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55+ Easy Activities for 5 Year Olds

Mandisa Watts

  • Kindergartner

UPDATED: Banish boredom in your house with these 55+ super fun hands on and easy activities and crafts for 5 year olds or kindergartners.

Do you have a 5 year old or kindergartner at home? Then this is the ultimate list for you. Here are 55+ amazing activity ideas to do with your 5 year old or kindergartner. From building an aquarium to making 2 ingredient silly putty to making paper houses and cork boats, there are tons and tons of really cool ideas your 5 year old will love.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

This amazing list is organized into 4 sections:

  • Boredom Busting Activities
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Fun Learning Activities
  • Sensory Activities

OK Let the fun begin!

Boredom Busting Activities for 5 Year Olds

  • Make a chalk maze – create a maze for toy cars using sidewalk chalk

activities for 5 year old boy at home

2. Build a backyard obstacle course outside .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

3. Build a fort – used blankets, cushions and chairs to build the ultimate retreat nook. Dontas forget to add lots and lots of books!

4. Build a marble Run – use cardboard, construction paper, tape and marbles. Roll the construction paper up to make a tube and tape them to the cardboard to make a marble run.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

5. Make silly putty .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

6. Giant Dots and Boxes .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

7. Play with giant water beads .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

8. Nature Tea Party – Collect things from your backyard like rocks, leaves, dirt and flowers to make a nature tea using your favourite tea set or a jug and cups.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

9. Spr ay Bottle Water Fights .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

10. Magnetic Tile Ramps .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

11. DIY Post-It Dominoes .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Arts & Crafts for 5 Year Olds

12. Three Marker Colouring Challenge – Close your eyes and choose three markers from a pile. Use those colours and only those three colours to colour a favourite coloring page.

13. Make crazy hats – Construction paper, tape and scissors. Create the craziest looking hats you can using cut out lighten bolts, spirals, and different shapes.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

14. Make a paper house .

15. Build Easter Egg Boats

activities for 5 year old boy at home

16. Draw to music .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

17. Giant Nail Painting Activity .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

18. Make a garden sensory bottle.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

19. Paint Kindness Rocks – paint rocks using washable paints and brushes and once dry write kind messages on them.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

20. Textured Rainbow Sun Catcher Craft

activities for 5 year old boy at home

21. Family Portrait Sticky Wall .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

22. Make An Aquarium .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

23. Cardboard Picture Frame Craft

activities for 5 year old boy at home

24. Giant Baby Doll Colouring – Not into baby dolls? Trace cars and trucks to decorate them!

activities for 5 year old boy at home

25. Textured Heart Sun Catcher Craft

activities for 5 year old boy at home

26. Potato Masher Ice Cream Craft

activities for 5 year old boy at home

27. Gems and Water Colour Flower Craft

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Fun Learning Activities for 5 Year Olds

28. Baby Doll Haircuts .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

29. Colour by Addition – Parents write simple addition or subtraction problems in each section of a colouring paper. Then create a key idenifitin which colour each answer should be. For instance if the answer is 3 then colour that second red.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

30. Shaving Cream Sight Word Game .

activities for 5 year old boy at home

31. Build The Alphabet Sticky Wall

activities for 5 year old boy at home

32. Spray Bottle Letters – use a spray bottle to make letters on a fence or on a sidewalk.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

33. Ice Cream Skip Counting Sticky Wall – Supplies: contact paper, masking tape, foam sheets, scissors and black sharpie.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

34. Build A Magnetic Tile Clock – use magnetic tiles to make a giant clock. Use post it notes for the numbers or washable chalk markers.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

35. Rubber Duck Math Race

activities for 5 year old boy at home

36. DIY Egg Carton Ten-Frame Game

activities for 5 year old boy at home

37. Magnetic Tile Ten Frame Game

activities for 5 year old boy at home

38. Ocean Sight Word Sensory Bin

activities for 5 year old boy at home

39. Ten Frame Sensory Bag

activities for 5 year old boy at home

40. Dot Sticker Sight Words

activities for 5 year old boy at home

41. One More One Less with Dot Stickers

activities for 5 year old boy at home

42. Post-it Memory Game

activities for 5 year old boy at home

43. Mystery Math: A Crayon Resist Activity

activities for 5 year old boy at home

44. Toilet Paper Roll Skip Counting

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Sensory Activities for 5 Year olds

45. Cork Boat Sensory Bin – make boats out of corks, elastic bands, toothpicks and foam sheets for the sails. Fill a sensory bin with water and blue food colouring, fish, sharks and sea shells.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

46. Ocean Sensory Bottles

activities for 5 year old boy at home

47. Wash the Horses Sensory Bin – fill a sensory bin with water and bubble bath to make bubbles. Add horse toys, combs and wash clothes.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

48. Cloud Dough Kitchen

Cloud dough kitchen sensory bin for toddlers and preschoolers

49. Textured Playdough Activity

Textured autumn play dough invitation for kids

50. One- Step Slime Sensory Bin

one step slime bug sensory bin

51. Under The Sea Bath

activities for 5 year old boy at home

52. Make Shaving Cream Worms – use shaving cream, colander and a large bowl to make shaving cream worms. Turn large bowl upside down, cover the top with shaving cream, press colander down on the shaving cream to let it squeeze through the holes of the colander.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

53. Shaving Cream and Baby Doll Sensory Bin

activities for 5 year old boy at home

54. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Sensory Bin

activities for 5 year old boy at home

55. PAW Patrol Play Dough Tray

activities for 5 year old boy at home

56. Colour Mixing Tea Party

activities for 5 year old boy at home

WILL YOU DO ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES WITH YOUR 5 YEAR OLD? PIN IT FOR LATER!

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Filed Under:

  • Fine Motor Skills
  • Five Year Olds
  • Gross Motor Skills
  • Sensory Bins, Bottles and Bags

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2 comments on “55+ Easy Activities for 5 Year Olds”

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Hii all activities are mind blowing. Can u please tell some activities for 3 years old boy baby

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Thank you! Yes I have a great post for 3 year olds. Search: 50+ THINGS TO DO AT HOME WITH YOUR 3 YEAR OLD

FirstCry Parenting

  • Vishal's account
  • Play & Activities

Top 36 Activities for 5 Year Old Children

Top 36 Activities for 5 Year Old Children

Importance of Activities for 5-Year-Olds

Educational and learning activities, art and craft activities, fine and gross motor activities, montessori activities, sensory activities, indoor activities, outdoor activities.

Engaging young children in activities is vital for their holistic growth and development. The combination of physical movement and creative endeavors provides the necessary stimuli for both the body and mind. Physical activities contribute to overall health and enhance brain development, while creative pursuits foster imagination, instill a sense of well-being, boost self-confidence, and nurture independence. These experiences play a pivotal role in shaping a child’s cognitive, emotional, and social capacities, laying a solid foundation for their future endeavors. In this article, we shall look at fun activities for 5-year-olds.

Engaging in activities is crucial for 5-year-olds as it promotes holistic development. Physical activities enhance health and cognitive functions, while creative pursuits boost imagination, self-confidence, and a sense of well-being. Activities also foster social skills , and emotional regulation, and lay the foundation for future learning, ensuring a well-rounded and thriving child.

Here are some educational and learning activities for 5-year-olds:

1. Word Board

This is one of the simple activities for 5-year-olds at home that can be done with the easily available material.

How to Play

Use a bulletin board and write down words on strips of paper. The words should be those that your child comes across in everyday life during playtime, mealtimes or in school. Put a picture next to the word to indicate what it means. For example, truck, car, bus, toy, daddy, mummy, rain, sun, etc.

What Does It Teach?

It improves their reading ability.

Word Board

2. Skip Counting

This activity is one of the simple math activities for 4-5-year-olds.

How to Play?

Draw or stick pictures of objects like apples, cars or butterflies on cards to help your child count in twos, threes, etc. For example, to do skip counting by twos, stick two apples on the first card, four apples on the second, six apples on the third, and so on.

What Does it Teach?

It improves their math skills.

3. Dice Game

This game for five-year-olds is a math activity that can be played with easily available items in the house.

You need an ice-cube tray, a couple of game dice, whiteboard markers, and kitchen tissue. Put one of the dice into one ice-cube hole and the other into the adjacent hole. Use the marker to make plus, minus, and equal-to signs between the holes where the dice are placed. Help your child add or subtract the number indicated on the dice to arrive at the answer.

Improved basic arithmetic skills

Dice Game

4. Butterfly life-cycle activity

This activity can be done using craft paper or different-shaped pasta.

Draw the stages of a butterfly’s life cycle on a chart paper. Use craft paper or pasta shapes to make the shapes of the egg, caterpillar, cocoon and butterfly.

Teaches kids about the life cycle of a butterfly.

5. Junior Scrabble

It is structurally similar to regular Scrabble but designed for young kids.

The words are already printed on the board. All your five years old has to do is match the tiled letters onto the letters on the board.

Improved vocabulary

Junior Scrabble

Here are some examples of art and crafts for 5-year-olds:

Origami or paper-folding is an activity that children will enjoy immensely.

How to Make

You can use coloured origami paper , craft paper or plain old white sheets coloured with crayons for this. Teach your child how to fold paper to make interesting shapes like aeroplanes, rockets, boats, birds, etc.

Improves spatial reasoning

2 . Craft Box

This is one of the fun 5-year-old activities that helps them explore their creativity.

Fill up a craft box with supplies like pipe cleaners, craft eyes, colourful yarn, safety scissors, coloured mini-puff balls, ice-cream sticks, felt squares, and tape. Let your child get creative with these. For example, your child can draw a garden scene or playground scene on paper and make it come alive by sticking green felt for grass, puff-balls for flowers and trees, etc.

Improve the imagination and creativity of the child.

Craft Box

3. Squeeze Paint

Kids love this activity as it is a lot of fun and they can let their imagination run wild.

How to Make?

Put plain white glue in several empty, squeezable plastic containers and add various watercolours to make bottles of different coloured glue. Now let your child squeeze out various coloured patterns onto white chart paper and let it dry. This will make a colourful display piece once the glue has dried.

It teaches them about colours and art.

4. Art with Seeds and Grains

This activity is fun to do for kids and can keep them engaged for hours.

Draw the shape of a flower or an animal like a dinosaur, duck or dog on a sheet of paper. Spread glue inside the shape and ask your child to fill it with seeds and grains to make the picture beautiful. You can use bird seeds, toor dal, masoor dal, moong dal, chana dal etc. to fill the picture.

Kids develop better hand-eye coordination when they pick up little seeds and glue them onto paper.

Art with Seeds and Grains

5. Parts of a Plant Craft

This is a simple craft idea that is also a learning activity.

Use markers, ice-cream sticks and coloured paper to make a picture of a plant on chart paper. Once this is done, label all the parts such as flower, petal, stem, leaf, root, etc. and teach your child the part of a plant.

This teaches the kids about the different parts of a plant.

Here are some activities that boost the development of your child’s fine and gross motor skills:

1. Lego City

This activity makes kids use their hands, wrists, and fingers, thus helping them develop their fine motor skills.

Use legos, regular building blocks, toy cars, trucks, aeroplanes, and small animal and human-shaped toys to build a city. You can let the children use the entire room, including the bed and study table . They can make a parking garage to park trucks and cars, use railway lines and trains to build a railway crossing. They can also put little shapes of animals and humans in various places in their toy city.

What Does it Teach

This activity makes kids use all the muscles of their body, thus helping them gross and fine motor skills.

Lego City

2. Barbie Dress-up

This is another activity that helps children develop their fine and gross motor skills.

Kids love to play with dolls. Create a theme such as a house party or day on the beach and help them dress up their dolls with dresses and accessories to suit the theme. Let them make up stories about each activity that the dolls are engaged in. They can also comb or braid the dolls’ hair and style it with tiny clips that come as doll accessories.

The kids develop their fine motor skills when they work with tiny doll accessories to dress up the dolls.

3. Sorting Coloured Candy

This activity is excellent for helping kids develop their fine motor skills.

Give your kids a bowl full of coloured candy like jelly beans or gems. Ask them to sort them colour-wise and arrange them in different cups.

This teaches kids about colours.

It also helps them develop their fine motor skills as they use their fingers and hands to sort the little candies.

Sorting Coloured Candy

4. Art Using Leaves and Petals

This is a fun activity that helps children develop both gross and fine motor skills.

First, ask your child to go out to the garden and collect different leaves, petals and tiny sticks. Next, use chart paper to draw an outline of scenery, flowers or a tree. Now spread glue over the outline and stick real petals, tiny branches and leaves to form a beautiful picture.

This helps kids develop both fine and gross motor skills.

It also teaches them about nature and plants.

5. Bubble Art Using Straws

This is an activity that 5-year-olds find immensely enjoyable as they love blowing bubbles!

Fill several cups with mild soap solution and add drops of different food colour to it to make colourful liquid soap. Let your child blow bubbles into the cup with a straw. Make sure the child does not sip or swallow the soap solution. When the bubbles rise to the surface of the cup, place a white card over them. As the bubbles burst, they leave a colourful imprint on the card, making beautiful patterns.

This helps kids use the muscles of their hands, fingers and lips, thus helping them develop fine motor skills.

Bubble Art Using Straws

Here are some Montessori activities for young children:

1. Things that Go

Young children love vehicles. This activity will keep them constructively engaged for hours.

Get them vehicles of various types, like cars, trains, trucks, diggers, buses, auto rickshaws, etc. Let them play with the toys.

This teaches kids about various means of transport and the types and uses of different vehicles.

2. Animal Habitats

Animal habitats are fun to make and can keep your child engrossed for a long time.

Collect plastic animal toys like bears, apes, lions, giraffes, polar bears etc. Help your child use cotton and thermocol balls to make an Arctic habitat covered with snow and icebergs. You can put toys such as polar bears and arctic foxes in the habitat and teach your kids about how these animals live in such places. Similarly, you can make an African or Amazonian jungle.

This teaches kids about animals and their habitats.

Animal Habitats

3. Study of Colours

This activity is fun for young children as they love learning about colours.

Cover one or two colours at a time. If you are studying red, collect various things that are red, like a picture of a ladybug, a strawberry, etc. teach your child about that colour.

This teaches kids about colours in nature.

Here are ten sensory activities specifically designed for 5-year-olds, offering a blend of fun and educational benefits.

1. Playdough Sculptures

Provide different colors of playdough and various tools like cookie cutters, rolling pins, and plastic knives. Let the child mold, shape, and create their own playdough sculptures.

Playdough activities enhance fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Additionally, they encourage creativity and imagination as children transform simple materials into unique creations.

