

62. Make a miniature garden

Don’t ditch the foil trays that ready meals come in. They make great containers for a mini garden. You’ll just need a bit of tack to stick the rocks and twigs in. Add some toy figures to make it more lifelike. You could also use sand to make it a beach scene.

Age: 7+

63. Catch a movie

Netflix may be easier to get your hands on, but nothing beats the thrill of a trip to the local cinema. If you’re on a budget, many have Saturday morning kids films. Alternatively, it’s always cheaper to go during the day.

Do a home movie, and check out the 50 family movies every child should watch before they turn 16.

Age: 7+

64. Host a dance party

Invite around some of your kids’ friends, put together a new playlist and let them dance till they drop. All you’ll have to do is provide drinks and snacks!

This is one of the best things to do with kids to tire them out before bedtime. If they’re more into acting than dancing, hold a Hollywood party instead.

Age: 8+

65. Play some sport

Out of lockdown, most local leisure centres have loads of opportunities to learn new sports, from martial arts to badminton, football to trampolining, swimming to tennis. What’s more, they usually provide the equipment so you won’t have to shell out for lots of expensive kit, until they’re totally hooked! Cycling is another great activity for youngsters. Of course, this new pursuit might require the purchase of a kids’ bike, but there are some great model options out there.

If you have to stay in the house for whatever reason and are lucky enough to have a garden, get them outside playing. Whether it’s badminton over the garden table or throw-and-catch on the grass, it will keep them moving.

Age: 7+

66. Check out your local library

If you haven’t managed to create a bookworm, then this could be the perfect place to start. Out of lockdown, there’s something for everyone here, regardless of whether they’re a sports buff, adventure fan or prefer something more romantic. Best of all, if they find some they like, it costs nothing to take them out! Find your local library.

Age: 6+

67. Seaside trip

You’re never that far from the beach in the UK, and even if the sun’s not shining, it can be great fun, walking along the beach looking for ‘lost treasure’. You can find crabs and barnacles in rock pools, lots of shells, and amazing coloured pebbles.

Age: 2+ 

68. Find an old ruin

Castles are magical places and capture the imagination of most boys and girls, who love crossing moats, running up and down spiral staircases and looking at cannons. Find the best value castles to visit.

Age: 6+

69. Listen to a podcast

Choose and listen to a podcast as a family. Either all together on the speaker or set it as ‘homework’ to all listen to it and then sit together and discuss it on the weekend. It’s a great way to kick start conversations, and you can take it in turn to choose a new one each week. 

Age: 12+

70. Keepy Uppy

Keepy Uppy is also known as ‘don’t let the balloon touch the ground’. It lends hours of fun and helps to build team trust. The main goal; the balloon must never touch the ground. 

Age: 3+

71. Balance like a pro

Challenge your kids to balance a bean bag, book, or cushion on their body while moving like an animal. They can balance it on their head and hop like a kangaroo, balance it on their back and run on all fours like a cheetah, the choice is theirs. This helps with creativity, understanding their body, and problem-solving.

Age: 5+

72. Host a tea party

Have your little ones create the invites, then they can pop round to friends and family – or just their toys – to deliver them. Next, they help you to make the tiny cucumber sandwiches, set the table, and get the teacups out. Ready for a real-life tea party. 

Ages: 4+

You might also like: 

35 crafts to do with your kids
Indoor activities for kids
Science experiments for kids
Easy craft ptojects

Video of the Week:

Grace Walsh is a Features Writer for Goodto.com, covering breaking news health stories during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as lifestyle and entertainment topics.  She has worked in media since graduating from the University of Warwick in 2019 with a degree in Classical Civilisation and a year spent abroad in Italy. It was here that Grace caught the bug for journalism, after becoming involved in the university’s student newspaper and radio station. 

27 ways to entertain a child – Lifehacker

Some ways will help distract the child and win a few free hours, others are suitable for joint leisure and will bring a lot of pleasure not only to children, but also to parents.

1. Have a sumo wrestling

Put a large T-shirt on your child and stuff soft pillows under it.

In this form, children can arrange sumo wrestling – collide with a running start and measure strength without risking anything to themselves. The wider the girth of the fighters, the safer the fight will be.

2. Try checkers with sweets

Use a ready-made game board or make your own. To do this, stick strips of colored sticky tape on a square base to make a field.

Instead of checkers, use two-color cookies, meringue or marshmallows. Any other sweets that are placed in the cage of the playing field and do not stain hands and clothes will do.

During the game, the opponent’s checkers will be eaten in the literal and figurative sense.

3. Have a stain-free painting session

Get an A4-sized ziplock bag. Mix a small amount of shower gel with dye.

Pour the resulting mixture into a bag, close it and fix it on the table with adhesive tape. Invite your child to paint on an impromptu canvas with their fingers – the tinted gel will move inside, creating abstract patterns.

4. Try coloring sandwiches

Image: Gabrielle Kastner / YouTube

For this homemade entertainment, you will need toast bread, milk and food coloring.

Pour a small amount of milk into separate containers and paint with different colors. Give your child a clean brush and invite them to turn the bread into a work of art.

When the picture is ready, put the pieces in the toaster for a while, bake the picture and enjoy a beautiful meal.

5. Arrange speed games

Almost any item in the house can be turned into a game inventory to do something at speed for one minute. Here are some ideas:

• Pick up candy or marshmallows with chopsticks.
• Build the tallest tower out of coins or plastic cups.
• Throw as many socks as you can into the laundry basket.
• Don’t let the balloon fall to the floor.

6. Color the Rice

Image: Miami Skye / YouTube

You will need rice, white vinegar, food coloring, and clean, heavy-duty plastic bags.

Dilute the pigments in a small amount of vinegar. Put a handful of rice in a bag, pour the paint into it, tie the polyethylene tightly and mix the grains to paint it well.

Children will love the process itself, when you can twist and squeeze the bag, and the result. The dyed rice needs to be dried, and then it can be used for pictures, applications and all kinds of crafts.

7. Build your own car wash

A toy car wash can be made with a 5 liter plastic canister, dish washing sponges and damp-proof adhesive tape.

Cut out the sink body from the tank with inlet and outlet. Cut dish sponges into thin, long sticks and glue them vertically to the sink ceiling.

Color the structure with permanent markers. Place shaving cream in empty yogurt jars. Take old toothbrushes and toy cars. And then just use your imagination.

8. Make a slime

DIY slime. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

Cooking the mass will take no more than 10 minutes. You will need 100 ml of PVA glue, dye and 1-2 teaspoons of sodium borate. The latter is also known as “borax” (you can buy it at a pharmacy).

Pour glue into a bowl, add a few drops of dye and mix. Then add some borax and keep stirring. As it thickens, add more sodium borate, a few drops at a time.

When the mass begins to peel off the sides of the bowl and stretch, knead it with your hands like dough. After a few minutes, the slime will become plastic and will no longer stick to surfaces.

Just do not play with the mass on the bedspread with villi: it clogs in them and is poorly cleaned. And if you use food pigment, the slime can slightly paint your hands.

9. Build a house for dolls out of boxes

You will need some time for this task, but then the children will play with such a house on their own, and for more than one day.

Prepare shoeboxes, tape, scrapbook paper or wallpaper, paints, stationery glue, newspapers to make the structure.

Insert the shoeboxes into each other at a 90° angle. Two pieces will make one corner of the house and one floor. Tape the boxes together.

