Creative activities for learning and fun at home
Outdoor & Active Activities...
Photo Scavenger Hunt
Make a list of items for your child to find and photograph at home, in the garden or on a hike. This could include easy objects, trickier finds and abstract ideas, such as - 'Something that makes you happy!' See our 'Top Ten Ideas to keep the kids busy' video
Building Camps/ Dens
Make a den/ club house/ secret base. This is a great creative activity for indoor or outdoor fun. Suggest materials such as large cardboard boxes, blankets & chairs. Ask who is allowed to come in the den? See our 'Top Ten Ideas to keep the kids busy' video.
Get Dancing
Make up a routine to your favourite song and then perform/ video it afterwards! We also like the console game 'Just Dance', the Go Noodle website, Kidz Bop Dance Tutorials on YouTube and for younger children, check out Boogie Beebies!
Treasure Hunt
Write and hide clues for your child to follow, where one clue leads to another. Try out the excellent game from Gotrovo or write the clues with magic pens/ invisible ink so they need to be revealed first! Children like to make their own treasure hunts too!
Obstacle Courses
Create your own obstacle course around the house or garden. Obstacles could involve dribbling a ball, climbing over things, moving under/ through/ around things, balancing or even scootering! See our 'Top Ten Ideas to keep the kids busy' video.
Hopscotch/ Chalk Fun
Draw a hopscotch. Roll a stone onto one of the squares. Hop through the squares, skipping the stone. Stop to pick it up as you hopscotch back. Watch our Hopscotch demo and find other ideas on our 'Chalk Games' video.
Rotation Stations
Like circuit training for kids! Ask them to come up with their own fitness exercises to do in rotation. Indicate when they should move to the next station. (You could ring a bell or stop music that you are playing for them.) See our 'Top Ten Ideas' video.
Circus Skills
Learn to juggle, spin a plate or use a diabolo. Visit our resource page to find all of the items you need. Start by juggling with two balls before moving to three. Juggling with scarves is often easier! Play circus music to get in the mood!
Hide and Seek Objects
Like an Easter egg hunt but not necessarily with eggs. Choose a toy, a selection of objects/ laminated characters/ letters that make a word. Hide the chosen item(s) & then find them. Use a bag/ basket to collect in. This is a great activity indoors or outdoors.
Messy & Craft Activities...
Make Slime
Making slime is easier than you think and you only need 2 key ingredients. See our 'Slime Making' video to learn how to make it!
Baking Fun
Write out an easy family recipe or print a recipe from the Internet. Let children help shop for ingredients & follow the step by step instructions.
Life-Size People
Use a large sheet of wrapping paper (e.g. leftover from birthdays/ Christmas). Lie on it and draw round outline. Paint & colour to make a life-size buddy!
TShirt Design
Make your own Tshirt design on paper. Scan the design. Print the design on transfer paper. (See our resources page.) Iron it on to a plain top!
Creative Homes
Look at our 'Making Fairy Houses' video slideshow and then create your own fairy house or design a home for a small animal/ other character!
Lego Art
Use a lego base plate and a range of lego pieces to create ‘lego art’. Can you create a face or write your name with lego?
Face Painting
Get creative with face paints. You can find loads of design ideas on Google images for inspiration. See our resources page for supplies!
Paper Aeroplanes
Make different paper aeroplanes, decorate them and test them to see which one flies furthest! Watch our Paper Aeroplanes video post to learn how.
Rock Art
Paint your own rocks with Acrylic pens or Acrylic paints. Varnish them outside afterwards and hide them for other people to find or give them as gifts.
Enriching & Learning Activities...
Pitch a Tent
Pitch a tent indoors or in the garden and have a home camping experience. Teach kids how to assemble it and then challenge them to put up the tent themselves!
Growing Crystals
Grow your own crystals using Epsom salts. Read our Growing Crystals post to learn how, or buy a crystal growing kit. Learn more about rocks and minerals.
Green Fingers
Learn about how plants grow by growing your own plants at home. Check out our 'Green Fingers' Ideas Video post to see how plants can be repotted or to find out how to grow cress.
Play or Sing a Song
Choose a song you love and challenge yourself to learn the lyrics. Or write your own lyrics (maybe to a tune you know already). Use an instrument/ App to learn how to play or create a piece of music!
Program IT
Check out our free Scratch Tutorials to learn about block programming. You can use Scratch to animate and create games. Try an hour of code activity online
Charity Event
Discuss ways you could help others. Plan to do an event or task that will raise money or awareness or provide help. Make posters, write emails, plan finances and prepare resources. Then, take action!
Star Gazing
Learn about constellations - Sketch the patterns with a white coloured pencil on black paper and use metallic star stickers or try another constellation craft. Keep a journal to record the ones you spot.
Draw and Doodle
Draw your surroundings, invent something or try and copy from a photograph. Learn to draw a sloth or a dragon or buy a how to draw book.
Construct Challenge
Use lego, magnetic tiles, art straws, cardboard boxes or a robotics kit and build. Follow instructions or get creative. Can you build a tower that can support a boiled egg using only paper and tape?