2. Scented Sensory Jars

Fill clear jars with different scented items, such as cinnamon sticks, lavender, or citrus peels. Seal the jars and let the child explore the various scents by shaking and smelling them.

Scented sensory jars engage the olfactory senses, promoting sensory awareness. This activity also introduces vocabulary related to different scents, enhancing language development.

3. Nature Scavenger Hunt

Take the child on a nature scavenger hunt, providing a checklist with items like leaves, rocks, and flowers. Encourage them to touch, smell, and observe each item on the list.

This activity promotes outdoor exploration and observation skills. It also connects children with nature, fostering an appreciation for the environment.

4. Texture Collage

Collect various textured materials like sandpaper, fabric, foil, and bubble wrap. Provide glue and a large sheet of paper for the child to create a texture collage by sticking different materials onto the paper.

Texture collage activities enhance tactile discrimination, helping children distinguish between different textures. It also encourages artistic expression and creativity.

5. Bubble Wrap Stomp

Secure a sheet of bubble wrap on a flat surface and apply paint on top. Let the child stomp on the bubble wrap, creating a unique and colorful piece of artwork.

Bubble wrap stomping combines gross motor skills with sensory input. It provides a sensory-rich experience while promoting physical activity and creative expression.

6. Mystery Bag Feel Test

Place different objects with varying textures inside a cloth bag. Blindfold the child and have them reach into the bag to feel and guess the objects based on touch alone.

The mystery bag feel test hones tactile discrimination skills, encouraging children to rely on their sense of touch. It also promotes concentration and focus.

7. Musical Sensory Shakers

Fill small containers with various materials like rice, beans, or beads, and seal them tightly. Attach the containers to a stick or ribbon to create sensory shakers. Play music and encourage the child to shake the shakers in rhythm.

Musical sensory shakers engage both auditory and tactile senses. This activity enhances rhythm perception and coordination, providing a multisensory experience through music and movement.

8. Taste Testing Adventure

Introduce a variety of foods with different tastes, textures, and temperatures. Let the children taste, describe, and compare the sensations of sweet, sour, salty, and savory flavors.

Taste testing activities foster sensory exploration through the sense of taste. It encourages descriptive language, expands taste preferences, and promotes awareness of different flavors.

9. Balloon Painting

Fill balloons with different textures, such as rice, flour, or sand. Dip the balloons in paint and let the children create textured paintings by pressing and rolling the balloons on paper.

Balloon painting combines tactile exploration with artistic expression. It enhances fine motor skills and provides a unique sensory experience through the feel of the textured balloons.

10. Mirror Reflection Play

Place a large mirror on a table and provide various objects with reflective surfaces. Children can explore reflections, experiment with angles, and create patterns using the reflective surface.

Mirror reflection play enhances visual-spatial awareness and introduces concepts of symmetry. It encourages exploration of light and reflection in a hands-on and engaging manner.

Here are some indoor activities for 5-year-olds that can be performed in the comfort of your home:

1. Story Time

This is one of the best quiet-time activities for 5-year-olds.

Use different voices, impressions and facial expressions to make the story more fun and animated.

This activity helps you bond better with your child and teaches a love of reading.

2. Watching Favourite Shows

This is one of the perfect rainy-day activities for 5-year-olds.

Pick a favourite animated movie such as Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc. and watch it with your child.

The sad and happy moments in the movie will teach kids about emotions and how to handle them.

Watching Favourite Shows

3. Building Blocks

This is an indoor activity that can keep your child usefully occupied for hours.

Give your child legos or building blocks and ask her to make different constructs with them.

This can teach kids about the stability and balance of a construct and help them develop better hand-eye coordination.

Here are some outdoor activities for 5-year-olds:

1. Sand Pit

Children love playing in the sand, so this will be an enjoyable activity for your child.

Get your child a sand castle building set and let her play in a sand pit with other children, building sand castles and shapes.

It teaches kids about the feel and texture of dry and wet sand and also about how to share things and play well with others.

Sand Pit

2. Running through Sprinklers

This is a really fun thing to do for kids.

Turn on the garden sprinklers and let your child run through them, getting wet.

It teaches kids about water and balance. It also is immensely amusing for the children.

3. Bug Hunting

This is an interesting outdoor activity for young kids.

Go bug-hunting with your kid in the garden. Find different insects and explain them to your child.

It teaches children about nature and insects.

Bug Hunting

4. Gardening

This is an enjoyable activity and also is educational.

Get your child to help you with weeding the garden or planting a sapling.

It teaches kids about plants, soil and how plants grow.

5. Play Park

This is the best outdoor activity for kids.

Take your kids out to a play park and let them play with other children.

It teaches kids about how to behave with peers in a social setting and teaches them to get along with other kids of similar age.

Play Park

With these 36 activities, you’re bound to keep your kid occupied while at the same time taking care of their development.

1. How Shall I Encourage My 5-Year-Old to Play Independently?

Encouraging independent play in a 5-year-old involves creating a conducive environment and fostering self-reliance. Provide a variety of age-appropriate toys and activities that capture their interest. Set up designated play spaces, establish routines, and gradually increase playtime independence. Offer choices, praise their efforts, and allow them to explore their interests at their own pace, promoting confidence and creativity.

2. How to Improve the Behaviour of a 5-Year-Old?

Improving the behavior of a 5-year-old involves a combination of positive reinforcement, clear expectations, and effective communication. Establish consistent routines and boundaries, providing clear explanations for rules. Use positive reinforcement such as praise and rewards for good behavior. Address unwanted behavior with calm and consistent consequences, focusing on teaching alternatives. Foster open communication, actively listen to their feelings, and model appropriate behavior for them to emulate.

It is important to give your child different games for five-year-olds to play every now and then because each one has the ability to develop 8 different kinds of ‘smarts’ in your child. To help nurture these ‘smarts’, get your hands on FirstCry Intellikit – a fun activity box that encourages learning through play. To know more or subscribe to the Intellikit, click here.

Also Read: 

Behaviour Problems in 5 Year Old Development Milestone for 5 Year Old Ideas for Birthday Party of Five Year Old

activities for 5 year old boy at home

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51 Best Activities for 5 Year Olds for Holistic Development

A woman helping a child paint on sheets of paper

1. Math Worksheets

2. count by skipping 1, 2, 3s, 3. solving a paper maze, 4. writing imaginary letters, 5. let’s make a story, 6. puzzle-based treasure hunt, 7. journalling the day & feelings, 8. time for a fashion show, 9. finding the pairing word, 10. home instruments.

Learning-based initiatives offer the most value when it comes to the most impactful activities for kids. Kids can joyfully participate in learning activities for hours while absorbing knowledge practically through experiments, hands-on playtime, and active problem-solving. Let’s explore some of the best learning activities for 5-year-olds that spark creative thinking and curiosity.

The Best Indoor Activities for 5-Year-Olds You Can Play Now

Child playing with letters and alphabets on a table

Things you’ll need: Templates

You can print out math worksheets from SplashLearn for your 5-year-old and have them solve word problems , addition and number sense questions, and more.

Skills learned: Core math concepts, 

Things you’ll need: Worksheets and a pencil or pen

Having your child count out loud by skipping every second, third, or fourth number can be a fun learning activity. To make the activity more challenging, you could make your child skip by higher numbers.

Skills learned: Mental calculation

Things you’ll need: Stationery

This learning activity for 5-year-olds can be set up by drawing a giant maze on paper. They can pretend to be a hero trying to save a trapped prince at the end of the maze.

Skills learned: Memory, problem-solving

Kids can write imaginary letters to Harry Potter, Santa Claus, and other figures, asking specific questions on unique topics.

Skills learned: Comprehension, creativity

Things you’ll need: Toys, books, props

Kids can develop rich stories using toys, torches, shadow play, blankets, and other cool props.

Skills learned: Creative thinking

You can make a treasure hunt activity for kids by testing their ability to think on the spot and find the next clue.

Skills learned: Problem-solving

Things you’ll need: A notebook or diary and a pen or pencil

One of the most wholesome indoor activities for 5-year-olds is journaling, as it allows for quiet time, self-reflection, and intuitive thinking.

Skills learned: Introspection

Things you’ll need: Dresses, blankets

Children can drape pillowcases, blankets, and sheets around them to create gowns and various outfits. They can then put on a fashion show for the grown-ups.

Skills learned: Creative application, confidence

Things you’ll need: Cutouts, word list

You can cut out pairs of words, such as painting, coloring, school-bus, etc., and have your kids match the pairs.

Skills learned: English comprehension

Things you’ll need: Household objects

Pots, pans, boxes, and jars can be turned into musical instruments to strengthen creative thinking and self-expression.

Skills learned: Musical ability

Improve Problem-Solving & Motor Skills With Outdoor Activities

A young girl tending to a plant in a flowerpot

11. Follow The Story Map

Things you’ll need: Map template, puzzles,

Kids can find pieces of a map and follow the story to find clues about their next pieces. Once the map is complete, they can discover a valuable prize.

12. Making An Ocean In A Pool

Things you’ll need: Inflatable pool, toys

You can have your kids make a mini ocean ecosystem in an inflatable pool. They can add whales, sharks, fish, underwater plants, etc., to make it unique and interesting.

Skills learned: Biology

13. How Big Is Your Cardboard Fort?

Things you’ll need: Cardboard boxes, tape, and stationery

Engineering-based educational activities for 5-year-olds can be immersive for young ones who love building things. You can provide a template, use old boxes for fort making, and have them personalize the decor and exterior.

Skills learned: Basic engineering

14. Sandbox Castles

Things you’ll need: Sand buckets, shovels

Kids can make sandcastles of varying sizes through active problem-solving by interacting with the sand material.

Skills learned: Shape manipulation

15. Watch Me Grow!

Things you’ll need: Mud, pot, seed

You can teach the basics of germination by planting seeds in cotton and placing them in a pot of mud. These fun biology-based activities for 5-year-olds can be fulfilling in multifaceted ways.

16. Planting A Tomato Garden

Things you’ll need: Pot, mud, tomato seeds, shade

A tomato garden is one of the most perfect outdoor activities for 5-year-olds who enjoy being in nature. It not only means spending time outdoors and working with their own hands but has the added bonus of watching the plant grow and bear fruit! They can get something substantial to hold or even eat to reward their efforts.

Skills learned: Biology, gardening, and taking care of a plant

17. Obstacle Jumps

Things you’ll need: Boxes, pillows, ropes

Your kids can strengthen their vision and body control skills by jumping over obstacles. This is one of the best activities for 5-year-olds to do at home and is super easy for you to set up.

Skills learned: Coordination, Agility

Art & Craft Activities for Kids To Bring Out Their Creativity

Children using construction paper to create a rocket ship

18. What Does Your Zoo Look Like?

Things you’ll need: Stationery, animal toys

Kids can fully explore different ideas on how they would design a zoo from scratch. They can draw fences, place toy animals, and make hot dog stands to create a fun-filled experience.

Skills learned: Creative thinking, problem-solving

19. Making Expressions

Things you’ll need: Template, Stationery

To strengthen the development of social skills, you can have kids fill out a blank face with the appropriate expressions for sad, angry, happy, curious, etc.

Skills learned: Self-expression

20. It’s Time For Dessert!

Things you’ll need: M&M’s, ice cream, wafers, sprinkles

Kids can make theme-based desserts like winter, Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Summer. A cooking and baking-themed activity for 5-year-olds is a great weekend project for curious kids.

Skills learned: Cooking, baking

21. Making A DIY Coin Box

Things you’ll need: Box, stationery, crayons

Kids can make a coin box out of cardboard and seal it with tape and glue. They can keep adding coins to it and intuitively grasp the concept of saving.

Skills learned: Creativity, money saving

22. How Cool Is Your Dress?

Your 5 year old can design whacky, creative, and cool dresses for themselves with chart paper, frills, sequins, glitter, and other creative tools.  

23. Writing A Permanent Message

This learning activity for 5-year-olds involves decorating garden rocks with colors and shapes and writing a positive message that stands as a loving reminder.

Skills learned: Optimism

24. Let’s Make A Clock

Things you’ll need: Paper plate, pins, and stationery

You can have your kids make a clock face and hands and have them tell the time by turning the hands around a fixed central pin.

Skills learned: Concept interpretation

25. It’s Time for Origami!

Things you’ll need: Instruction sheet, paper

You can create birds, animals, houses, and other interesting objects in origami which uses only paper folding. It is a great activity to teach precision and alignment while inspiring creativity.

Skills learned: Creativity

26. Making A Month-Based Card

Your little ones can make greeting cards celebrating what’s special about the month they’re in. For example, October can focus on Halloween, changing weather, etc.

Skills learned: Comprehension, creative thinking

27. Making A DIY Guitar

Things you’ll need: Shoebox, rubber bands, scissors

You can cut a hole in the middle of a shoebox and strap rubber bands around its length. You can pluck the bands near the hole and create unique sounds.

Skills learned: Musical skills

Developmental Activities for 5-Year-Olds: Let’s Explore the World!

Three children looking at leaves under a microscope

28. Playing Development Games

Things you’ll need: Smart device

Kids can play educational games to learn English and math skills while traveling with interesting characters.

Skills Learned: Active learning, English, math

29. Will It Float?

Things you’ll need: Bucket, various objects to test

A bucket and some cork, plastic, balloons, and other objects can teach your children about floating and sinking.

Skills learned: Buoyancy of certain objects

30. The Role Of Oxidation

Things you’ll need: A few apples, a fork or knife, and a magnifying glass

You can place apple slices cut at different intervals to test for brownness and oxidation.

Skills learned: Chemistry

31. Sorting Objects

Things you’ll need: Distinct objects

Sorting activities and organizing games or tasks are fun for 5-year-olds and can be done with different types of shapes and different themes of objects.

Skills learned: Pattern detection

32. Science Experiments

Things you’ll need: Depends on the chosen experiment

Interesting science experiments for kids , such as balloon cars, flying tea bags, and glitter repellants, can be a great learning activity for 5-year-olds.

Skills learned: Chemistry/Physics

33. Jigsaw Puzzles

Things you’ll need: Age-based puzzle games for kids

Jigsaw puzzles can be essential for cognition, pattern detection, and problem-solving.  

Skills learned: Spatial understanding

34. Memory Tray Activities

Things you’ll need: A tray with objects placed on it

You can present a tray of toys and objects and have your 5-year-old remember and recall these items after 10 seconds of viewing.

Skills learned: Memory recall

Related Readings: How to Nurture Growth Mindset for Kids: A Complete Guide

Sensory Activities for Improving Coordination and Pattern Recognition

Three children in art class

35. Finger Painting

Things you’ll need: Paint, paper sheets, and soap

Finger painting on new textures, such as cardboard boxes, paper, leaves, etc., will create unique experiences for 5-year-olds.