Four-box dollhouse construction. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

Then cover the construction with newspapers. To hide the joints of the boxes and make them more like a house, you can use papier-mâché, a pre-prepared mixture of soaked paper and PVA glue. But if you want to make everything faster, skip this step.

Walls, ceilings and floors can be decorated with acrylic paints or gouache, pieces of wallpaper, fabric and even linoleum, beautiful paper. Arrange the furniture and the dollhouse is ready.

You can also make a small house from one box with partitions: arrange them crosswise – and you get two floors and four rooms.

10. Play outdoor games with paper tape

You can mark the floor with masking tape. Try the following games:

• Classics . As a cue ball, you can use a plastic cup or a candy jar.
• Outdoor shooting range . Make a target on the floor from several circles and launch a plastic ball in turn. The one with which the projectile rolls closer to the center wins.
• Tic-tac-toe . Glue four strips of paper tape, and draw shapes on cups or plastic balls and put them on the field.
• Long jump . Mark the start line and arrange a competition. Mark the results of each jump with a strip of tape.
• Rope Walkers . Stick the tape in long stripes and shapes, and then ask the children to walk along this “rope” without ever stepping to the side.

11. Make an airplane out of a cocktail straw

Airplane made of straws and paper strips. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

This is a non-standard airplane that will fly much further than usual. To make, you will need three pieces of paper and a plastic straw for a cocktail.

Cut out three strips measuring 2.5 x 12.5 cm. Connect two together and close in a large ring with adhesive tape. From the third strip, make a small ring.

Attach the pieces to the ends of the straw, positioning it inside them. Launch the model with a small ring forward.

12. Make a flute from cocktail straws

Pipe from plastic straws. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

Take six to eight plastic tubes, cut them off and glue them together with tape. Of course, you can not expect a pleasant sound, but the children like it.

13. Put on a bubble show

Make a bubble solution: mix 3.5 liters of water, a glass of dish soap and a tablespoon of glycerin. For blowing, you can use purchased devices or make options more interesting from improvised means.

For example, if you fasten several large straws together, whole rainbow clusters will be blown out.

You can also make a jig for giant soap bubbles. Pass a long cord through two tubes and tie the ends with a knot.

After that, it remains to fix the wooden skewers, which you will hold on to, and you can test.

14. Show your child how to make soap clouds.

Soap clouds. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

Cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle and put a sock over it. In a separate container, mix dishwashing liquid with a little water.

Foam blowing design. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

Dip the sock in soapy water and blow into the neck. You will get a large foam snake.

15. Make a shark or crocodile with a clothespin

Draw a shark or crocodile with big teeth on paper, cut the image in half and glue the two pieces to the clothespin. Children will be able to organize battles of toothy predators opening their mouths.

16. Play Chapaev with plastic caps

For this fun, you will need a glossy cardboard box and 8-12 plastic bottle caps.

Divide the “checkers” between two players and place them on the edges of the box at an equal distance from each other. You can color if you wish. Take turns blowing on the covers, trying to knock down the opponent’s chips with them and at the same time not fly out of the field.

Small cars about 2 cm long can also be added. Place the mini toys in the middle of the field and blow on them to knock down the opponent’s pieces.

The winner is the one who first gets rid of all the opponent’s caps, but at the same time has at least one of his own on the field. Otherwise, a draw is declared.

17. Make an unusual slingshot

An alternative to ordinary slingshots. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

For this device you will need a plastic bottle and a ball. Anything can be used as cartridges, from coffee beans and rowan berries to soft bullets from toy guns.

Cut off the neck of the bottle. Tie the tail of the balloon in a knot. Cut off the wide part and pull the half with the tail over the neck. For strength, secure with a plastic ring from the bottle.

Put a bullet in the neck and pull the tail of the ball. You can arrange championships in firing range.

18. Show the children how to make their own stickers

Give the children a piece of sticky paper and have them draw little pictures. When ready, cut out the images and use as stickers.

19. Race noodles

Shot: Toys»R»Us/YouTube

If you have a noodle but don’t want to swim, make a toy out of it.

Cut the product into halves along the entire length. You will get two tracks along which you can run glass or iron balls, toy cars.

Place the sticks with one end on a raised platform and the other end on the box where the objects will fall. Decorate the track with “Start” and “Finish” flags and arrange races.

20. Play aim shooting with glass balls

Take a shoe box and make several semi-circular cuts with different radii – a garage with a gate will come out. Determine how many points the child will receive for hitting each hole.

Garage construction. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

Put the box on the table upside down and try to roll the ball into the narrowest gate. The one with the most hits wins.

21. Make bracelets out of popsicle sticks

Frame: NewMan DIY / YouTube

You will need water, a glass, wide wooden popsicle sticks and multi-colored paper tape or colored paper.

Place the sticks in boiling water for 30 minutes to soften. Then bend them one by one and insert them inside the glass. Dry the sticks in such a position that the wood takes the form of dishes.

Image: NewMan DIY frame / YouTube

Then decorate the bracelet to your liking. Use appliqués from colored paper or decorative tape, felt-tip pens, paints, pieces of lace – everything that is enough for imagination.

22. Show the children how to weave bracelets from colored cords

If your child already knows how to braid and knit interesting knots, buy several meters of colored cords. You can make a lot of simple bracelets out of them.

23. Do a science experiment with a balloon

Balloon experiment. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

Show your child a chemical experiment in the kitchen. To do this, pour a spoonful of soda into a balloon, and pour vinegar into an empty plastic bottle.

Place the ball on the neck of the bottle and fasten tightly. Gradually pour the soda out of it into the bottle. The neutralization reaction will result in the release of a large amount of carbon dioxide, which will inflate the balloon.

24. Make a frozen dinosaur egg

Frame: TheDadLab/YouTube

If your child loves dinosaurs, show him how ancient dinosaurs hatched from eggs. Put the figurine in a balloon and fill it with water, then send the balloon to the freezer. When the water freezes, call the young paleontologists.

Remove the rubber “shell” from the eggs, look at the dinosaur in the ice. You can get the toy with a small hammer.

25. Make banana ice cream

Take bananas (preferably slightly overripe), peel and cut into thin pieces. Put in the freezer.

After a couple of hours, remove the fruit and mix in a blender until the mass resembles thick sour cream. Dessert can be eaten immediately or put into molds and re-frozen. Older children can handle the cooking themselves.

26. Color the gingerbread cookies.

Colored cookies. Iya Zorina / Lifehacker

For this culinary fun, you will need gingerbread cookies. You can buy it or bake it yourself. You also need egg white and powdered sugar icing, food coloring, and pastry bags.

If you are making your own cookies, allow them to cool completely before coloring. Mix the icing, tint it with different colors and fill the piping bags. You can also use confectionery sprinkles.

27. Make a cable car at home

Stretch a few ropes between door handles, chair legs, clothes hooks – this will be a cable car.

Take a hanger with clothespins and attach soft toys to it. Attach the hook to the stretched ropes and show your child how to launch the cable car “cars”.

Read also 🧐

• 20 cool outdoor games for the whole family
• What to play outdoors: 12 ideas for any company
• 20 cool educational games, apps and websites for kids aged 6-7

35 fun activities for kids when they are bored.

Boredom is a natural part of childhood. No matter how many toys they have or the activities you have scheduled in your schedule, they won’t be interested in what they have. Boredom is also characteristic of children who have unplanned and unstructured days. Interestingly, boredom is good; it gives children the opportunity to find creative ways to keep themselves occupied and overcome stagnation when it inevitably hits them. Here are 35 fun things to do when the kids are bored at home:

1. Cycling.

Few activities can be as easy and rewarding as cycling through the neighborhood alone or with friends. If your child is old enough to drive himself, invite him to ride a bike with his friends in the neighborhood. Physical activity lifts your spirits and clears your mind of boredom.

2. Write a story.

Have the children write a story about any topic they choose. Maybe it’s a story about the adventure of their favorite toy in the house when everyone is asleep, or a funny story about a family dog ​​that gets into trouble all the time. Writing a story sparks their imagination and develops a flow of creative forces.

3. Art on the pavement.

Sketching on a piece of paper is fun, but drawing on the sidewalk lifts the mood a few notches higher. Give the kids a set of crayons and let them unleash their creativity. You can come up with an interesting topic or ask them to come up with their own.

4. Wash the family car.

Many children enjoy doing tasks that make them feel like adults. You can turn washing your car into a fun pastime by turning it into a role-playing game. For example, children are the owners of a car wash, or whatever you can imagine together.

5. Build a fort.

Building a fort is probably one of the most fun games that anyone can enjoy. Whether you use furniture, blankets and pillows, or cardboard boxes from your attic, you can learn a lot from building forts for kids. A great one awaits at the end, the reward is to sit in the fort and play games while sipping a cool drink.

6. Rearrange the room.

If you are willing to provide a good reward, the children will not suffer because of the cleaning and rearrangement of the room. Try moving a few things, replacing something old, or putting in something that will freshen up the place. If the room is too boring, ask them to help you in the kitchen.

7. Color your stone collection.

If you love hiking, make it a habit to bring home smooth or interesting rocks. You can clean them up and color them when you are bored to make the collection of stones more interesting. Show the best stone in the room.

8. Write a letter to a relative.

Writing letters is outdated and that’s why it’s so much fun. When the kids are bored, ask them to write letters to their grandparents, aunts, or even friends who live in another city. Letter writing is an art that is rapidly disappearing among the younger generation, so it’s not only a fun experience, but also a learning experience.

9. Make a “When I grow up” poster.

One of the best ways to get rid of boredom is to be creative and imaginative. Open your mind and make a list of everything that kids would do as adults. The best of them can be turned into a drawing in which they will be depicted in costumes, and the rest of the family will be next to them.

10. Make a time capsule.

There is nothing better than opening a time capsule for nostalgia. Have your child collect items of the year, such as toys, collectibles, or anything that reminds them of the time they live in, and put them in an airtight box. Hide the crate in your basement, attic, or somewhere else to keep it safe for years to come. Write the date you all agree to open it.

11. Learn how to make slime.

While you can buy slime from the store, making your own is a rewarding experience. Your child will learn all about the basics of chemistry and learn why materials behave the way they do. On the Internet you can find several recipes for making slime with interesting properties.

12. Art collage.

This is one of the best activities for kids to get rid of boredom by bringing back old memories. Pull out the old coloring or drawing books your child used when they were younger and choose drawings that you can cut out for a collage. You can choose a theme or make it random and stick them all on cardboard.

13. Go hunting for items.

Hunting for objects, whether near the house or outdoors, can be fun, especially as a group activity. Find 10 or 15 items of a similar nature, such as rocks, leaves, or anything that will fit in a jar. If you have a metal detector, the activity can increase several times.

14. Bake something.

The kids will really need your help with this, but it’s a very rewarding activity. Ask them to help you make a cake or pizza, let them work with the dough, toppings or cream so they learn everything they need to know.

15. Play a treasure hunt.

Treasure hunting should not turn into a party or a family holiday. When your child is bored, choose something they would like to find, such as a chocolate bar or favorite toy. Hide the toy where he will least look and leave clues to find it.

16. Dance party.

Prepare a playlist of your kids’ favorite dance songs for this situation and play it when they get bored. There is nothing better than dancing to cheer up and get rid of boredom.

17. Create an obstacle course.

This is quite a fun activity, especially if you have small children. Help them build an obstacle course out of cardboard boxes, play tunnels, or whatever suits the game. Older kids will love building their own obstacle course and showing you their progress.

18. Fun yoga classes.

You can hear a few protests at first, but once classes start, yoga becomes quite refreshing. If you have the space for it, aerial yoga is a great pleasure for kids. You don’t have to follow the rules, just go with the flow.

19. Lego hunting.

For this you will need sets of Lego blocks of different colors and four sheets of paper of the corresponding colors. Hide the blocks in different places around the house, or ask your older sibling to hide them while your younger one looks for them. Having found them, he must put each block on a sheet of the corresponding color.

20. Write a story about your week.

Ask your child to remember everything that happened during the week and make a story out of it with more pictures and words. You can also make the cover of the storybook of the week and tie the sheets together to make a book.

21. Make up a play.

Discuss an interesting story with your children and put on a play for family or friends. Make costumes and record dialogues. This may take some time, so make sure you don’t have anything else planned for the rest of the day.

22. Accept the challenge of art.

On the Internet you can find a number of art activities that will keep children entertained. Find ways to use new tools and materials to create complex artwork and spark creative thinking. You can also download art challenge templates to get more ideas.

23. Stargazing.

If your children are bored on a clear evening, stargazing can be a very rewarding activity. Use any of the available celestial apps that will show you the constellations and where to find them. Find the stars, planets, and patterns used by astronomers in the sky and sketch them in a sketchbook. It’s great if you have binoculars or a telescope as they can give you a whole new perspective on the sky.

24. Play-Doh art show.

The more children involved, the more fun the class will be. Make plasticine sculptures and decorate them with glitter and colored paper. Put them on public display. You may even have prizes for the best sculptures.

25. Expert presentation.

Choose a topic your child likes and ask them to search the internet for all the information they need to make a presentation. He can choose any tool he wants, make a slideshow and show it. Give him enough time to explore and choose interesting topics such as space, dinosaurs, oceans, or the moon.

26. NERF or water pistol combat.

There’s a lot to be said about the water skirmish. This is great outdoor fun during the holidays when kids get together while playing. You can divide the children into teams and give prizes to the winners.

27. Take a mindful walk.

A mindful walk differs from a normal walk in that you walk with a plan. During your mindful walk, take the time to notice small details that you might not otherwise notice, such as sounds, animals, birds, and the smell of the air. You could also observe the pavement, the clouds in the sky, the direction of the wind, and walk while studying your surroundings.

28. Garden camping.

Set up tents and camp in nature, barbecue. Let the children help you set up the tent and make a fire. Stay overnight in tents to get the most out of it.

29. Games with balloons.

A simple game like keeping a balloon from touching the ground is very enjoyable as it requires a lot of teamwork and effort. Set a time limit for how long the balloon will stay in the air and reward the kids at the end for extra time.

30. The floor is lava.

One of the oldest games that always works. Collectively decide which furniture is stone and which is lava. When one person yells, “The floor is lava,” everyone runs to find a safe place before time runs out.

31. Interview with grandparents.

Make a list of questions for grandparents and interview them. You will never guess how many useful and interesting things you can learn about the past.

32. Plant a garden.

Gardening is a necessary skill for everyone. Buy seeds and plant a simple flowering plant or vegetable in a pot. This is a great learning experience.

33. Make a sock doll.

Take a few different socks to put on your hands. Use rubber bands and drawing pens to make puppets and put on a show.

34. The best education.

Ask the children to write down a couple of things that will make you a better parent. Then ask them to write down how they can be better kids.