Skills learned: Color and shape recognition

A child finger painting a cardboard box

Alt text: A child finger painting a cardboard box

Image source  

36. Art With Seeds

Things you’ll need: Template, seeds, grains

This sensory-based activity involves handling seeds and grains of different colors and textures to create works of art.

Skills learned: Color analysis, sensing

37. Playdough Animal Molding

Things you’ll need: Playdough, template cutter

Kids can make animals, birds, structures, and other interesting things with playdough. You can have them structure their designs with templates, cutters, and prompts.

Skills learned: Object manipulation, sensing

Two boys playing with playdough

38. What’s That Sensation?

Things you’ll need: Objects that are at various temperatures or sport different textures 

You can have your 5-year-old describe different sensations by touching objects that are warm, cold, slimy, gooey, stringy, etc.

Skills learned: Touch-based differentiation, recall

39. Auditory Sensory Tubes

Things you’ll need: Paper towel roll, different objects

Using a cardboard roll of a paper towel, you can pass rice, grains, small toys, and other objects through to teach kids about the different sounds they make. These sensory activities for 5-year-olds can help them better understand the world of sounds.

Skills learned: Auditory differentiation

40. Tasting Flavors And Textures

Things you’ll need: Different flavored foods

You can fill a plate with foods of various sweet and savory categories. For example, candy would work for a sweet taste, lemons for sour, kale or arugula for bitter, fries for salty, broth or a cooked mushroom for savory, etc.

Skills learned: Taste differentiation, recall

41. The Sounds Of Water Levels

Things you’ll need: Glass, water, spoon

You can fill up four glasses of water at varying levels and strike a spoon gently to produce sounds. Kids can instinctively learn how the water levels impact the pitch of the sound produced.

Skills learned: Pitch differences

Related Reading: Painting Ideas Kids Can Have Fun With & Easily Pull Off

Fine Motor Activities for 5-Year-Olds for Hands-on Fun

A boy building a tower with blocks

42. LEGO-Based City Landscapes

Things you’ll need: LEGO blocks

City planning is one of many fun activities for kids , which is also immensely rewarding. Kids can create a city or neighborhood, highlighting specific monuments with blocks.

Skills learned: Engineering, Architecture 

43. What’s In The Box?

Things you’ll need: Shoebox, Toys

You can place objects of different textures inside an empty box and have your 5-year-old guess what’s inside.

Skills Learned: Memory, object identification 

44. Pasta Necklaces

Things you’ll need: Pasta, thread, colors

Coloring individual pieces of pasta and threading them to form a necklace can be one of the simplest fine motor learning activities for 5-year-olds .

Skills Learned: Hand-Eye coordination

45. Searching In A Toy Chest

Things you’ll need: Toy chest, diverse toys

Kids can hunt for a specific toy using their vision, sensory touch, and sound experiences to find the right one.

Skills Learned: Multisensory Learning

46. Let’s Thread Some Beads Together!

Things you’ll need: Thread, beads

By threading beads, kids can improve their hand–eye coordination and focus skills. This is also a great activity for budding artists and creative thinkers.

Skills learned: Focus development

47. Shape Replicating

Things you’ll need: Blocks, templates

A great activity to enhance your child’s fine motor skills is to have them replicate different items, such as trees, school buses, and buildings, through basic blocks and elementary shapes.

Skills learned: Object parameter detection

48. Different-Sized Words

You can ask your kids to write common words in larger sizes to strengthen their ability to comprehend scaling.

Skills learned: Scale Comprehension

49. Time For Paper Snowflakes!

Things you’ll need: Paper, safety scissors, and maybe some glitter to make it fun

You can make paper snowflakes by folding around the edges and cutting out various shapes. These crafts activities for kids can help teach certain fine motor skills, as kids would need to hold scissors carefully and make precise cuts.

Skills learned: Attention to detail, coloring & shading, and other arts & crafts skills

Paper Snowflakes #02 – Easy Paper Snowflakes – How to make Snowflakes out of paper

Video source  

50. Tripod Finger Exercises

Things you’ll need: Pencil

You can have your kids practice pencil holding, chopstick holding, and forming letters with fingers to improve their finger agility.

Skills learned: Dexterity

51. Paper Folding

Things you’ll need: Paper

Kids who are weaker in hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills can fold a sheet of paper into smaller and smaller sizes to strengthen their finger strength.

Skills learned: Finger strength, hand-eye, Co-ordination

What Are Some of the Questions to Ask Before Choosing Learning Activities?

Two girls cutting up paper into fun different shapes

Here are some of the main questions you can ask yourself before introducing a new activity to kids.

1. What area of learning is this activity going to impact?

2. What types of tools and props will I need to facilitate the activity?

3. What prompts should I provide to help my child through the activity?

4. Should I collaborate with my child or let them independently figure out the solution?

5. What senses am I strengthening when participating in specific activities?

When you pin down the answers to these questions across all activities, you can make them more impactful and learning-oriented when introducing them. You can also ask your kids about the activities they enjoy most and build upon those foundations.

Why Are Learning Activities Important for 5-Year-Olds?

Overhead view of two girls creating a collage

There are multiple ways to approach learning activities for 5-year-olds , especially if we want to help strengthen the areas with which a child struggles. By making the activity collaborative in nature, we can improve their sense of creative thinking without fear of making errors or embarrassment.

The importance of learning activities is also highlighted when we see their eyes light up as they solve problems of varying skill levels. Kids are naturally curious about the world and want to explore all aspects of their surroundings through cognitive and motor skills. Kids can remain active and engaged throughout the day by introducing the right learning activities. 

Let’s Conclude

A red paper boat with two blue and two green paper boats

Now that we’ve explored all areas of learning activities for kids, we can start introducing these activities over time. By starting with areas of keen interest, you can shape how kids play and participate in different activities. Adding new props, experiments, technologies, and activities will make them enjoy active learning.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you make learning fun for kids.

You can make learning more fun for kids by integrating multiple sensory activities, different stimuli, and different forms of teaching to keep kids engaged.

How do I keep my 5 year old busy at home?

Learning activities, educational gaming platforms, storytelling, watching a play, or even helping them put on a play can be enriching experiences for 5-year-olds at home.

What types of learning activities can be played with multiple kids?

Indoor and crafts-based activities can be played with multiple kids for endless learning.

What are the benefits of sensory play for 5 year olds?

Sensory play develops motor skills such as lifting, grabbing, dumping, and object manipulation.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

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Indoor Activities for 5-10 Year Olds (with Cheat Sheet!)

What are some good indoor activities for 5-10 year olds when they are stuck inside, you ask? Unlike toddlers and preschoolers, 5-10 year olds will be able to keep themselves busy with their own interests, but let's not pretend we don't hear the old, "I'm bored," excuse almost everyday.

Side-note: Incidentally, if you have kids ages 2-4, you will want to sneak a peek at this list of 10 no-prep ideas to keep preschoolers busy .

indoor activities for 5-10 year olds when they are bored

Let kids be bored, I say. And yet... it can be useful to have a go-to list of ideas that your 5-10 year old kids can choose from. Ideas that you, as the parent or caregiver, don't necessarily have to participate in? Am I right?

Take this list of indoor activity ideas for 5-10 year olds and show it to your kids. Let them pick something ( or assign them something, whatever works for your family ) and watch their creativity soar.

To make things easier, I have a printable list at the bottom of this post so you can print it out and have it handy at a moment's notice.

Note: this post contains affiliate links.

22 Indoor Activities for 5-10 Year Olds

Below you will find several categories of indoor activities for 5-10 year olds divided into two main sections: active and quiet time activities. Is it a snow day? This list of snow day activities will also come in handy.

Active indoor ideas for kids

Active Activities

Active ideas burn energy indoors! Prevent cabin fever with these exhilarating ideas.

Indoor bowling:

Set up any number of "pins" using empty cardboard rolls or empty plastic bottles ( mix and match, if necessary ). Set up a "lane" in an area with a long, clear space and use balled up socks as the bowling "ball."

Cup and ball toss:

Make an old-fashioned cup and ball game! Securely tape a ping pong ball to one end of a 2 foot string. Poke a hole in the bottom of a paper cup. Thread the other end of the string through the hole in the cup and tie in a secure knot. You'll want the knot on the outside of the cup base, so that the string leading to the ball tracks through the inside of the cup.

Now, use those coordination skills to try and swing the ping pong ball into the cup!

Modified Skee-ball :

Set up a series of paper or plastic cups ( you can also use regular glasses or cups if you are not worried about them getting broken ) in any arrangement you want, so long as they are relatively close to one another. Kids will toss a ping pong ball or balled up sock into the cups.

Your kids will naturally want to make up their own rules. How many points is each cup worth? How far back do they have to stand? You, the parent or caregiver, don't need to hover and bark out instructions! ( Thank goodness! )

Gross Motor Ideas

Floor Skating:

Put on slippery socks and skate across wood floors.

Balloon Tennis:

Fashion paddles by taping a ruler to a paper plate. Blow up one or more balloons and see how long you can keep the balloon(s) in the air.

Indoor Hopscotch:

Using painter's tape ( test on a section of your floor, if you are concerned ) to create a hopscotch field. Use a rolled up sock to toss into the squares.

Build a Fort:

Using blankets, pillows, chairs, etc. kids will use their imaginations to build a cozy getaway.

Play "The Floor Is Lava":

How long can you keep moving and still avoid touching the floor?

Obstacle Course:

Design and build an obstacle course, then go through it!

Paper Airplanes:

Working on paper airplanes is an excellent way to mix fine motor and gross motor skills. Kids love experimenting with paper airplanes. If you don't have a paper airplane book, I highly recommend this one , but YouTube can also come to the rescue if you don't mind your kids watching to learn.

To make the airplanes more fun, kids can set up various landing strips and experiment with distance, accuracy and speed.

Quiet Time Activities

Every parent needs lots of quiet time activity ideas for their children. While kids are great at coming up with their own rowdy, noisy games, they don't always excel at settling down into a quiet routine. The following solitaire games, art ideas and literacy activities will help!

Quiet time activities

Solitaire Games

Solitaire games, puzzles and brain busters are a godsend for harried parents and kids who are worn out from physical activities. If you have kids of different ages, these are make excellent ideas while younger siblings nap.

Traditional Card Solitaire:

Everyone loves this game. Find instructions here .

Clock Solitaire:

This is a fun card solitaire variation. Find out how to play clock solitaire here.

Solitaire puzzles:

Print out our solitaire puzzle game boards , collect some tokens like coins, beans or buttons and try to solve the tricky puzzles. There are two versions; this video demonstrates on of them.

What better tools can kids use to keep busy than a piece of paper and a pack of crayons? These art ideas are not too complicated and won't make a mess to clean up later.

After your kids learn the relaxing art of zentangle they will never stop.

Drawing Game:

Design a hilarious mix and match drawing game based on the exquisite corpse game.

Become an origami master. Start with easy finger puppets and heart bookmarks . If you feel okay about your kids watching YouTube how-to videos and don't have an origami how-to book, let them watch and learn at the same time.

Map making:

Draw a map of an imaginary land, either of their own invention or from a favorite story.

Literacy Ideas

Some children in the 5-10 range might not have the necessary handwriting skills to physically write the following ideas down on paper. If they love the idea, though, they can compose them from memory. Or, if an adult is available to help, they can dictate their project.

Write a Limerick:

Limericks are an ultra kid-friendly form of poetry. Once kids get started, they can't stop! Learn how to compose limericks here .

Write a Letter:

Kids can compose letters to relatives, friends, even imaginary creatures! They can write a letter from themselves, or imagine a letter from somebody else. Perhaps they can even write a letter to themselves from their favorite character!

Design and write your own post cards:

As with the letters, the possibilities are endless.

Write the lyrics to a song :

Write lyrics to a new song, or re-write the lyrics to a favorite tune.

Write a future acceptance speech :

Would your child like to win the Nobel Peace Prize? A Pulitzer? Would they like win a presidential election? Your child can write an imaginary speech as if they have won! If they are motivated, ask them to perform it for you.

MORE IN THIS ACTIVITY SERIES:

  • 10 Instant activity ideas for 2-4 year olds (with printable list)
  • Easy indoor activities for babies (with printable list)
  • Keep kids busy while you make dinner (with cheat sheet!)

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Reader Interactions

Sharon McCall says

March 15, 2020 at 3:38 pm

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all your ideas. Thank you!!

Neha Jolly says

April 05, 2020 at 3:27 am

Love ur ideas. I am going to do many of these withmy 7 yr old.

Aubrey Morello says

December 17, 2020 at 9:34 am

I will never unsubscribe from you!! My kids are almost out of the age range but I constantly encourage my classroom kids to stay off the screens! I turn to you often as a terrific resource when my brain can't think of more ideas to help with that - Not ready yet, but when I'm a grandmother, there will be no time for screens at my house and I can't wait! -Mom of 4 and 3rd-grade teacher

December 21, 2020 at 8:46 am

Thank you for your kind words! I'm so glad you love the activities. 🙂

June 04, 2023 at 4:14 pm

Why are the videos on sites like this SO BAD?! I saw the beginning of that ad for the chainsaw literally ten or more times, but couldn't get many of the games to play all the way through. I gave up, even though I like games like these. It's way too frustrating.

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25 Engaging Activities For 5-Year-Olds

November 16, 2022 //  by  Michelle Mandel

When I think about five-year-olds, I think about the world of imagination and endlessly learning possibilities- where the impossible is possible, and there are no limits and boundaries. Five-year-olds are eager to learn, help, and do. They are on the go from morning till night, so they need plenty of short activities to keep them entertained. We’ve compiled a list of 25 engaging activities, so dive right in and remember to have fun!

1. Play With Your Food

Kids are always told, “Don’t play with your food.” Well, in this activity, we are going to do just that! Ever heard of Rainbow Toast?  Children will have edible paint and some toast and can let their imaginations go wild as they paint a rainbow. Afterward, they can enjoy an edible treat! 

Learn More: Holley Grainger

2. Cookie Merger

Hundreds of years ago, Othello was first played with black and white stones in Japan. The game’s object is to enclose the opposite color so it can be flipped over. This time we are using black and white sandwich cookies in a fast-paced game with a twist.

Learn More: Kids Activities Blog

3. Got Cups?

Plastic cups can be so much fun if you know what to do with them. Cup activities go far beyond just stacking them up. From bowling, ping pong, sorting, or drawing, plastic cup activities win hands down. Kids have big red plastic cups and small squares of construction paper, and the aim is to try and build the tallest tower. 