35. Create a visualization board.

Write on the poster board what your children’s vision of the future is. Hang the board in their room for them to see every morning.

Here’s a great collection of things kids can do when they’re bored that’s sure to cheer them up and keep them entertained. Alternate methods so that your children are more interested in the activities and have a good time.

Preschool activities, what to play with a child 5-6 years old at home – educational games for children

If the parents of a child of primary preschool age are most concerned about sleep, toys, walks and the good mood of the baby, then the parents of a 5–6-year-old preschooler have the realization that school is just around the corner and “something needs to be done”. It is not for nothing that this period is called the senior preschool age.

You can, of course, entrust the entire educational process to teachers of a preschool institution. But there are kids who do not attend kindergarten. And there are parents who strive during this period to give the child as much knowledge and opportunities to develop as possible. Currently, the choice of exciting activities that are useful for the development of the child is quite wide: interesting educational aids and books, various educational games that you can play with your mother, and much more.

What should you strive for at the age of 5-6?

Do not be surprised, but we will not talk about how many words per minute a child should read by the first grade or what examples to solve, because a preschooler should not be able to do this. After all, this period is called the preschool age. In turn, this means that with the right school program, such as “Primary School of the 21st Century”, the child will learn everything at school, and do it with interest, joy and at a pace that is comfortable for him.

But there are important mental processes, skills and knowledge, without the proper development of which the child will not be able to assimilate school material. It:

• memory,
• imagination,
• thinking,
• developed speech,
• knowledge about the surrounding world.

Based on these components of preschool development, we will talk about what a child needs to be taught at the age of 5–6 years.

Memory. The child develops arbitrary memory. This means that a five-six-year-old can remember something (for example, combinations of objects shown to him) by an effort of will, while at an early age mechanical memory works to a greater extent: the baby remembers a word or object without thinking. Also an indicator of the emergence of arbitrary memory is the ability to memorize poems.

Imagination helps your little one make up interesting stories with successive events. Some five-year-olds are already beginning to compose fairy tales, invent and draw animals from the fantasy world. Thus, by the age of 5-6, a child can compose a short story or a fairy tale on a given topic with a given character, as well as draw an unknown animal or a fairy-tale hero.

Thinking. The formation of figurative thinking in older preschoolers allows them to solve simple problems in their minds. Logical thinking helps children build causal relationships, analyze and draw conclusions, generalize objects based on one or two signs. For harmonious development, one cannot give preference to one of the types of mental activity – it is necessary to develop logical thinking along with the development of figurative thinking.

Speech . In speech, your babies should no longer have shortcomings in the pronunciation of sounds. Children of this age period recite a poem with expression, with the help of an adult compose a story based on a picture, retell a small simple text. The vocabulary of the child is expanding every year, so do not forget about the use of antonyms and synonyms in speech.

The world around is extremely interesting for any child, so it is not difficult to give knowledge about its structure. For a 5-6-year-old child, it is important to know the daily routine, days of the week, navigate the seasons; know the basics of human structure, the main representatives of the animal world, birds, insects, plants. Kids need to be helped to understand the phenomena of nature and the structure of the earth’s landscape, to learn their last name, first name and patronymic (and then the names and surnames of family members). Knowing the home address will help the child in case of an unusual situation. In addition, the future first-grader needs to navigate the surrounding household items, professions and tools.

You can listen to the audio version of the article:

What and how to do with a child?

Before offering a child developmental tasks, we recall that it is not recommended to conduct classes to teach reading or writing.

Memory

• Exercise “Number series”. Call the child in a row 3–5–7 different numbers and ask them to repeat. Gradually complicate the task, using not only numbers from the first ten, but also two-digit, even three-digit ones.
• Video sequence exercise. Show cards with the image of various objects for 10-15 seconds, and then close them and ask them to list all the objects that the child remembered. Gradually increase the row: start with 4-5 cards and bring their number to 8-10 (or more).
• Memorization and recitation with the expression of poetry is an excellent memory training and an opportunity to develop artistic talent.
• Singing songs is a wonderful activity that develops memory, ear for music and the ability to reproduce what you hear.

Imagination

• Constructor. Any designer will do, but it is desirable that the child does not design according to the scheme or instructions, but invents and embodies the images himself.
• Modeling. Plasticine is an excellent material for self-expression, developing fine motor skills. A child can sculpt not only animal figures, but also entire plots. Offer to “draw” a whole picture on cardboard with plasticine, you can draw it with your child.
• Application. Invent, cut and paste – three developmental actions at once.
• Listening to fairy tales gives rise to numerous images in the child’s head, bright and interesting. And their further reproduction will bring a lot of pleasure not only to children, but also to adults. Assign roles and play!

Thinking

For the development of thinking, they use not only logical tasks, but also such techniques as experimentation. The experiment gives the child the opportunity not to be afraid to make a mistake, because the absence of a result is also a result!

• Labyrinth. With the help of a pencil, ask the child to go through the maze and find a way out of it.
• Solve riddles. And make them yourself: let the kid try to conceive and describe an action or an object, and you – to guess what was hidden.
• “Find what’s missing” task. In a series of similar objects that have a common feature, ask them to find one image in which this feature is missing, and draw the “lack”.
• Geometric series arranged in a certain sequence is an excellent exercise for the development of analysis.
• Do simple experiments together. The easiest way is to freeze water in a glass and then melt the ice. Such experiments will add knowledge about the world around.
• Draw Friends: Have the child draw the tallest and shortest friend, then the friend who is taller than the shortest but shorter than the tallest. Then sign their names together. A difficult task, but your child by the age of seven will be able to cope with it.

Speech

Speech development is best done in individual lessons .

• Learn as many tongue twisters as possible with different letters.
• Retell stories with more detail, or describe a picture with just as much detail.
• Play cities, fruits, vegetables, animals to build more vocabulary.
• Choose antonyms and synonyms for words.
• Ask the child to name as many features of one object as possible. For example, an apple is “round”, “red”, “sweet”, “juicy”.

World around

• Use flashcard quizzes with light bulbs on when you answer correctly. Very clear and fun for kids!
• Themed games. Name in turn domestic animals, wild animals, birds, marine life. The last person to answer wins.
• A dial with hands that can be translated by the child himself will help to master the time and understand the daily routine. Together draw a bright schedule for the week by day and get acquainted with the concepts of “day” and “week”.
• Play as professions: cook, doctor, teacher, salesman, builder.

Lesson tips

Try to practice every day. Regularity increases memorability.

Set aside 15 minutes for each block. Between them, take a break for physical games or gymnastics.

Equip, if possible, a place for classes so that there are no extra things or toys on the table. In a properly organized workplace, it will be easier for the child to concentrate.

If the child cannot complete the tasks the first time, be patient: your child is only at the beginning of the path of knowledge.

Sofia Rogozinskaya

18 ideas of what to do with a child under 6 years old

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Nazarok Yana

27 March

As many already know, the quarantine in Ukraine has been extended. But we do not lose heart, because this is a great time to pay attention to yourself and loved ones. It is important to remember about simple methods of preventing coronavirus.

The current death rate from the virus worldwide is:

Data source : China Center for Disease Control and Prevention. These findings are based on 72,314 cases.

Previously, we have already told about boring activities for children in quarantine and interesting activities for schoolchildren. In continuation of the theme, we decided to add 26 games and activities for the child. As before, we do not include boring options. Some of the entertainment will suit even the most inveterate fidgets.

Just note that the games are suitable for both one child and families with several children.

1. Sumo. This game will be very popular with sports and active kids. Take a large t-shirt or sweater. Surely there will be clothes that you no longer plan to wear. Fill it with cotton wool, synthetic winterizer or other soft material. You can use soft toys or pillows. The more voluminous the fighters are, the safer the duel will be.

2. Drawing. Ideas for creative kids who have already managed to paint everything and everywhere. Surprise them, invite them to draw on the products. For example: a painted rainbow sandwich. All you need is bread, condensed milk and food coloring. The second option: colored rice. For it you will need: rice, vinegar, food coloring and clean bags. Put a handful of rice in a bag, add food coloring to it, tie it tightly. It will be interesting for the child to watch the process of dyeing rice, and mixing colors. At the end, you can dry the rice, and use it for school crafts in the future.

3. DIY slime. Recently, children are very fond of playing with masses for modeling and slimes. It can be made at home, and the child will play with it for a very long time. For the manufacture of mass for modeling: PVA glue (240 ml), sodium borate 1 teaspoon (borax), water and food coloring. It is necessary to mix water and glue in the toe and add a couple of drops of dye. The drill must be dissolved in half a glass of warm water, and add the resulting solution to your multi-colored glue. At this point, you need to mix the mass well. Wait until it thickens and starts to stretch. Knead it like dough, and after a couple of minutes you have a modeling solution in your hands.

4. Board games with cookies. Is your child interested in board games? Make the game even more interesting by adding small rewards. It does not have to be cookies or sweets, they can be replaced with nuts for example.

5. Barbie house. If you have a girl who loves to play with dolls, help her build a little mansion. There are a lot of variations. The simplest option will be a house for dolls from boxes. If you want a more sophisticated option – papier-mâché. Put all the boxes and start wrapping them with newsprint. Wait until it dries well. Pull out of the newspaper, then a flight of fancy. Suitable for: wallpaper, scrapbooking paper or even watercolors.

6. Masking tape and plastic ball. Active games in the apartment, without pogrom – it is possible. Masking tape, which is easy to peel off and does not leave marks, will be an excellent material for marking an impromptu field. Or even just stick a field for the classics.

7. Straw products. The child loves the designer? Then he will definitely like a simple invention of three pieces of paper and one straw for cocktails. Cut out pieces of thick paper 2.5 × 12.5 cm. Connect the pieces of paper and the tube together with adhesive tape. From the small piece of paper that is left, you need to make a circle. Launch with the third ring forward.

Second variant: craft for creative children “reed pipes”. Take 6-8 plastic tubes, cut and glue with adhesive tape. A fun tool that will captivate the child for a long time.

8. Soap – air cloud. It is very easy to make this experience at home. Place the soap in the microwave for a couple of minutes. The result can be crushed into a blender for small crafts, or painted and laid out in molds.

9. Safety slingshot. For little fidgets, this will be a safe and very exciting toy. For her, you will need a plastic cup and a balloon. Cut the cup in half, do not inflate the balloon, but simply tie its end. As a “cartridge” you can use cotton balls.

10. Drawings – stickers. Everything ingenious is simple. Give your child self-adhesive paper. At the end, if you cut the drawings, you get small stickers.

11. Ropeway. Stretch the elastic between furniture, doors, furniture legs. Hang a hanger, put a soft toy on it. The impromptu cable car is ready.

12. Speed ​​games. Take Chinese sticks and sprinkle sweets, small marshmallows or nuts on the table. The task is to collect food with Chinese chopsticks as quickly as possible. Or who will build the highest tower out of coins or cups?

13. Bracelet made of wood and paper tape. This task is best done with parents. You will need: water, a wide mug, wooden ice cream sticks, multi-colored paper tape or colored paper, an awl, twine or thick thread. Put wooden sticks in water to soften them. Please note that this may take several days. When it becomes soft, roll into a circle and put in a cup. When the tree dries, start decorating the wooden bracelet.

14. “Fenki” or colorful bracelets made of thread. You need threads or laces, the more colors the better. If the child already knows how to weave pigtails, such a bracelet will definitely like it.

15. Drawing. Another option for a child who loves to draw. Take a zip bag, pour some shower gel into it and add dye there. And the child is happy, and cleanliness.

16. Balloon experiment. Pour a spoonful of soda into the bowl, and pour vinegar into an empty bottle. Put the ball on the neck of the bottle and secure. Gradually pour the baking soda out of the bowl. As a result, the balloon will gradually inflate.

17. Homemade ice cream. All children love ice cream. Try making banana ice cream with your child. Cut the banana into thin slices and place in the freezer. When the pieces are frozen, pull them out and put them in a blender. Beat until thick. You can then put it back in the freezer.

18. Dinosaur in a shell. Children love dinosaurs very much. Surprise the child and put the dinosaur into the balloon. Fill with colored water. Put the ball in the freezer. When the water freezes, call the kids to dig.

19. Paper crafts. Kids will love this paper craft idea. On the Internet you can find different crafts for different ages. In addition to being interesting for the child, it also develops fine motor skills.

The conclusion is very simple, use quarantine to spend more time with your child. As you can see, everything is very simple, sometimes you can come up with an entertaining game from simple materials that are at hand. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Do not be ill.

100+ ideas to keep your child busy during quarantine / vacation | Games for children, didactic materials to borrow from a child’s garden, porches and roses

27 March, 2020

For 2 weeks now, Ksyusha and Sima have been at home, not at school. Fortunately, girls have long learned to amuse themselves, and at home there are always a lot of different materials for creativity, board games, mosaics and other fairly simple, inexpensive, but exciting things for the leisure of younger schoolgirls.

Watching them, I can conclude what can captivate children and keep them busy for a while. So I will write based on my own observations + I will add ideas that I still have in reserve in case of “Mom, we are bored …”

1. Thermomosaic (Hama Beads) . These small plastic beads are able to “neutralize” children, sometimes even for an hour. You can’t do it in a couple of minutes, and if the child has perseverance and a desire to get a result, then this meditative activity can captivate him for a long time. The biggest advantage of hama beads is the variety of products that can be created with them. For example, here are some ideas: coasters for a cup, earrings, bracelets, key chains, bookmarks, pendants, pendants, mobiles for home, magnets and just beautiful pictures)))

Mine enjoy reading a series of books about Lotta and her disasters. I don’t know if they are in Russian. MIF has a whole selection of such books. The peculiarity of such a presentation of the text is that children do not even notice how they are drawn in and begin to read excitedly. Children get bored of sitting at home for a long time and now is the time for exciting reading.

3. Draw comics . When you read comics, over time, there is a desire to draw your own. It is not necessary to draw a comic from scratch on a blank sheet, you can, for example, print out templates for creating comics. Download here with large cells, here with smaller ones, and here there are clouds and bubbles for words and thoughts. Taken from the Picklebums blog (there, by the way, there are a lot of other templates you can download).

4. Weave baubles from: elastic bands (Loom Bands), floss, yarn, ribbons, Scooby doo tubes (Scooby doo), paracord, laces or beads. Who likes it more))

5. Make books with your own hands. This activity has already become a habit with us thanks to the school. Children are often given a home project to “create a book on a topic”. We already have a small collection. A very exciting and long lasting challenge. Of course, a child will not complete such a task 100% on his own the first time, but with your help the result will be simply stunning! Topics can be varied, however, as well as creation techniques and book assembly methods.