Learn More: Pickle Bums

4. Egg Carton Planting

Little ones like the experience and idea of gardening, but many do not like all the hassle it entails. Children can have lots of fun in the classroom with egg carton plants. They can simply fill a carton with soil, plant the seed, water it, and watch it grow. 

Learn More: Pink Fortitude

5. Ants Go Marching

Ants are so interesting to learn about, and with this fantastic craft, children can make their own red and black ants out of spoons! Connect assorted spoons and paint them red or black. Glue on some googly eyes and pipe cleaner legs, and your ants are ready for marching! 

Learn More: Danielle’s Place

6. Junk In Your Trunk

This game takes a little bit of investment, but it is well worth it. All you need is some tissue boxes, ping pong balls, and a few other odds and ends. The game’s objective is to get all the balls out of the tissue box as fast as possible. Shake, jiggle and move to get your “junk out of your trunk.”

Learn More: JCTV Family Vlog

7. Shhh, It’s Quiet Time

Children need downtime, and to create the best chill time for your kindergartener, you need to create the right atmosphere. Healthy music, low lights or soft lighting, crayons and paper, soft toys, and comfortable seating do wonder! 

Learn More: Families In Schools

8. Bean Bag Fun 

Bean bags are so easy to make, and they are essential in child development. Practice the art of balancing by getting your little ones to balance bean bags on different body parts. There are so many games that can be played with bean bags; whether it’s a tossing or spatial activity, your learners are sure to have a good time! 

Learn More: Empowered Parents

9. Inventive Activity Cards 

Five-year-olds are full of imagination, and we have to help nurture their literary skills and public speaking. One great idea to help you do this is picture cards that can be bought or made. Children lay a few of the cards on the table and then tell us a simple story step by step. 

Learn More: Tinker Lab

10. Scavenger Hunt For Beginner Readers

Using cards with simple instructions and some picture cards, pupils can work together and solve the puzzles to discover the treasure. Hide items in the playground or classroom for learners to search for. 

Learn More: There’s Just One Mommy

11. Lego Charades 

This is a fantastic game! Each child gets a picture to recreate using Lego blocks. The other children will guess what they are building as they create. It seems complicated, but it works really well, and your little ones will love the interactive guessing part! 

Learn More: Big Family Blessings

12. Musical Moves

This is an adorable, kid-friendly YouTube exercise video with easy exercise moves. All your little ones need to do is listen to the instructions and follow along. Exercise is important for everyone’s health; if you start young, your students will have good habits!

Learn More: Monica Flores Fitness

13. Paper Plate Snowman

Snowmen crafts are fantastic Winter makes! Make a paper plate snowman using paper plates, glue, and googly eyes. Print out the body parts before cutting them out and assembling the body. 

Learn More: Simple Everyday Mom

14. Learn With The Gruffalo 

To teach reading, kids need to know how to decipher rhyme. The Gruffalo is a funny tale to help with rhyming, and children can then invent their own crazy animals like a COG or a SNOG! 

Learn More: Deanna Jump

15. STEM Paper Airplanes

Paper Airplanes can be challenging to make, but with the right instructions, you have a great educational STEM project! All your learners need is some paper, crayons to decorate their finished product and a whole lot of patience! 

Learn More: Engineering Emily

16. BIG or PIG 

5-Year-olds are at the age where they are beginning to read. This website is great for practicing blending words and developing pre-reading skills that will improve your child’s phonological awareness. 

Learn More: Education.com

17. Bed Of Roses

Small pink rose flowers and green leaves in a floral arrangement isolated

Make a beautiful bouquet of roses using play dough! They are truly beautiful and easy to make. Start with a few small pieces of playdough or clay – rolling them into small balls and then into oval shapes before pressing the pieces together and forming flowers. 

Learn More: Krokotak

18. Twister

There is something exciting about being entangled with your friends! Time to take off your shoes and stretch a little. Challenge your learners to keep their balance as you spin the instruction wheel and have your students follow the prompts by placing their body parts on the mat. 

Learn More: Little Learning Corner

19. Obstacle Course

Use some yarn and other household items you have lying around the house to create an awesome obstacle course. Get your little ones involved in designing and setting up their very own obstacle course before maneuvering through it for hours! 

Learn More: Life Family Fun

20. Cotton Ball Balancing 

This is an awesome activity to practice balance if you have a few teaspoons and cotton balls lying around. Place a cotton ball on the spoon and have your learners race from one end of the classroom to the other without dropping their cotton balls.

Learn More: A Mom’s Take

21. Full Of Beans

Set up a sensory bin using assorted beans. Kids will love the sensation of running their fingers through the beans and enjoying the texture. They can use containers to pour the beans from one box into another or even practice their math skills by counting out a given number. 

Learn More: Bounce Back Parenting

22. Hot Potato Balloon Game

Hot potato entails moving extremely fast. Blow up a balloon and have your learners stand in a circle. The object of the game is to keep the balloon in the air and not hold onto it for too long. 

23. Simon Says

Simon says is an awesome opportunity to practice listening skills. Learners can play by following the instructions called out by “Simon.” If an instruction is given without the words “Simon says…”, the learners who complete the action are out. 

Learn More: Patty Shukla Kids TV – Children’s songs

24. Dice Game

Moo like a cow, jump like a rabbit, sing like a bird- all of these options and more can be played in an animal activity dice game. Roll the die and follow the instructions written on a piece of paper. Make sure your learners have plenty of space to move around in.

Learn More: Twitchetts

25. Horse 

Using smaller basketball nets and softballs, children can play this great classic game. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into the basket from different positions.  If you miss after three tries, you get an H, and so on. Once you have the word HORSE spelled out in full, you’re eliminated from play. 

Learn More: Rookie Road

Mum's Little Explorers

  • Indoor Fun / Kids Activities

50 Things To Do with Kids at Home | Fun Indoor Activities for Kids

by mumslittleexplorers · August 1, 2021

A long list of things to do with kids at home including indoor kids activities, creative arts & crafts, science and learning activities, games and family fun!

“Mum, I’m bored”… That’s what many mums are hearing around the world right now! Whether you are stuck at home on a rainy day, or just looking for some new activities for kids, this long list of things to do with the kids at home will give you some fun indoor kids activity ideas.

You will find some indoor activities for kids including games, arts & crafts, and other creative activities. We have also included a small list of things to do at home in the backyard, so if the weather picks up, you can head outside for a bit. Here are some activities for kids that you can also join in to do at home.

50 Things To Do With Kids At Home with Kids

A list of kids activity ideas and things to do with kids at home when you are stuck inside.

Indoor Kids Activities at Home

Lets kick off with some fun indoor activities for kids to do at home, then we can get to the outdoor kids activities!

1. Read books together

Read books from your home library, see our list of the BEST BOOK SETS FOR KIDS , or check out these FREE ONLINE BOOKS FOR KIDS which have audio. These are great for if you are working from home, cooking, or busy in general, because even if kids can’t read, they can listen to the story online for free. Some local libraries deliver too so make sure to ask if you can’t get there.

For kids who don’t particularly like reading books, print off these would you rather questions which may motivate them.

2. Play board games

Board games are always a fun thing to do at home with kids depending on their ages and there are plenty to choose from.

Check out our list of educational BOARD GAMES FOR KIDS  that start from 3 years and up. Some are great to do at home, and some the kids can play independently. Or check out our FUN FAMILY GAMES post for other ideas.

3. Make a magic potion or do a science experiment

This is a great indoor activity for kids to do at home but also a fun summer kids activity too. Grab a few bowls of ingredients such as water, milk, food die, baking soda, essential oils etc. Give them spoons and let them make up their own little potions.

You can also do this with things such as flour, dry lentils and beans, pasta etc. Great kids activity to do at home. For older ones why not try out some of our SIMPLE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS FOR KIDS .

4. Make some origami

Another creative indoor activity for kids is making origami. This paper folding art has been around for centuries and there are plenty of online resources where you can find instructions for kids to get creative. We have rounded up some fantastic video tutorials perfect for beginners, check out our post EASY ORIGAMI FOR KIDS

5. Cook a meal or bake some cake or cookies

Cooking of baking together is a fun indoor activity for kids no matter what age. A weekly cook up also makes a great tradition for families too. Kids can help stir, use cookie cutters, and of course taste test. If you choose an easy recipe you can get older kids to do most of the work while you supervise. THIS SITE has a great range of kid friendly recipes and things you can do at home with kids.

6. Online Art Lessons

Kids love to draw pictures or colour in and it makes a good fun activity for the kids. Make sure you always have a couple of colouring books at home, as well as some plain printer paper and your set. If you have older kids, try some online drawing lessons from the Art for Kids Hub. Check their channel below, there are tones of different pictures to draw. They are super fun and easy for kids to follow. Find here some other fun Youtube channels for learning.

7. Put together a puzzle

Puzzles are a really fun activity for kids. They give something kids to concentrate on for a period of time. For little ones, set them up with some wooden puzzles. For older ones, challenge them with a 50 piece puzzle and set the timer up. We love the ravensburger puzzles , they have ages on the boxes and there is something for all ages.

8. Dance or Exercise

When you have been cooped up indoors all day, kids need something to wear them out. Check out our post: EXERCISES FOR KIDS AT HOME for some fun ideas to get active.

Dancing around to music is one of the best indoor activity for kids to do at home and get them moving. Pop on your favourite songs or playlist and get them dancing and jumping around for a while.

For little ones, you may also want to sing along to some nursery rhymes, check our list of the most popular NURSERY RHYMES FOR KIDS.

9. Arts and Crafts out of recycled home materials

Everyone has a few cereal boxes and toilet paper rolls around the house. Don’t throw them in the recycle bin, keep them to use for arts and crafts. Make a rocket out of toilet paper roles, make a dinosaur or a robot out of a cereal box. Paint, draw, paste. It is such a great way for kids to get creative and a fun indoor activity for kids to do at home.

10. Build some DUPLO or LEGO

If you have any, LEGO is one of the easiest things to do at home with kids. Even without an instruction kit, kids can get creative on their own. If you don’t have LEGO, any kind of building or construction activity for the kids will get their creative sparks going.

11. Have an indoor picnic

Such a fun thing to do at home with kids. Set up a picnic mat in the lounge room and make a picnic like you would if you were outside at the park. Get some cushions, and decorate, the kids will love it. You can prepare the food if you have little ones, but a great activity for kids to do is preparing the platter themselves, let them get creative.

12. Do some online learning

If you want to get the kids caught up with some academic work, there are some great sites with online learning activities. Check out this list of ONLINE LEARNING WEBSITES for kids.

13. Make an obstacle course

If you have a large living area a fun indoor activity for kids at home is to make an indoor obstacle course using household items. This activity is best for younger children as they are smaller. For an older kids activity at home you may need to head out into the backyard for more space.

14.  Make a race track using masking tape

Have a little one who loves cars? You can easily make a DIY racing track in your living room or hallway using masking tape. There is lots of fun to me made racing cars around, and it is an easy clean up too.

15. Make a home cinema with popcorn and movies

  • If you can’t go to the movies, a fun activity for kids at home can be making your own cinema. Close the blinds, turn off the lights, make some popcorn and put a film on and there you are. See our movie lists with more to come. Best travel movies for kids (animated)
  • Best travel movies for families
  • Best Christmas movies

16. Do a yoga class on YouTube

If you can’t go outside, another way to have the kids exercise is do some yoga. There are some fantastic Yoga For Kids Videos on You Tube including our favourite, Cosmic Yoga which you can watch free online. Make it a daily routine and help kids become stronger, calmer, and wiser. It is one of the best exercises for kids to do at home . We also have a whole list of mindfulness activities for kids too that you may like.

17. Build a cubby house or fairy house

Your kitchen table, or chairs can easily be turned into a cubby or fairy house and kids will have a ball. Use a sheet or a large blanket to put over the top and get the kids to decorate underneath how they like. Bring in the superheros and create a bat cave or invite the dolls and fairies and have a tea party.

18. Try Michelangelo drawing under a table

This is a really unique indoor activity for kids to do at home. Stick a piece of paper under a chair and have your child lay underneath. Have them try draw a picture upside down and see how it turns out. Makes a great art and history lesson too for older kids.

19. Make friendship bracelets

For this kids activity you just need some different coloured wool. Cut a few pieces to the same size but different colours and tie the end. Put the tied end underneath a heavy book or chair and start designing. You can plait, or just tie knots. See how many different designs you can create.

20. Play Dress Up

If you have costumes, great, get them out. But even if you don’t just let the kids get creative with their own clothes to come up with outfits for different themes. You never know what you can find in your own wardrobe. Make a game of it, dress ups is always a fun activity for kids at home.

21. Build a house with a deck of cards

This is such an easy indoor kids activity for those who need a challenge. All you need is a deck of cards. Put them together in triangles and try to build them up into the form of a house. This is a really good activity for kids to build resilience because it isn’t easy and takes time to perfect. See how many levels you can get.

22. Have a pamper day

Get out the hair masks, face masks brushes and creams and have a pamper day. Just like grown ups would do at the day spa, kids can have fun doing it too. This is a great activity for the whole family.

23. Blow up some balloons and play balloon tennis

This is a great indoor activity for kids to do at home that will get them moving. All you need is a couple of blown up balloons to balloon tennis with your hands or even just see how long you can keep the balloons off the floor. No need to worry about things getting broken as balloons are light, so that’s a win.

24. Write a story or make a Journal

There are so many benefits of journaling and story writing for kids. For older kids they can do this one independently, for little ones you can do it together. Check out our post on Journaling for kids with lots of ideas on how to get started.

For stories, start with choosing your characters, then choose your setting, and then go from there. Or use some of our Writing Prompts for Kids for some ideas. It is a great kids activity to do at home, and the best thing is, you can read it over and over.

25. Indoor treasure hunt

Every kid loves a good treasure hunt and it is an easy indoor activity for kids that you can prepare on the spot. Just write a list of items on a piece of paper, (or draw them for younger kids who can’t yet read), then let them go exploring the house to find them. Try our At Home scavenger hunt printable to do inside with kids.

26. Draw your body on butchers’ paper

If you have a long roll of paper a body drawing is a fun activity to do at home with kids. Have your child lay down on the paper while you or a sibling draw around them. Once you have the outline, the kids can fill in the body with all the body parts. This is a great indoor activity for kids that can take a while, so you can finish it over a couple of days.

27. Make paper planes and see how far they can fly

Such a simple easy activity for kids to do at home that will keep them occupied for a while. Make some paper planes and let them fly around the house. See who’s plane can go the furthest.