6. Create posters. On any subject. In any technique. About myself, about animals, about space…

7. Create collages. Almost the same as the posters, but more fun! They can be created from: colored paper, cardboard, textured paper, magazines, newspapers, unwanted books, scraps, ribbons, buttons and other materials. In this case, the main thing is fantasy!

I’m also sharing my recent life hack. Sima was given the project “Create the ABC of Nature” at school. For each letter, it was necessary to find objects, animals or natural phenomena. An idea came to my mind: to show the children how to make collages in the Instagram Layout program. It’s incredibly simple! I filled them with the letters of the alphabet on a white background and reminded them how to search for pictures in Google and save them to the gallery. A few hours later, the Ukrainian alphabet of 33 letters was ready. So digital collages are fun too!

8. Shoot and edit videos. The easiest way to edit video is on a tablet. There are a lot of installation applications now. From standard system editors to programs with ready-made templates. For starters, you can try creating videos from pictures in Quik, for example. It is not difficult, but there will be a lot of joy.

9. Weave. It’s easy and – attention! – It is not necessary to have a machine. My beauties are very fond of weaving in its various manifestations: from classic weaving with threads to paper and patchwork.

And here is the result we got with the girls. They especially liked to work with wool for felting.

10. Coloring antistress coloring pages. I wrote about coloring many times already: a selection of beautiful books with anti-stress coloring books, a coloring poster for Easter, coloring mandalas for children and adults.

11. Color clothes and shoes. To do this, you need to have something to color (white cotton T-shirts and T-shirts are ideal) and something to color (felt-tip pens or paints on fabric that do not wash off during washing). Here are some story ideas. For example, “everything about me” or “imitation of the work of Modrian”. In general, you understand how wide the choice of plot can be))

12. Sculpt from “lipaka” (air plasticine) . This is our favorite type of plasticine with children. Mine is because it does not stick to carpets and does not stain surfaces, and children love it for its softness, suppleness, bright colors and drying of the figures.

13. Come up with the children YouTube challenge . This is our know-how with the children)) In general, we prescribed a list of topics with them, all the topics were suggested by the children. I just wrote down and drew pictures. It was about 2 years ago, when they still didn’t really know how to write, so I wrote instead of them. And the task was to find a video on YouTube on each of these topics. 1 day – 1 topic. Here and new knowledge, and the ability to search for information, and an element of entertainment, because all the same, in YouTube they found mostly thematic blogs, or scientific pop.

14. Cook delicious treats . This is generally a recipe for all ills. And the children are fine, and you don’t need to invent anything special. Open the cookbook and let’s go! Cookies, muffins, pies, pizza, dumplings, bread, pasta, salads and many other dishes can be cooked together. This article contains some simple recipes for delicious dishes that you can easily cook with your children.

happy family in the kitchen. mother and children preparing the dough, bake cookies

15. Do yoga, gymnastics, Pilates. Here is a selection of various video tutorials on yoga classes with children. By the way, this activity is not only for physical development, but also for strengthening the mental connection.

16. Make slimes . Here and here you can watch master classes from our Ksyusha and Sima, who tell you how to make slime. Do not judge strictly, filmed such a video for the first time and in their free time from school, that is, in the evening. The girls and I make slimes from: borax (sodium tetraborate), PVA glue and transparent stationery glue, hair balm and hand cream. Slimes almost always turn out great.

17. Play I Spy. In the pictures you need to find the specified number of different items. There are even whole books with such pictures for attentiveness. Here there are more ideas for games for the development of attention, and at this link my author’s pictures-finders.

18. Create lapbooks . These are, one might say, interactive posters. You can find ready-made templates on the Internet, or create your own unique lepbook. How to do this is described in this master class.

19. Sculpt a human body from dough or plasticine. Download ready-made templates for modeling or take from this blog. As an option, collect a skeleton from pasta.

20. Making DIY dough . This link is the best recipe for years of my practice. Younger students are quite capable of making such a dough on their own. And then decorate it with everything that your imagination can do. It turns out very cool black dough and colored dough with glitter.

21. Create origami . An especially cool idea is origami bookmarks.

22. Collect puzzles . Perhaps they are not quite in fashion now, but you can still easily buy them even in the nearest supermarket. Important: 1) buy high-quality puzzles that do not delaminate during assembly, 2) take into account the age of the child and his abilities, do not buy puzzles that are too complex, as a result, you will collect them, and the child will be bored and uninteresting (for your children 7 and 8 for years I have been taking puzzles with 150-250 pieces maximum, and those with 250 pieces are still difficult for them to assemble on their own, I help them), 3) Choose pictures with a lot of different objects, colors and details (for example, cartoon characters, a farm with many different animals). The best puzzles, according to my observations, are made by 3 companies: Castorland, Trefl and Ravensburger.

23. Collect diamond embroidery . Recently learned about this type of needlework. Ready-made kits are sold, something like drawing by numbers, only easier.

24. Color pictures by numbers . Younger schoolchildren can quite cope with coloring a picture with acrylic by numbers absolutely on their own, which is only good for us, parents.

25. Keep a personal diary , songbook, journal of ideas, etc. You can even create a notebook for this with your own hands. Glue stickers there, create collages and much more.

26. Build a halabuda , a tent, a house and other minks, huts and wigwams.

27. Plant plants . We have already managed to transplant a stone rose and zamiokulkas in a week. We want to plant grass and edible greens, as well as gladioli.

28. Make soap, make bath bombs . Yes, soap is mostly not made from improvised materials, but, you see, it is also an option if you order materials via the Internet. But for bombs you can find the ingredients at home:

• 4 tbsp. soda
• 2 tbsp citric acid
• 2 tbsp fine sea salt
• 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil (preferably olive or grapeseed, but sunflower oil is also possible)
• a few drops of essential oil, if available
• a couple of drops of food coloring diluted in water or half a teaspoon of cocoa powder.

29. Create postcards from any materials in any technique: from pencil drawing to collages and pop-ups.

30. Play board games . Here is an overview of board games that can and should be played with children. Home collection of desktops is a real salvation!

31. Knit on fingers . As well as knitting and crochet. My girls haven’t tried it yet, and I mastered the basics of crochet at the age of 7. So it’s quite an option. Of course, provided that mom or grandmother can teach.

32. Arrange a movie or theater evening . If you have already reviewed a bunch of everything, you can organize a movie evening in English and revise what you have already watched in Russian. If you have already been to the theater with your children, you can try to include video recordings of performances. My kids and I have been watching open recordings from the Metropolitan Opera for a couple of days now. Surprisingly, they still get it, they look with pleasure and discuss with us the plot, costumes, scenery.

33. Create photo album . And the more children’s creativity and self-expression in it, the more valuable it will turn out! Let stickers, magazine clippings, postcards and inscriptions, hearts, flowers and other decor appear there;)

34. Make a light table or box and draw, play, translate pictures on it. For this, a transparent storage box is suitable, as well as a garland, ideally if it is LED and battery powered.

35. Sew something simple : a toy, a pillow, a string bag, a garland of scraps. Choose the most simple shapes: a square, a circle with paws, a triangle with ears. And pay attention to the size of the product: it should not be large, but not small. To fit in the hands and it was not long to sew.

36. Create sensory boxes . A large selection of ideas is at the link. Life hack: older children can make such boxes on their own, decorate them, fill them, build a game. You only need to provide all the necessary materials and a large capacity.

37. Build cities out of boxes, jars, bottles, cardboard, paper, plasticine, corks, constructors, etc.

38. Tidy up the dollhouse , decorate, decorate.

39. Launch soap bubbles from the balcony .

40. Draw a self-portrait or a portrait of someone from the family .

41. Make beads from pasta or popcorn .

42. Create something interesting out of papier-mâché . Good old papier-mâché. This is a job for several hours, if not days! And what can you do with it!

43. Place dominoes in such a way that when they fall, they catch each other . This activity, by the way, is listed in many STEM programs as developing logic and constructive thinking.

44. Build the ball . We have a special sharogon constructor in the kindergarten. Very sticky stuff! But you can also come up with a sharogon from improvised items.

45. Create your own board game . It’s not difficult, but there will be joy!

46. Play role-playing games : school, zoo, daughters-mothers, veterinary clinic, fairy forest.

47. Decorate the room with garlands, flowers, words, posters.

48. Conduct a tasting with your eyes closed . This is a cool task that we develop mindfulness of our feelings, perception of our body, understanding the difference in tastes and it’s just fun.

49. Make a toy/house/maze for a pet .

50. Create a time capsule. You can hide photos, pictures, objects, letters, answers to questions, etc. in it. You can hide it in the attic, in the pantry or far in the closet. Do not forget to indicate the date when the capsule was opened, the day you will remember this eventful time spent together.

51. Invent a shadow theater . As characters, you can use: your own hands, printouts from the Internet or author’s figures. For staging, you can take any fairy tale, story, or come up with your own. The stage and backstage can serve as an ordinary sheet or a box or a cardboard frame with a stretched fabric that will serve as a screen. And yes! Do not forget about the backlight, which will create a shadow from the characters.

52. Perform simple experiments . Many children’s experiments do not require any complex components or tools, the main thing is to set a goal, read the instructions and prepare. The same baking soda with vinegar or foam with dye can be exciting entertainment for a child, especially if baking soda with vinegar depicts a volcanic eruption, and shaving foam with food coloring is a rain cloud.

53. Arrange a disco or pajama family party.

54. Make up stories . You can do it just from your head, or you can use blocks for storytelling or cards, for example.

55. Have a home photoshoot . It is not necessary to create special images, scenery and select costumes to hold a home photo session. It is quite possible to get by with pajamas and ordinary things for the house. For example, in these photos, children at home on the bed in pajamas, over which they put on a poncho, play with a Christmas tree garland, a comb and a book.

56. Clean up and put things in order . Sort toys from McDonald’s and kinders, sort out materials for creativity, put books in some meaningful order (by color, size or topics), take apart Lego figures so that later you can again put something interesting out of them, seat soft toys, sort out doll clothes, etc.

57. Create sand jars . For them, you can also use what is almost always at home: salt, cereals, spices. How to paint cereals I told in this publication.

58. Paint something .

59. Weave macrame or make toys out of thread, like this horse.

60. Create pom-poms . And then some pom-poms 😉

61. Embroider . For those who are younger, you can use a plastic yarn needle and paper lacing, such as these. For younger students, you can come up with the first projects with a real needle, but it’s better to take a blunt and not the thinnest needle, but fabric – a canvas with visible holes.

62. Come up with a dance, learn someone else’s, for example, from TikTok or YouTube or arrange a dance battle (Just Dance). There are a lot of dance videos on YouTube that need to be repeated. Whoever repeats better, he won the battle. We are now turning on Just Dance instead of morning exercises.

63. Invent your own code/shift or write down a secret message using Egyptian hieroglyphs, for example.

64. Learn the capital cities of the world and play the quiz .

65. Play crocodile . To facilitate the task of inventing words, you can use word cards and pull them out, for example, from a hat.

66. Arrange karaoke .

67. Copy great artists . Again, in different techniques and different materials. And in order to facilitate the task, you can use coloring pages with world masterpieces.

68. Solve crossword puzzles .

69. Draw by cells (pages from a notebook into a cell as a blank) or by numbers (printouts from the Internet).

70. Play custom musical instruments, or make your own instruments.

71. Set up a puppet theater .

72. Pour plaster figures, and then paint them. On the Internet, you can buy both ready-made kits and ready-made figures for coloring, as well as plaster for author’s projects.

73. Making toilet roll freaks .

74. Make your own stamps .

75. Draw and decorate a large track for cars/animals/dolls, etc. Kraft paper (or unnecessary paper wallpaper) and masking tape are best suited for this.

76. Draw a full length portrait of yourself .

77. Set up an obstacle course at home. Such activities perfectly develop gross motor skills, help to spend the energy accumulated during the day, improve coordination of movements, speed of perception and logic.

78. Play with shade palette. Open a palette of shades on your tablet or phone, select one and find an object of this shade at home. Then choose the next shade and continue the game.

79. Build an unusual tower .

80. Draw a series of characters , which will have something in common. For this, kawaii-style drawings are cool.

81. Make a winding doll .

82. Weave baskets from paper tubes .

83. Design unusual costumes . Toilet paper, corrugated cardboard, candy wrappers, newspapers and garbage bags will help you 😉

84. Cut and color mega shapes/pictures from corrugated cardboard.

85. Use a ruler or measuring tape to measure furniture at home , objects, toys, pets, etc.

86. Make a wish list , you can add pictures to it. You can also create to-do lists, shopping lists, cartoons and films that you want to watch, etc. Agree that such a skill in a child will not be superfluous.

87. Play twister or mini twister.

88. Build a house of cards . Also, by the way, STEM activity.

89. Build a dream catcher .

90. Make a Calm Bottle . You shake it up and then watch the glitter slowly sink to the bottom. To create a bottle, you will need: a bottle / jar, transparent stationery glue, food coloring and glitter.

91. Make a galaxy jar or wish jar . My kids and I made these for Simin’s last birthday. The children really enjoyed it. First, the children made wishes, then they chose colors to fill their jar, and then closed the wish in a jar and wore it as a pendant.

92. Read books to each other .

93. Sculpt clay plates, pendants, figurines, etc. .

94. Fill candles made of wax or paraffin, as well as wax crayons.

95. Learn: to draw from YouTube lessons, art through books and videos about artists, English through applications. Learn something new about our planet from encyclopedias, courses, programs and films. Here is a selection of educational channels that are suitable for preschoolers and younger students.

96. Solve logic puzzles and puzzles, play logic games .

97. Learn new programs/applications. For example, Google Planet, Google Slides and Google Docs, Louvre HD and Paper. Such knowledge will not be superfluous and will also be useful in school life. Also an interesting app is the Color Inspiration Tool. Through the camera, it analyzes the colors and gives out the shade number and its name. Plus, you can save your favorite color.

98. Create crafts with the hot gun . It turns out that you can draw with glue from this gun, creating three-dimensional ornaments, which then harden. Or make stamps and rollers for creativity. Plus, you can decorate just about anything. Here’s where you can roam!

99. Write letters to grandparents, relatives and friends, decorate them with drawings, stickers, etc. And it is not even necessary to send it by mail, because you can simply take a picture of the letter and send it via the Internet. Believe me, this letter will not at all lose the warmth it contains.

100. Hugging, fooling around, laughing, joking , giving each other a massage, braiding, doing manicures and showing your love in every possible way!

If you like our huge selection of ideas, share it with your friends on social networks. Perhaps they will also need our ideas on how to organize children’s and joint leisure during quarantine and holidays;)

To always get fresh ideas for games and activities with children, feel free to subscribe to the news of the blog “Grow smart!”

We wish your families health, good mood and inexhaustible love!