28. Make a time capsule to open in years to come

Decorate a box that you can fill with items from today such as a newspaper clippings, a magazine, shopping catalogue with prices etc. Then write some predictions on a piece of paper about how life will be in X years’ time. You could do 5 years, 10 years or longer. Put it away in a safe place to open in the future.

29. Draw or paint a self-portrait with a mirror

For this activity you need some paper, a pencil and a mirror. Have the kids look at themselves in the mirror and draw a self-portrait. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but it’s great to see how creative kids can get.

30. Thread pasta onto wool or pipe cleaners

Threading pasta is a great activity to do at home to work on kids fine motor skills. You can use some wool or pipe cleaners. Colour or die the pasta first to make it more pretty and you can make a necklace or some other jewellery.

31. Make music using pots and pans

This is quite a loud activity for kids to do at home so be prepared. They will love it though. Just grab your wooden spoons and spatulas, as well as your pots, pans or containers. You now have a drum kit and kids can make their own beats.

32. Have a living room disco party

Another loud indoor activity for kids that makes noise. Turn the lights off and leave on a small lamp. If you have a disco ball even better. Get the kids to dress up and dance like it’s a party.

33. Make greeting cards

Have a birthday coming up, or a special occasion? Get the kids to make some greeting cards. Get the arts and crafts out, stickers, pom poms, or even just cut up some coloured paper and do some pasting. It is a great way to show kids appreciation and teach them to be kind. Check out our whole list of KINDNESS ACTIVITIES .

34. Make sock puppets

This is a fun activity for kids at home that fun and easy. Grab some old socks, and decorate them to make puppets. If you have some plastic eyeballs you can use those, or some cut up paper will also do. If they are light coloured socks you can use markers to draw.

35. Create a magic show

Find a hat, make a wand out of some recycled cardboard and create a magic show. For younger kids you can do it together. For older ones, have the kids go off and practice so it can be a surprise for the parents.

36. Try on mum or dad’s clothes and have a photo shoot

Kids love to do things they are usually not supposed to do. So, if you give them access to your clothes, shoes, and accessories they will love it. Even better, have a photoshoot afterwards and let them see the photos. Such and easy indoor activity for kids to do at home when you are out of ideas.

37. Make a paper chain

Making paper chains is a super easy kids activity to do at home or wherever. All you need is some coloured paper to cut up into strips and some glue to stick the ends together.

38. Write a poem or song

Writing poems is a great way for kids to learn rhyming words. Try to write a poem or even a song together and then recite it for an audience.

39. Do mummy’s hair and make up

A little patience is needed for this activity. Mum is the client and the kids are the hairdressers and make up artists. Let the kids get creative making mummy beautiful!

40. Organise the playroom/bedroom

If you are out of ideas of things to do at home with the kids, have them help you organise their toys. Make sure that every toy or activity has it’s place. Check if there is any they can give away or donate that they don’t use anymore. This is a great activity to get the kids to help with at home, because if they don’t like it they might not complain so much that they are bored next time!

Things to do at Home with Kids in the Backyard

If you have a backyard and it’s ok to go outside, here are some fun things to do at home with the kids outside. Read more: Fun backyard Games .

41. Make a mud kitchen

If you are ok with the kids getting muddy and dirty, a mud kitchen is a great sensory activity for kids and one of the best things to do at home with kids in the backyard. Get the buckets and spades out and cook up some muddy creations.

42. Do some gardening

Planting some seeds or plants is another fun outdoor activity to do at home. Have the kids be responsible for their pot with their plant. They need to water it each day to watch it grow. We have a whole list of fun GARDENING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS . Also check out these EASY TO GROW VEGETABLES FOR KIDS.

43. Scavenger hunt

Similar to the indoor activity we mentioned, an outdoor scavenger hunt is a fun activity for kids to do at home. Write or draw a list of things for kids to find, and send them outside to find them. If you have a printer check out our free themed SCAVENGER HUNT LISTS that you can print out.

44. Party games

Have a party game day where kids can have competitions such as an egg and spoon race or a three legged race. This is a fun idea not only for kids, but for the whole family too. Another good one is putting the ball between their legs and running around trying not to drop it. So many fun ideas. Check out our whole list of PARTY GAMES FOR KIDS.

45. Search for bugs and insects

Head out to the backyard and search for bugs. Of course, be careful of spiders, but look for lady bugs, crickets, snails, and other insects. Have the kids make a list of what they find, or even draw what they see.

46. Draw with chalk

Drawing with chalk is such a great activity for kids at home because it goes away with water. Let the kids draw on the cement outside, or even on the fence. When it’s all done just wash it off with the hose.

47. Paint the fence with water

Such an easy activity for kids that will keep them entertained for ages. Fill a bucket with water and give them a paint brush. Let them “paint” the fence with water! Kids get to get “messy” with no real mess! It makes a great kids activity to do in warmer weather, make sure to see our other SUMMER ACTIVITIES .

48. Create some shadow drawings

If it is a sunny day get outside with a piece of paper and some animals from the toy box. Put the animals at the top of the paper and make sure the kids are facing in a position where the shadow of the animal lands on the paper. Kids can then draw the animals by tracing around.

49. Outdoor cinema

If you can bring the TV outside, or even the IPAD, an outdoor cinema is always fun, and something different. When it gets dark, bring out the big pillows, cushions and blankets, prepare some snacks and popcorn, and the kids can watch their favourite films outside.

50. Have a camp out

If you have a tent, a fun thing to do at home is camp outside in the backyard with the kids one night just like you would in the bush. Bring out the sleeping bags, pillows and a nightlight. Tell stories and sleep until the morning.

Indoor Kids Activities to do at Home

We hope this list of things to do at home with kids is enough to keep you occupied day after day, week after week. Please do let us know of any other indoor activities to do with kids and we can add them to the list!

Looking for more activities to do with the kids? Check out these posts:

  • Fun family games
  • Summer kids activities
  • Winter kids activities

See our category KIDS ACTIVITIES or follow Mum’s Little Explorers on FACEBOOK.

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EXPLORE WITH KIDS

At Mum’s Little Explorers, you can find family friendly events and activities for kids in and around Melbourne, as well as family travel ideas and inspiration.

We also feature lots of fun activities for kids that you can do at home and reviews of products and travel gear.

Contact us: [email protected]

Looking for strategies or have questions about how to support your child’s education? Ask our AI-powered assistant.

Parent Resources for Learning > Core Skills > 7 Fun And Easy Learning Activities For 5-Year-Olds

7 Fun And Easy Learning Activities For 5-Year-Olds

by Dr. Jody LeVos | May 18, 2021 | Core Skills

Learning activities play an important role in early childhood development. However, when parents come across this information, they often assume they need to create the most elaborate games to help maximize learning. That’s not the case.

For example, simple games and activities such as painting or playing house help develop language and emotional skills, creativity, and fine motor skills, among other things.

Also, when children engage in physical activities such as running, jumping, or skipping, it contributes to their gross motor development.

In addition, if an activity is challenging (think tricky puzzles or building a tall lego tower), it helps children learn how to follow through on a project and problem-solve. Ultimately, this helps build confidence and gives children a sense of ownership and accomplishment.

Learning activities for 5-year-olds are also great to help beat boredom. A child who has nothing to do for the day can often become irritable or display disruptive behavior. That’s not ideal for them (or you!), so it’s important to have some go-to activities at the ready.

Finding the right activities for your child is one way you can foster their continued growth and development. So where do you start?

Questions To Ask Before Choosing Activities

Mom doing activities for 5 year olds

Now that you understand the importance of activities for 5-year-olds, here are a few questions to ask yourself to ensure you’re choosing the right ones for your child.

What Will My Child Learn From This Activity?

There are many developmental milestones that are essential for your child to reach — from physical to mental, emotional, and social.

This is why it’s important to incorporate a variety of activities into your child’s play, rather than choosing similar games that help develop the same skills.

Are The Instructions Easy To Understand?

As children get older, the activities and games we introduce them to will naturally become more complex.

While it’s beneficial to keep challenging our children so they learn to think creatively and problem-solve, it’s equally important to not overwhelm them with games that are simply too complicated for their age group.

Will The Activity Engage My Child’s Senses?

From the moment they are born, our children are seeing, touching, tasting, hearing, and smelling the world around them.

Children use their senses to explore and understand things, so we encourage sensory play in early childhood because it plays a significant role in developing many essential language and cognitive development skills. It also helps children continue exploring and engaging.

7 Fun Activities For 5-year-olds

1) letter toss.

Letter toss set up for activities for 5 year olds

What You’ll Need:

  • Rolled-up sock or small beanbag

What To Do:

We love letter toss because it only requires about 10 minutes of set-up time, making it the perfect game to incorporate when you’ve had a busy day or week.

Start by writing uppercase and lowercase letters on individual Post-its (one per page). Then stick the Post-its onto the floor or playroom wall, making sure that there’s space between each one.

Next, have your child stand a few feet away and toss the rolled-up sock at the Post-it notes as you call them out.

You can also pick letters in a word and arrange them in random order. In this version, your child will need to hit the letters in their correct order to spell the word. (You can write the word on a piece of paper for them to have a reference if needed.)

This is a fun and engaging activity to help children practice their alphabet and spelling. All the aiming and throwing is also a great way to help them continue developing their gross motor skills.

2) Cupcake Tin Counting Game

Two kids baking in bakers hats and aprons

  • Cupcake tin
  • Cupcake liners
  • A snack with small pieces (e.g., cereal, puffs, blueberries, etc.)

In a nutshell, this activity involves having your child fill each numbered cupcake liner with the corresponding number of snack pieces. For more information on how to play cupcake tin counting, you can check out this link .

This simple activity is excellent for helping children develop their understanding of counting principles (and is a fun way to enjoy some delicious treats at the end!).

3) Create A Storytelling Map

Kids doing activities for 5 year olds

  • A huge piece of craft or butcher paper

The aim of this activity is simple: Create a giant storytelling map using a marker, crayons, and craft or butcher paper. (You can even take this activity outside and use your backyard layout as a guide for the map.)

Encourage your child to use their creativity and come up with their own ideas for this invented world. The map might lead to a magic castle, a haunted house, or even a mystical forest. Let their imagination run wild!

If you have multiple children, this is an excellent game for sibling or all-family play. And if you do take the activity outside, there’s the added benefit of sunshine and fresh air.

4) Draw To Music

little student girl drawing with pencils at school

What You’ll Need:

  • Markers, crayons, colored pencils, watercolor paints, etc.
  • Classical music playing in the background

Music — you listen to it, of course, but have you considered making drawings to match what you hear?

This is a simple but wonderful activity for many children. All you need is drawing and painting materials and, of course, music.

As the music plays in the background, encourage your child to draw or paint anything they want. To help them get started, you can ask questions like, “How does the music make you feel? What does it remind you of?”

This is one of those activities where the journey is much more important than the destination. It really doesn’t matter if the colors they choose clash or the lines are too harsh. We’re not talking about creating a Picasso here but, rather, engaging the senses with this experience.

Treat this activity as a great sensory (auditory and visual) learning opportunity that your child can enjoy for some uninterrupted quiet time.

5) HOMER Character Cut-Outs

Homer character cut outs for Activities For 5 Year Olds

  • This printable from HOMER
  • Crayons or markers
  • Cardboard or cardstock
  • Popsicle sticks (optional)

Start this activity by encouraging your child to color the characters. Once they’ve colored them how they’d like, have them cut the characters’ shapes out. Next, help your child glue the characters onto cardboard or cardstock.

Voila! It’s time to play!

This is a great way to encourage imaginative play, as your child can bring the characters to life (and even create a play). This really helps encourage creativity!

For some inspiration, check out this link .

6) Create A Rainbow Suncatcher

Little girl painting at easel in school.

  • Colored gift tissue paper
  • Cotton balls
  • Clear-drying school glue

Begin with cutting the colored tissue paper into squares. Then make the rainbow shape by drawing six lines on the wax paper with your glue.

Next, encourage your child to glue down the tissue paper onto each line in rainbow color order (you can hand your child a picture of the rainbow as a guide). Lastly, add cotton balls below the rainbow to represent clouds.

This is a great activity to teach your child the colors of the rainbow and to continue developing their fine motor skills.

7) Make An Ocean

  • Medium bin or deep tray
  • Dried pasta for coral
  • Scoops of cups for playing in the water
  • Ocean creature toys and loose parts like pebbles, shells, and starfish
  • Blue food coloring (optional)

For detailed instructions on creating your very own ocean, check out this link to our Ocean Sensory Bin.

After finishing the creation with your child, encourage them to touch and feel all the interesting ocean creatures. This is a great sensory activity to help children explore and investigate some of the amazing fish found in our seas.

Have Fun At Home With Activities For 5-Year-Olds

4 kids hanging on a jungle gym

We hope one thing’s clear from our above list of activities for 5-year-olds — your child can have so much fun learning right at home!

You also don’t have to bend over backward trying to get them the latest toys. There’s so much joy and learning that can come from using everyday household items.

For more fun, engaging, and learning activities to try out at home, check out our HOMER App!

Dr. Jody LeVos

As our Chief Learning Officer, Jody leads a highly knowledgeable team of early learning experts at Begin. She has a Ph.D. in Developmental Science, focused on children’s mathematical and cognitive development.

View all posts

Dr. Jody LeVos

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50 Independent Activities Children Can Do at Home

  • March 18, 2020

We know it can be tough to keep young learners entertained, especially if you’re working from home, or if you’re both home more than usual due to the COVID-19 crisis. But we’ve got you covered. There are plenty of crafts, activities, and online learning games children of all ages can play independently if you need to get a little work done.

Here are 50 activities that, with minimal prep beforehand, your children can complete all on their own.

1. Try this three-marker art challenge , which challenges kids to make artwork using just three colors.

2. Mystery Science Activities is offering tons of STEM activity ideas for kids to do at home right now. Find an activity that uses items you have around the house, and set your kids off on their own scientific adventure!

3. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Scholastic is releasing at-home learning activities for children at home. Print a few out for your children so they can keep their minds sharp even if they’re unable to go to school.

4. Hold an at-home dance party using this playlist of upbeat songs for kids . If you need some quiet time to work, you could always have them move the dance party to the backyard.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

6. Set up this Write Your Own Fairytale Craft to keep kids busy and brainstorming to the limits of their imaginations.

7. Encourage them to build a pillow fort, which can then become a cozy place to work on crafts or homework.

8. If your children need a good learning video, introduce them to Crash Course Kids —a channel by the New York Times bestselling author John Green that teaches children science subjects like astronomy, earth science, and biology.