This article was published by Grow clever
in section 5-6 years old, 6+, Mom’s notes, Crafts

Educational games for children aged 5-6 with their parents at home

Games for preschool children are not just fun, but a necessity. Through the game, the child develops, the formation of his personality takes place. The game helps to master the rules, broaden your horizons, develop perseverance, train mindfulness. These qualities are necessary for an older preschool child, especially before entering school.

Any activity with a child must be age appropriate. In this article, we will consider which games are most suitable for children 5-6 years old, and we will understand their classification.

Article content:

• Outdoor games
• Board games
• Educational games
• Educational games
• Advice for parents
• Output

Outdoor games

Outdoor games for children are useful because they develop reaction, dexterity, endurance, coordination of movements, add extreme sports. For preschoolers 5-6 years old, an outdoor game lasts 20-25 minutes. This type of play allows children to throw out the energy that accumulates during the day.

In kindergartens, after an active daytime walk, children have no problems going to bed during the waking hours. This practice can be used at home when you want to put your baby to bed.

1. Giant Lilliputians. When an adult says “Lilliputians”, the children squat as low as possible to the ground. Hearing the word “giants”, they rise up on their toes and pull their hands high up. Make the task more difficult and intentionally confuse the child by naming the word and showing the wrong movement. Playing at a fast pace will encourage the baby to be more attentive and focused, as well as strengthen leg muscles.
2. “Do the opposite.” For six year olds, this game will be a real challenge to train their attention. An adult shows the movements, and the child must come up with a version in reverse. If the leader jumped, the participant of the game sits down. If the facilitator stretched his hands forward, the participant hides them, and so on.
3. Dance Marathon. Host a dance marathon for the whole family. To do this, you need a good mood, incendiary music and at least 2 participants. To diversify the game, the adult stops the music, and the children freeze in the position in which they remain. Music games improve mood, relieve fatigue and strengthen the relationship between parent and child.

Board games

For children aged 5-6, board games are a fun activity. This type of game teaches the child to act according to the rules, to wait for his turn, to be able to negotiate. The desktops always have some paraphernalia that you can touch: cubes, puzzles, figures. Tactile contact with them develops not only curiosity, but also fine motor skills of the child.

There are board games that are more suitable for girls, for example with the heroines of fairy tales. It is also important to select desktops for boys taking into account their interests.

1. Jenga. A popular game that develops fine motor skills. Suitable for adults and children. It is a set of wooden bars. The game begins with the construction of a tower of 3 bars, 3 more bars are placed on top, but in a different direction, and so on with the whole set. When the tower is built, the participants take out a block with one hand so that nothing collapses. The elongated block is placed on top of the tower. The one whose turn the tower collapses loses.
2. Monopoly. The game exists in various variations. Choose a children’s monopoly for children from 5 years old. The number of participants is from 2 to 4 people. The main benefit of a monopoly is that it allows you to master the skills of the economy. All players pass the playing field in turn. The roll of the die determines how many steps the contestant must take. The winner is the one who achieves the bankruptcy of other players and becomes a monopolist.

Educational games

Adults should pay special attention to educational games. The child chooses those games that respond to him. Therefore, the parent manages the activities of his child, offers options for games that help develop.

Consider 2 variants of educational games for children.

For the development of intelligence

Logic games combine 2 important functions – entertainment and development. A child who often plays such games is distinguished by lively thinking, a broad outlook, curiosity and sociality.

Examples of mind games:

1. Quizzes for which you need to compose questions and prepare prizes for correct answers. For a 5-year-old child, select questions on the topics of fairy tales (“Who left his grandmother and left his grandfather?”), Nature (“When the sun sets, is that called …?”), Seasons (“What season comes after spring?” ). Ask children 6 years old to answer questions on the following topics: days of the week (“What day of the week follows Thursday?”), household items (“What device helps to count numbers?”), social world (“What do they call people who have a wedding?” ).
2. Solving puzzles is a good way for the logical development of children 5-6 years old. It is necessary to teach the child to guess the encrypted word, starting from simple options. As soon as the baby learns the basics, complicate the puzzles, along the way explaining the new rules.

For the development of speech

Word games with children are very easy to organize at home. Clear and expressive speech, the ability to express one’s thoughts will help the child quickly adapt to new conditions at school. Why it is so important to pay attention to the development of speech, read the article “How to teach a child to speak: ways, games and exercises.”

Examples of what to play with a child to develop speech:

1. “Choose a rhyme”. The adult calls the word, and the child comes up with rhymes. Write down all the rhymes and compose a poem with your child. The game allows you to replenish vocabulary and develops literary creativity.
2. “Pick a word.” The leader throws the ball and calls any part of speech (noun, verb). Participants choose the word that makes sense. For example, “ball” – “jumps”, “beautiful” – “doll”.
3. “Choose an antonym.” The facilitator calls the word and invites the participants to pick up the word in reverse, explaining that such words are called antonyms. The game expands vocabulary and reinforces the concepts of the Russian language.

Educational games

Educational games for children develop mental processes: memory, thinking, imagination. The purpose of the cognitive game is to teach the child the knowledge, skills, actions necessary for further development.

For learning to read and write

Learning to read and write begins with your child’s introduction to letters and sounds. When a preschooler learns to hear individual sounds in a word, then he will be able to write. You can develop this skill with the help of games:

1. “Name the words starting with the letter…”: the adult calls the letter, and the child selects as many words as possible that begin with this letter. At the initial stage, use pictures with images of words to help.
2. “Find the letter”: an adult shows pictures with images of letters in different fonts and sizes. The child must find the letter that was asked. With the help of visual memory, a preschooler will remember what the letters look like and will be able to write them on their own.

Math learning

Math games help kids ages 5-6 get ready for school. Introduction to mathematics begins with teaching numbers, counting, and then calculations. It will be easier for a child to master mathematical representations if you pick up entertaining games.

1. “Geometric figures”. The game with a 5-year-old child is aimed at developing knowledge of geometric shapes that can be cut out of cardboard. The adult calls the figure, and the child chooses it among the other figures. At the end of the game, build a house or any other figure together.
2. “Tell me, what number is missing?”. A game for children who can consistently count up to 20. You must fill in the missing numbers that come before, between or after the given number.

To teach retelling

The ability to retell texts must be trained from preschool age. Do this while doing household chores. Let the child tell what happened in their favorite cartoon or book. To diversify children’s activities, use games for five-year-olds and six-year-olds.

1. Theater at Home. Choose a story that your child likes. Assign roles and arrange a theatrical performance. Children really like to try on the roles of their favorite characters, so remembering the script will not be difficult. Such an activity will teach the child not only to memorize and retell the text, but also to make the speech expressive.
2. “Letter from a forest dweller”. For five year olds, playing with an imaginary animal will be a fun way to imagine how this or that character feels. Prepare a set of pictures with a story, for example, how one day in the life of a hare goes. Invite your child to make up a story from the pictures or complete their own version.

Tips for Parents

1. Discuss the rules before you start playing games.
2. To avoid injury during outdoor play, instruct and inspect the play area for safety.
3. Games with children 5-6 years old form behavior patterns, so choose useful options.
4. Use every opportunity for the development of the child: at home, on a walk, in developing circles.
5. Sincerely rejoice in the victories of the baby and do not focus on failures. Parental support is important for a child’s development.

Read also: what a child should know and be able to do at 5 and 6 years old.

Conclusion

Playing with a child at home is a great pastime for adults and children.