9. This STEM activity will keep your kids busy for hours: set up these musical water glasses and have them see how many songs they can play.

10. Have your child find a rock outside and, using craft items around the house, create their own pet rock .

11. Kids can choose a favorite from this list of terrific tongue twisters that they can practice all by themselves. You could also challenge them to see how many tongue twisters they can create.

12. If your child has a favorite book or is reading one for class, encourage them to draw their favorite part from the story.

13. Have your child use duct tape to create their own race car track on a hard surface and see which of their toy cars can go the fastest.

14. If you have more than one child and a pack of cards, suggest that they play Go Fish or any of these classic card games .

15. Round up some paper, old magazines, glue, and children’s scissors and have your child make a photo collage.

16. Download Khan Academy Kids , a free app with plenty of fun learning games for PreK and elementary school children.

17. If you have an old notebook lying around, let your child practice their writing skills by starting a journal.

18. For kids who love to be creative, these free coloring pages from Crayola can provide hours of fun.

19. Check out BrainPop , an online resource that teaches children subjects like reading, art, social studies, and STEM.

20. Print out these finger knitting instructions for older kids to learn a fun and crafty new skill.

21. If your child plays an instrument like the piano or guitar, have them practice using this free printable sheet music .

22. Gather the picture or chapter books around your house and challenge your child to read as many books or chapters as they can in an hour.

23. Send your child on a backyard scavenger hunt to find items like a leaf, a rock, and a colorful flower.

24. Have your child round up spare change around the house and sort it with this sensory math activity .

25. See how high of a plastic cup tower your child can stack without having it fall over.

26. Print these dinosaur alphabet worksheets for elementary-aged students to practice their handwriting from home.

27. Have your child create a play using their stuffed animals, and plan for them to share it with you later in the day.

28. With a paper bag and crayons or colored pencils, your child can make their own paper-bag puppet.

29. Set up an age-appropriate chore chart  so your child can help out with tidying up while they’re home.

30. If you have some string lying around, show your child how to play solo cat’s cradle for plenty of independent fun.

31. Break out the board games for your child to play with a sibling or other adult, if available.

activities for 5 year old boy at home

32. If you have an only child or other family members are busy, give them an age-appropriate jigsaw puzzle to complete.

33. For older children with pets, send them to take their pet on a walk around the block or play in the backyard.

34. Give your child these instructions to make their own straw whistle using nothing but straws, children’s scissors, and tape.

35. Have your kids make their own book using these simple and fun instructions.

36. Set up this Sticky Note Wall Bop activity to keep kids engaged while practicing how to recognize the letters of the alphabet.

37. Show your children this fun relay game where they see how many cotton balls they can scoop from one bowl to another while blindfolded.

38. Try this printable grid game to help your child practice their letters or numbers.

39.  Show your child how to trace their own handprint , then see how many drawings they can create with that as the base.

40. Set up Codeacademy on your computer, a free resource that teaches children how to code one lesson at a time.

41. Have your child write a card for a friend or family member, which they can hand-deliver or send in the mail later that day.

42. For older children, show them this video on how to make their own flip book from post-it notes.

43. Set up this alphabet find activity for young learners to independently practice their alphabet all around the house.

44. Give your child this list of riddles and see if they can write down each answer on a piece of paper.

45. If your child has a talent they’d like to share, have them practice it as long as they can in the morning to share at a “home talent show” during lunchtime or after work.

46. Print out these playdough shape mats to keep PreK children entertained while learning early math skills.

47. For families with more than one child, give your kids some paper and a pencil for a game of tic-tac-toe or hangman.

48. Turn on an activity from the Art for Kids Hub YouTube channel and have your child follow along to make their own vibrant drawings.

49. Give your child an interesting or colorful-looking object (such as a flower, toy, or bottle) and challenge them to draw it to the best of their ability.

50. Using these paper airplane instructions as a reference, give your child a piece of paper and the challenge to build an airplane that flies all the way from one end of their room to the other.

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101 Free Activities for Kids

Games, crafts, and more ways to play at home, indoors or out

If they are tired of their toys and complaining of boredom, it's time for some new activities for your kids. Keeping children happily occupied doesn't have to mean a lot of expense or preparation.

Simple activities can be just as fun as complicated or pricey ones; what's important is trying something new and spending time together . Let these activities serve as a first step toward engaging your children in deeper conversations to strengthen the bond you share.

Some of the these activities require materials such as food or craft items, but each is designed to be done using whatever you happen to have on hand.

Outdoor Activities for Kids

Enjoy the great outdoors in your yard or at a nearby park or trail. Make outings more exciting by incorporating a craft project , game , or quest (like "find the perfect climbing tree" or "test out three new playgrounds").

  • Build something out of trash/recyclables.
  • Catch fireflies.
  • Climb a tree.
  • Collect leaves and then try to identify them by researching them online or at the local library.
  • Draw on the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk .
  • Go bird watching.
  • Go to the park.
  • Have a catch.
  • Have a picnic outside.
  • Have a water balloon fight.
  • Help your child practice a sport they enjoy.
  • Jump on a trampoline together.
  • Listen to your favorite songs together and sing along.
  • Make life-size drawings of each other on the back of some old wrapping paper.
  • Make swords out of rolled-up newspaper, and have a pretend sword fight.
  • Pick flowers and press them in wax paper.
  • Plant seeds from something you've eaten, such as an apple or watermelon.
  • Play I Spy.
  • Play in the sand together at the beach, a local park, or your child's own sandbox.
  • Play tennis.
  • Put on skits for your neighbors.
  • Ride bikes.
  • Capture the Flag .
  • Run through the sprinklers.
  • Sit outside and look at the stars.
  • Swing on the swings.
  • Take a trust walk .
  • Take a walk in the woods.
  • Take your dog to a dog park or visit a local animal shelter (bring a donation).
  • Teach your child how to ride a bike .
  • Visit a garden.
  • Visit a skate park together and watch older kids do tricks.
  • Wash your car together.
  • Watch your child play a sport or take them to see a friend's game.

Indoor Activities for Kids

If the weather isn't right for outdoor activities, try these ideas for creative indoor options.

  • Bake brownies or cupcakes together.
  • Build animal families out of homemade play dough .
  • Build Legos together.
  • Conduct kitchen science experiments .
  • Create a special place in your home for displaying your child's artwork.
  • Create memory boxes for your child's favorite pictures, artwork, and mementos.
  • Do a puzzle .
  • Draw caricatures of each other.
  • Eat breakfast together.
  • Exercise together.
  • Go to a free event for kids' sponsored by your local library or a book, craft, or hardware store.
  • Have a spa night with oatmeal-honey facials.
  • Have a tea party.
  • Have something unusual for dinner like air-popped popcorn and fresh fruit.
  • Help kids clean their rooms.
  • Help fix a broken item or toy.
  • Help your child send an email to a grandparent, aunt, or uncle.
  • Let your child choose what to display in your home art gallery
  • Let your child style your hair.
  • Let your child teach you about something they know or do well.
  • Listen to an audio CD together.
  • Look through old photo albums together.
  • Make a care package to send to a relative who lives far away.
  • Make a family tree.
  • Make a meal for someone else.
  • Make a slide show of your favorite digital photographs.
  • Make a special breakfast.
  • Make a fort out of sheets and couch cushions.
  • Make bookmarks.
  • Make ice cream floats for dessert.
  • Make milkshakes or smoothies.
  • Make necklaces out of colored pasta shapes and dental floss.
  • Make pancakes in the shape of your child's initials.
  • Make up a silly song together.
  • Make your own memory game out of family photographs.
  • Make your own treasure map.
  • Paint your nails together.
  • Play 20 Questions.
  • Play a board game .
  • Play a video game together.
  • Play school or office.
  • Play store, restaurant, or ice cream stand together.
  • Play with dolls together.
  • Pull out a box of toys they haven't played with for a while.
  • Race Matchbox cars.
  • Read your favorite childhood picture book together.
  • Rearrange their bedroom furniture.
  • Record a new voicemail message together.
  • Role-play how to handle a tough situation, like making friends, or saying no to peer pressure.
  • Scrapbook together.
  • Share a memory about how you handled conflict or stood up to a bully when you were a kid.
  • Style your child's hair.
  • Take turns reading to each other.
  • Teach your child how to cook.
  • Teach your child how to play solitaire or chess.
  • Teach one another some new dance moves.
  • Teach your child a song you sang as a kid.
  • Teach your dog tricks.
  • Tell your child three things you really like about them.
  • Visit a local music store and sample each other's favorite artists.
  • Visit a nursing home.
  • Visit the library.
  • Volunteer together.
  • Watch your child's favorite TV show or movie together.
  • Write a story together.
  • Write encouraging letters to each other and then wait a few weeks or months to mail them.
  • Visit a museum.
  • Write messages on the mirror for one another with soap.

Craig L, Mullan K. Shared parent–child leisure time in four countries . Leisure Studies . 2012 Apr 1;31(2):211-29. doi:10.1080/02614367.2011.573570

Lee TY, Lok DP. Bonding as a positive youth development construct: A conceptual review . Sci World J . 2012;2012:1-11. doi:10.1100/2012/481471

By Jennifer Wolf Jennifer Wolf is a PCI Certified Parent Coach and a strong advocate for single moms and dads. 

50 Easy Crafts for Kids to Boost Their Creativity

Fun, quick and creative art projects to keep little ones entertained at home or at school.

crafts for kids, paper bag kite and colorful diy butterfly

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Every age group can benefit from an amazing day of crafting at home or at school — working with their hands can help preschoolers and toddlers develop fine motor skills and increase their confidence with sensory activities like making hand drums and filling bottles with colorful glitter. They can paint to their heart's content, crayon and draw smiling faces on their craft stick octopuses, animal bookmarks and pom-pom monsters (one of the Halloween-inspired crafts on the list). Many of these ideas are straightforward enough for little ones to try with supervision — however, some projects may require more hands-on assistance. But the good news is you can find most of the supplies (buttons, glue, tissue paper, coffee filters and paper plates, for instance) right in your craft box, ready to be put to use.

On our list, you'll find the best craft project options for kids from popular DIY blogs as well as a few of our favorite holiday-specific crafts, including options for Earth Day and Father's Day . And since it's never too early to plan, we've also included some crafts for the holidays, since Thanksgiving and Christmas are always great times for kids to get crafty. Say goodbye to boredom!

Embellished Bow

crafts for kids, blue embellished bow attached to a basket

Here's a quick way to take a basic straw basket to the next level! Kids can embellish bows with iron-on patches and stenciled monograms. Help them create their own bows using a 3" wired ribbon or purchase a large one to design. Then, use fabric glue to attach the decorative patches.

Monster Windsocks

crafts for kids, diy monster windsocks hanging from a tree outdoors

This is a great group project for the kids. Let the kids cut, fold and draw on cardstock to create wide-eyed monster windsocks for the backyard.

Get the tutorial at Crafts by Amanda »

Paper Flowers

crafts for kids paper flowers made of cupcake liners

They'll enjoy making these colorful paper flowers to decorate their bedrooms. They'll first fold dyed cupcake liners in half and cut out petal and fringe shapes. Have them fold a piece of floral wire in half and twist it around the faux flower stamen. Poke the wire through the center of three to four paper liners. Finish it off by wrapping floral tape around the base of the liners and bringing it all the way down the stem.

Paper Bag Kite

crafts for kids, colorfully painted paper bag kite

Spring is the perfect time to fly a kite. Luckily, kids can make their own with paper lunch bags. Let them embellish the bags with stickers, washi tape, paint and any other accessories. Then, work on attaching the yarn and streamers so the kite will be ready to fly.

Get the tutorial at Typically Simple »

Carrot Treat Cones

crafts for kids carrot treat cones with green tissue paper inside

Easter may have passed, but that doesn't mean this carrot treat cone craft should too! To make, you'll need to print out our carrot template . Then gather the essentials: coffee filters, orange paper, double stick tape, green craft paint, twine, a clothespin, a wire hanger, paper towel and scissors.

  • Mix a few drops of green craft paint with water until it reaches the consistency of milk. Soak coffee filters in the paint mixture until fully saturated (you can do this simultaneously).
  • Squeeze out excess paint and lay the filters flat to dry on paper towels or hang them from a hanger with a clip or clothespin. Download our template and trace it onto orange paper.
  • Cut out and roll the template into a cone shape, adhering the sides with double stick tape. Cut out the center of the painted coffee filters.
  • Attach the remaining paper to the inside edge of the cone with double-stick tape. Fill the “carrot” cone with small treats and tie twine around the top to close.

Dinosaur Nightlife Terrarium

crafts for kids, mason jar with toy dinosaurs inside and greenery at the top

Transform mason jars into terrariums fit for mini plastic dinosaurs. It also makes a creative nightlight for kids who are still scared of the dark.

Clay Crab Necklace

crafts for kids, hand holding a red crab necklace made of clay

If your kids are obsessed with sea creatures, they'll love making and wearing their very own crab necklaces. Plus, the craft only requires clay, twine and an eye hook.

Get the tutorial at Hello Wonderful »

Cardboard Suns

crafts for kids, child holding a large diy smiling sun made of cardboard outdoors

Here's an eco-friendly craft that requires lots of cardboard and creativity. Help your little ones cut, paint and design large and mini cardboard suns to scatter around the backyard.

Get the tutorial at The House That Lars Built »

Paint Marker Candles

crafts for kids yellow taper candles with white floral designs

Grab some paint markers (or acrylic paint) and watch them draw flowers, swirls and all sorts of cool shapes and designs on taper candles. Use a clean cloth with rubbing alcohol to remove any lint and debris before starting.

SHOP TAPER CANDLES

Toilet Paper Frog

crafts for kids, green frog craft made of toilet paper and cardboard

You're sure to have these supplies in your kid's craft box. Grab those discarded toilet paper rolls for kids to paint and turn into frogs. Then, have them transform paper plates into lily pads.

Get the tutorial at The Best Ideas for Kids »

Painted Baskets

crafts for kids, two painted baskets with eggs inside

It doesn't get more simple than this: Kids can spend time outdoors painting the wood strips of plain wooden baskets to carry their toys in and out of the house.

SHOP ACRYLIC PAINT

Pool Noodle Boats

crafts for kids, tiny boats made with pool noodles and paper straws, with flags on top

After making these eye-catching boats, have your kids set them afloat in the tub or swimming pool. It's a fun craft to recycle any old pool noodles and paper straws.

Tissue Paper Suncatcher

crafts for kids, earth shaped suncatcher made of blue and green tissue paper

Purchase or gather discarded tissue paper for them to make into suncatchers. They'll also need laminating sheets, tape and an Earth-shaped template.

Get the tutorial and template at The Best Ideas for Kids »

SHOP TISSUE PAPER

crafts for kids, two tote bags with bunny ears, noses and whiskers

Use our bunny-ear template to DIY these bunny bags. They'll have to trace the outer ear onto white felt and the inner ear onto colorful or patterned fabric. Show them how to attach the ears to the top of a canvas bag with hot glue. Then, hot glue on a pom pom nose and pipe cleaner whiskers to complete the bunny bag's look.

Download our template »

Craft Stick Airplane

crafts for kids, hand holding a craft stick airplane outdoors

They'll love zooming around the house or backyard with their craft stick airplanes. Paint the craft sticks (or use pre-colored ones) before gluing them together to make these aircrafts.

Get the tutorial at Kid Friendly Things to Do »

Craft Stick Octopus

crafts for kids, craft stick octopus with googly eyes and smiley faces

Only a few materials, including craft sticks for the tentacles and foam for the faces, are needed to make these cute octopi.

Get the tutorial at Craft Project Ideas »

Glow-in-the-Dark Flip-Flops

crafts for kids, black flip flops painted in glow in the dark paint

Purchase glow-in-the-dark paint and watch them decorate their flip-flops in all sorts of colors and looks. Plus, they can wear them outside (or use them as house shoes) once dry.

SHOP GLOW-IN-THE-DARK PAINT

Get the tutorial at Crazy Little Projects »

Animal Bookmarks

crafts for kids, googly eyed animal bookmarks

They'll have such a fun time making adorable animal bookmarks, from blue bunnies and orange chicks to purple sheep and yellow rabbits. Blogger Thena recommends this craft for kids of all ages and used this printable to start.

Cactus Handprints

crafts for kids, paper cacti with googly eyes and drawn on smiley faces

Trace their hands on green cardstock to make the cacti. Use brown cardstock for the pots, add googly eyes and draw on a cute smile.

Cereal Rainbow

crafts for kids, child's hand making a fruit loops rainbow

Preschoolers can practice color matching with this rainbow craft. Use Froot Loops or any other colorful cereal brand, like fruity Cheerios. Use glue to draw the rainbow lines, then help them stick their loops on top. And if you prefer to save your cereal for breakfast, use buttons instead.

Get the tutorial at Hands On As We Grow »

Headshot of Mariah Thomas

Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping , where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine . She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions , in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community , a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work. 

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50 best indoor activities for kids: easy crafts + games.

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In today’s post: Find 50 indoor crafts and activities for kids, perfect for rainy days!

Years ago we lived in Madison, WI, and we absolutely loved it everything about it. Well, almost everything–there was that very long, very cold winter. Our kids were young when we lived there (the oldest was four and the twins were two), and even though we played out in the snow regularly, there were days I just couldn’t bear the rigamarole of getting everyone suited up in snowgear just to end up back inside fifteen minutes later when someone needed to go to the bathroom. Sometimes I just wanted an easy way to keep my kids busy (and myself sane) during those long winter days.

In case you’re also looking for some simple, easy ideas that will keep your kids busy on days you’re cooped up inside, here are 50 indoor kid crafts and activities:

50 fun kids crafts and activities you can do indoors! Easy indoor fun for kids.

50 indoor activities for kids

1. Paper plate fish from MADE . I don’t always love paper crafts for kids because they spend 15 minutes making it, and then it just clutters up my house. But the creative possibilities here are sure to keep them busy for some time.

Paper plates cut and decorated to look like fish

2. DIY laser maze from It’s Always Autumn . Give the kids a roll of crepe paper and some masking tape and let them go crazy designing mazes and working their way through them.

Girl crawling through maze made from crepe paper in a hallway

3.  Kids are sure to love these  Big Mouth Monster coloring pages from It’s Always Autumn. Print out one of the five designs and let kids color them in – then they can open and close the monsters’ mouths by folding on the lines.

Monster coloring page that can be folded to have a closed mouth or unfolded to have an open mouth

4. Sewing cards from Dandee . I’ve gone through at least three different sets of lacing cards with my kids – we use them mainly at church – but for some reason I never thought of making my own. Kids could design their own shapes, get your help for the cutting and hole punching, and then go to town lacing and unlacing.

Activity for kids: Cardboard cut in animal shapes with holes around the edges to lace thread through

5. Slotted building discs by Made By Joe . This is another DIY of a product we’ve purchased before – download the free printables, cut from construction paper or card stock, and let the kids go to town. The blogger mentions how perfect these would be to take along when you go out to dinner. Tons of good stuff for kids on this blog!

Easy activity for kids: circle shapes that connect together

6. Download the free templates for these  Print + Fold origami bookmarks from It’s Always Autumn, then let kids watch the included video to learn how to fold them into bookmarks. Seven different woodland animal designs.

Cute folded bookmarks! Seven different woodland animal origami bookmark templates. Just print, cut, and fold. How to make a corner bookmark.

7. For a fun game that helps reinforce letter recognition, print + play Alphabet bingo from Crazy Little Projects.

Printable alphabet bingo card

8. This is a great activity for school aged kids:  Origami jumping frogs from It’s Always Autumn. Click through for step by step folding instructions, then let kids make as many frogs as they like. They actually jump, so they’re pretty fun to play with once you’ve folded a bunch.

nice photo instructions show how to hold an origami jumping frog. looks easy enough for kids!

9. I’ve seen tons of painted rocks tutorials, but I love these  Snowman painted rocks from Frugal Fun 4 Boys because you can paint a bunch and then mix and match them to create different snowpeople.

Rocks painted to look like snowmen

10. This  Mini Foosball table for kids from UCreate is genius! Kids can help make the table out of a shoebox, then spend time playing with it.

Two kids playing with a DIY foosball toy made from a cardboard box

11. Fingerprint Art is one of our FAVORITE rainy day activities. Click through for details on the book that teaches kids how to turn their fingerprints into hundreds of different animals, people, and designs. I love this kid activity because it doesn’t require any parental help!

Fingerprint art is so much fun! It's an easy activity for kids of all ages that will keep them busy for hours.

12. These pretty Heart Suncatchers from Fireflies and Mudpies are easy for kids to make, and could be made in any shape or colors for different holidays.

Easy kid\'s craft heart shaped paper suncatcher

13. Learn about  Salt painting from The Best Ideas For Kids – it’s easy to do with supplies you probably already have on hand and great for younger kids!

Paper with snowflakes drawn in glue, covered in salt, and painted different colors

14. Reinforce number sense with 10 different  Counting printables from The Best Ideas for Kids.

Kids counting activity: paper ice cream cones with numbers and colored pom poms

15. Kids will have a blast with these  Print + color Unicorn masks from It’s Always Autumn. Print out the free template and let kids design and color their unicorn. Then help them cut it out and add elastic so they can wear the masks for make believe play.

Adorable free printable unicorn masks that kids can color in themselves. Cute and easy kids' craft idea!

16. Paper spinners from Make and Takes are easy to make with cardboard and string, and mesmerizing to play with!

DIY colorful spin toy for kids

17. How cute are these  Clothespin Paper puppets from Moms and Crafters ? Kids will have fun coloring them, adding hair, and playing with the completed puppets.

Fun activity for kids: clothespin decorated with colored paper and yarn

18. This is one of the cutest ideas I’ve seen online: use a toilet paper tube to make a  Fire Breathing dragon from One Little Project.

Child blowing through a toilet paper roll that\'s been decorated to look like a dragon

19. This  Marshmallow Toothpick building challenge from Munchkins and Moms  is a great one: it doesn’t require much help from mom and it gets kids’ brains working! Plus it’s fun and will keep little hands busy for quite a while.

Child using marshmallows and toothpicks to build

20. If your kids want to paint but you don’t want to clean up, try this  No Mess Painting from Powerful Mothering . It’s the perfect indoor activity for kids!

Paper and paints inside a large ziplock bag

21. If you’re looking for an easy, engaging game to play with your kids, check out  The Dice Game from It’s Always Autumn. The free printable instruction sheet makes it easy to learn how to play, and the game is a great way to teach addition. Best for kids 5+ although younger kids can play with help.

Five dice and instructions for \"the dice game\"

22. Make a classic activity a little more fun with  Paper airplanes + target from Good Housekeeping . Kids can design their own “target board” which will keep them playing with the airplanes they fold longer.

Board with circles cut out of it to send paper airplanes through

23. This idea is so simple and so much fun, and can be done anywhere you have room to tie up a string.  Balloon Rockets from The Family Fun Spot

Balloon rocket: balloon taped to a straw that goes over a string track

24. Print out the  Lego letters from Little Bins for Little Hands and combine the fun of legos with the fun of learning. Perfect indoor activity for rainy days.

Printable letter templates and legos

25. I love this  Target practice idea from Toddler Approved ! Even the littlest kids can have fun tossing balls at the targets.

A child rolling a ball toward a cardboard box that has styrofoam cups hanging inside

More indoor activities for kids

26. Wish your kids would spend more time coloring when the weather has you stuck inside?  Make a personalized coloring page from a photo to keep their interest!

This is completely awesome: you can turn any photo into a personalized coloring page for your kids! What a fun summer activity.

27. How cool is this  Floating Ball activity from For all the Boys ?

A boy blowing through a straw to make a small ball float

28. It’s amazing what you can do with masking tape and a little creativity. Click through to see the indoor games you can play with  Tape lines from What Moms Love.

Kids jumping across lines that have been made on the floor with masking tape

29. This  Paper Plate Snake from Crafty Morning  lets kids experiment with painting and cutting.

Easy kids craft: snake made from a paper plate

30. Super easy and super fun:  Sticky Spider Web from What Moms Love

A little girl throwing paper to spiderweb made from masking tape across a doorway

31. Tissue paper transfer art from It’s Always Autumn is another perfect indoor activity for kids, and it’s really fun to see the designs you can make with nothing but tissue paper and water!

Tissue transfer art is not only gorgeous, it's totally easy enough for kids to make! Fun kid's art project - perfect indoor activity for rainy days.

32. Challenge your kids to some  Engineering building challenges from Frugal Fun 4 Boys.

Kid activity tower built from popsicle sticks and clothespins

33. My kids love working on these  Color by numbers pages from Kids Activities Blog on rainy days! It’s a great way to practice number recognition as well as simple addition and subtraction.

Printable color by numbers worksheets

34. Cardboard marble maze from Therapy Fun Zone . What a great indoor kid activity idea! My big kids could do this with no help at all, then battle to see who can get the marble through the maze the fastest.

Fun kid activity maze made from a cardboard box lid and straws

35. CD case labyrinth by Giddy Giddy . Similar idea, different materials, with the added bonus that everything is closed inside the case.

Mazes made from CD cases

36. Pretzel log cabin from Spoonful. Ok, so this will take some parental involvement, but it was too cute to pass up. This adorable log cabin is built around a small milk carton.

Little log cabin made from pretzel sticks

37. Marshmallow catapults from It’s Always Autumn . These are SO easy to put together and SO much fun to play with – even I had a good time seeing if I could fling a marshmallow into a target taped on our table. One of our very favorite indoor activities.

Marshmallow Catapult made from marshmallows and wood skewers

38. Marble run from Powerful Mothering . My kids have always loved marble runs, so it’s great to find a DIY version that even they could create.

A girl playing with a track made from cardboard tubes

39. Origami is a great way to keep little hands busy. Find some ideas in this  Origami roundup by Simply Modern Mom .  Many of the instructions linked to here are simple enough for older children to follow on their own and even teach to younger siblings.

Girl holding a folded paper boat

40. Start a one-kid-band with this  Kid-made drum set and kazoo from It’s Always Autumn

learn how to help your kids make a drum set and a kazoo. easy DIY musical instruments for kids. indoor activity ideas.

41. Walking stilts by Make it and Love it . Another perfectly genius idea! Throw together a couples pairs of stilts using dollar store supplies and wait for the giggles to begin as the kids practice walking with them.

A little boy that is standing on DIY stilts

42. Flashlight games from Kids Activities Blog . I remember playing these games when my boys were little and I was too worn out to figure out anything the least bit complicated.

Little boy holding a flashlight

43. Illustrated cookie recipe from It’s Always Autumn . One thing I’ve always loved doing with my little kids is baking. Who knows how many hundreds of cookies we’ve made out of winter boredom! 🙂 This printable allows pre-readers to follow along with the classic chocolate chip cookie recipe, and makes it easy for older kids to keep track of everything while they’re making cookies all by themselves.

illustrated cookie recipe to help kids make cookies

44. Toy slot box by Made by Joel . Here’s an indoor activity that’s perfect for your younger kids: a shoebox with slots cut in the top for dropping in “coins.” Make this easy using purchased poker chips, or spend a little more time and cut your own “coins” in different sizes for different sized slots. NOTE: this is intended for a baby, but I’ve found that kids up to 5 LOVE this type of simple activity.

Hand dropping cardboard circles into slits cut in the top of a shoebox

45. 5 “snow” activities by Delia Creates . Some of these projects will take more parental involvement than others, but they’re all simple and should appeal to a variety of ages.

Papers decorated with salt to look like snowy landscapes

46. Painted t-shirts from Crazy Little Projects . We’ve decorated t-shirts before, but this is a much better idea – let kids paint on paper, then turn it over and iron the design onto a t-shirt (get them at the dollar store for a buck each!). The best part is the kids can create a bunch of paintings, then choose their favorite to put on a shirt.

A young boy in t-shirt with his drawing on it

47. Finger knitting from Little Bird . Friendship bracelets and rainbow loom bracelets have been popular for years – but for a simpler version try finger knitting with this easy to follow tutorial.

Finger knitting activity for kids

48. Kool-Aid play dough from The 36th Avenue . This looks so much simpler than the homemade play dough I’ve made in the past, and you can’t beat the bright colors and fun smells you’ll get using Kool-Aid!

Homemade Kool-aid playdough in small containers

49. Perler bead awesomeness from eighteen25 . Perler beads (melty beads) are a great rainy day activity, but these gals have made them so much cooler! Find awesome jewelry and links to other great patterns in this post.

Various characters made from Perler beads

50. Balloon ping pong from Keeping it Simple . So easy but completely genius. People are brilliant, right?

A blown up balloon and two paddles made from paper plates and popsicle sticks

And I couldn’t find a source on this last one, but it’s such a great idea. Get some masking tape at the dollar store and let your kids go crazy “drawing” a track for their cars all over your house:

A living room with a car track made out of masking tape all over the couch and carpet

What are your favorite indoor activities for kids? Let us know in the comments!

50 easy crafts and activities kids can do indoors! Perfect for cold or rainy days.

Meet Autumn

Hello there! I’m a busy mom of five who loves to make things. Crafts, recipes, sewing, holiday projects: I’ve tried them all, and you can too! I love EASY projects anyone can make.

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Charlotte S says

Posted on 2/16/24 at 7:19 am

These photos make it so easy to make!!!

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Hands On As We Grow®

Hands on kids activities for hands on moms. Focusing on kids activities perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

Activities for 5 Year Olds

Preschooler activities that are perfect for 5 to 6 year olds.

Please note: This is just the age that we tried these activities in our house. These activities may be suitable for other ages. As well as not suitable for your child that is of this age. Please take into consideration the level of development that your child is at.

Other Ages to Explore:

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activities for 5 year old boy at home

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Christmas scavenger hunt in the dark with a flashlight

Christmas Flashlight Scavenger Hunt for Kids

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activities for 5 year old boy at home

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activities for 5 year old boy at home

Magic Letter Learning!

activities for 5 year old boy at home

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Playing “Marbles” with Monster Trucks

activities for 5 year old boy at home

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activities for 5 year old boy at home

Play with Mud: Messy Muddy Target Practice for Preschoolers

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Sight Word Jump & Grab

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Hop! Skip! Jump! with Paper Plates

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Craft a Pretty Nature Collage Suncatcher for Toddlers

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Mega Baking Soda to Vinegar Ratio Experiment

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Shape Christmas Tree Cards

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Decorate the Christmas Tree with Sight Words

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Easily Make Tinted Jars with This Simple Painting Glass Jars Idea

activities for 5 year old boy at home

I Spy Sensory Bag for Sight Words & Letters

activities for 5 year old boy at home

How to Make Sensory Stress Balls with Balloons Easy Enough for Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Make a Treasure Hunt to Make Sight Words

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Mix-It-Up Popsicle Stick Pumpkin Craft + Fine Motor Activity

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Learning (Plus its Fun!) Indoor Obstacle Course for Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Easy Water Gun Target Activity for a Hot Day

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Tree Branch Craft for Kids Simple Fairy Tale Pretend Play

Fun games for kids to play on the trampoline (and learn a little during the fun!)

Fun Trampoline Games for Learning Letters

activities for 5 year old boy at home

3D Flower Card for Kids to Make for Mother’s Day

No Prep Letter Sounds Activity

Creative No-Prep Letter Sounds Activity with Everyday Objects

activities for 5 year old boy at home

3 Real Money Activities for Learning

Make a quick and easy Santa hat Christmas card

Homemade Santa Hat Christmas Card

Spiral Christmas tree craft for kids to hang up!

Spiral Christmas Tree Craft to Warm up the Home

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Easy Fall Button Tree Quiet Bin for PreK Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Easy Edible Slimy Eyes Sensory Bag for Halloween

Run and pop your way to fun with a bubble wrap runway! You'll love the never ending giggles and hours of fun!

Make a Bubble Wrap Runway for Kids of All Ages

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Make Your Own Simple Telescope Craft for Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Easy Bean Bag Number Toss Game on the Stairs

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Create Your Own Animal with an Easy Old Magazines Collage

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Musical Activity: Rhythm Play Adventure for Preschoolers

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Rubber Band Printing to Make Transfer Art Quick and Easy

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Spiral Ghost Craft for Halloween with Cutting Practice

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Paper Clip Chain Activity is Quick Fun for Fine Motor Skills

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Sort Living and Nonliving Things Activity Collage

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Simple & Quick Winter Garden Fork Painting

activities for 5 year old boy at home

No-Prep Earth Science Experiment for Curious Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Cute Potato Stamping Jack-O-Lanterns for Fall

Tic-Tac-Toe Game with a Learning Twist

Super Fun Tic-Tac-Toe Activity with a Learning Twist

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Make Back to School Mornings More Positive with Put Ups!

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Super Simple Soapy Sensory Foam Activity for Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Fun Fall Find the Letter on the Pumpkin Activity for Preschoolers

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Bake Yummy Crispy Eggplant Chips with Your Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Easy Zentangle Drawing Inspired Art Activity for Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Easy DIY Story Stones for Fun Creative Play

Marbled Easter eggs that toddlers can even make - awesome sensory experience!

Marbled Easter Eggs Sensory Activity

Simple snowman to make with homemade puffy paint

Magic Homemade Puffy Paint to Make a Snowman

Build a menorah Hanukkah craft with simple shapes!

How to Make a Menorah Hanukkah Craft with Shapes

DIY Snow Globe gift for kids to make

Snow Globe Gift for Kids to Make

Kids will love this indoor play motor planning activity!

Follow the Line Motor Planning Activity

Fun puzzle game that will have your preschooler counting their way through the hunt.

Number Puzzle Scavenger Hunt for Preschoolers

Make fun and easy pasta stamps with kids.

How To Make Fun and Easy DIY Pasta Stamps

Try this crazy fun glue craft kids will love.

Try A Crazy Glue Craft That Will Blow Your Mind

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Strengthening Hands with Play Dough Names

Get creative on a paper towel! A fun art project for preschoolers to enjoy the process.

Paper Towel Art is Gloriously Fun for Everyone

Trace with water to erase away the letters

Trace to Erase the Letters on the Chalkboard

Add paper cutouts, hard plastic toys, and blobs of paint to a box - close up and shake!

Shake, Shake, Shake to Make Art!

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Tracing Letters & Shapes with Toothpicks

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Learn to Weave & Pattern With a Clothes Basket

A tool to help kids with stretching out words.

Stretching Out Words to Teach Kids to Read

Print off a free printable for an Around the Town Scavenger Hunt for kids of all ages (different variations to try)

Around the Town Scavenger Hunt to do as Your Child Grows

activities for 5 year old boy at home

7 Ways Kids Can Help in the Kitchen

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Super Sight Word Pencils

Fork Weaving quick craft for kids

Fork Weaving: A Quick Craft When You Need It!

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Junk Art Robot From the Making Box

Fine Motor Skills with Pom Poms

Ready, Aim, Blow! A Pom Pom Activity for Kids

Connect the colors with yarn - move and learn!

Giant Connect the Colors of Paper Activity

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Fort Magic is the Ultimate Way for Kids to Build a Fort

Painting watercolor hearts to hang on the window for Valentine's Day

Watercolor Hearts Made from ‘Newsprint’

A heart collage window decoration for kids to make

Sticky Heart Collage Window Decoration

Count and compare the 'snowballs' that fit in a shape to measure the area

Comparing Shapes with Snowballs

Completely upcycled homemade wrapping paper made with baby food and baby food caps

Completely Upcycled Homemade Wrapping Paper for Teacher’s Gift

Make a sparkly craft stick Christmas tree ornament with the kids

Craft Stick Christmas Tree Ornaments

Decorate a Christmas tree by painting with caps

Decorate a Christmas Tree with Ella’s Kitchen Baby Food Pouch Caps

Crack the secret code, simple for kids learning to read

Crack the Secret Code for Kids

Get kids excited about doing chores around the house with a Domino drawing chore list!

Chore List with Dominoes & Numbers

Goldieblox Building Blocks for Girls

Meet GoldieBlox! Blocks Just for Girls!

Kindergarten Math Activity

Kindergarten Math Activity to Solve Simple Addition Problems

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Sort Colors & Get Moving With a Play Tunnel

Spider web maze to make for the kids to find their way through

Giant Spider Web Maze for Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Tracing Numbers on Tape

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Spider Web Sight Word Match

activities for 5 year old boy at home

A Halloween Beaded Spider Craft for Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

A Window Fall Tree Craft for Toddlers

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Monster Chocolate Sandwich Cookies! Nam Nam Nam

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Explore Textures on an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Beginning Letter Sounds Sort Game

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Super Power Rings Scavenger Hunt for Kids

activities for 5 year old boy at home

The Kids Went Dumpster Diving… in a Cardboard Box!

First Day Back Outfit Tracing

Self Portraits for the Kids First Day of School Outfit

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Squiggle! Tracing Lines on the Driveway

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Making Fitness for Kids FUN!

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Turn Leftover Kids Art into Streamers

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87 Energy-Busting Indoor Games & Activities For Kids (Because Cabin Fever Is No Joke)

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

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Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Wondering what to do if you’re stuck inside with your kids all day? Our huge list of active indoor activities will keep your kids – from toddlers to teens – busy and burning energy!

It doesn’t matter where you’re located, or what the weather is like outside your window, there are always times when you have to be inside. And as Moms, I think we all understand that Kids + Energy + Inside is an equation that can equal chaos and inevitable disaster.

That’s why we teamed up with one of our favorite brands of all time,  Tea Collection , to test out their all-new active wear line, and bring you an  epic list of active indoor games and activities that will get your kids up and moving , even on the gloomiest of days. 

These activities will not only fight boredom (which equals less whining, woohoo!) but will also challenge their minds and muscles – strengthening their bodies and releasing all that pent-up energy – ultimately leaving you with stronger kids (albeit a little sweaty), that won’t fight you when it comes to hitting the hay. A worthy outcome indeed.

Please note: this post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our  d isclosure  policy.

Pin so you have this life-saving list at hand when snow or rain strikes:

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond

A simple roll of low-tack Painter’s tape ( like this one for delicate surfaces ) will be your new best friend once you try these genius ideas that get kids exerting their energy in all sorts of creative ways.

(editor’s note: just bringing out the roll of tape got Ooos and Ahhs from my kids – these activities were extremely well received and have now been added to my Boredom Buster bag of tricks!)

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond

Tape Shape Game:  Use  this tape  to put a variety of shapes, letters and/or numbers on your floor. Have your child stand on their favorite one then give them instructions to follow that will lead them to their next destination (for example: “bear crawl to the square”, “hop like a Frog to the T”, “Run to the rectangle”). We love that this game  from Toddler Approved  keeps your child moving, but also helps them learn their shapes, letters and numbers!

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond

Tape Lines:  Make 5-10 separate lines of tape, each about a foot apart, on your floor or carpet. Label the first one the “start” line and then give your kids simple instructions:

  • Long Jump:  See how many lines they can jump over. Have them try and beat their best score each time. Experiment with arm swinging vs. arms behind their backs.
  • Run ‘n’ Jump:  Now let them take a running start and see if they can jump even further!
  • Long Jump Backwards:  Increase the difficulty by performing the tasks jumping backwards.
  • Hop:  How far can they jump on one leg?
  • Reach ‘n’ Stretch:  How far can their leg reach with one foot on the “start” line?

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Create a Race-Car Track:  Use your  painter’s tape  (or opt for  this super cool race-track tape ) to make a huge road system for your kids’ matchbox cars. Think outside the box and have the track scale furniture and other obstacles (just make sure it’s something you don’t mind toy vehicles being “driven” over). The key to making it active is to make it large-scale, so they are engaging their core muscles while crawling all over. (Pic via  PopSugar  and Pinterest – source unknown)

You can even make it super-sized for ride-on vehicles like the pics here from  Hands On As We Grow . 

RELATED: For our top tested picks for indoor ride-on toys see  The Best Indoor Gross Motor Toys For Active Kids (To Get That Energy Out!)

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond

Hopscotch:  Make a simple hopscotch “board” and your kids will think it’s just the coolest thing that it’s  inside ! (pic via  Brit+co )  Number Squares :  Make a large square with your tape and then divide it into 9 or more small squares, marking random numbers in each one. Now ask your child to perform a specific movement to get to the next number like “jump to 10”, “zoom to 3”, “slither to 67”. ( via DreamGYM )

BALLOON GAMES

Has your child ever received a balloon at a birthday party and been totally enamored by it? Take that fascination to the next level by adding in a few “rules” and they’ll be happily moving around developing their gross motor skills while burning off some of that rambunctious energy.

Try some of our favorite balloon games and always keep a few handy to pull out when the going gets tough.

**Just a reminder that pieces of burst balloons can be a serious choking hazard, so if you have younger kids, make sure they are supervised during these activities at all times** Don’t Let The Balloon Touch The Ground:  This is the classic game that kids fall for every time. The rules are simple – hit the balloon up in the air but don’t let it touch the ground. To make it more challenging for older kids, have them juggle more than 1 balloon, or tie one hand behind their back. Time them to see how long they can do it for, or if you have multiple kids, have them count how many times they can hit it back and forth…then see if they can beat their time or score! This game is great for improving arm strength and hand-eye coordination.

Try adding stuffed animals to the mix for extra fun. Have your child pick their favorite stuffy and hold it in their hand so it is essentially the one hitting the balloon. You’d be surprised how this one simple variation can boost their engagement even further!

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Penguin Waddle:  Place a balloon between your child’s knees and have them waddle across the room without dropping it. Make it more challenging for older kids by having them go around a few obstacles. If they drop it, they have to go back to the start.

For multiple kids, have them play as a team with the balloon placed between their hips. Once they get the hang of it, get out your timer to see how fast they can do it.

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Balloon Taps:  Hang a balloon by a string from your doorway so it is a few inches higher than your child’s arm reach. Then challenge them to try and tap it with their hand. Count how many they can do in a row without missing (this gets tiring very quickly!). Up the ante by seeing if they can jump and touch the balloon with the top of their head!

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Balloon Blow:  Set up a “course” and see if your child can blow a balloon all the way to the finish line. They’ll have to do lots of army crawls working their upper body and core strength along the way.

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Backhand Balloon Balance:  Challenge your kids to balance a balloon on the back of their hand, and see how long they can do it before it falls to the ground. You’d be surprised how much they will move around with this one! Balloon Paddle Ball : Use a fly swatter, tennis/badminton racket or  make your own paddle  using a paper plate and over-sized popsicle stick (or  use a paint stir stick  or  plastic spoon ), then use it to play the games above.

These paddles are also fun for balancing your balloon. Have your kids try to keep their balloon on the paddle as they navigate through obstacles or run around the house. Not as easy as it sounds! Balloon  Foot Balance :  For a real challenge, have your kids lie on the ground with their legs up in the air and try and balance the balloon on their feet. It’s not an easy task and requires a lot of concentration. It’s also a great core workout!

Balloon Volleyball : Make a “net” by tying a piece of string between 2 chairs and then have your child hit the balloon back and forth by running from one side to the other, trying to keep it off the floor. If you have 2 or more kids, have them hit it over the net as many times as they can without it falling. Balloon Hockey:  Use a small kiddy hockey stick or make your own out of cardboard ( see full tutorial  on Creative Connections For Kids) to navigate a balloon into a net (use a laundry basket or box on its side if you don’t have any smaller ones to bring indoors).

FUN/SILLY MOVING GAMES

Just a warning – you’re going to have a hard time deciding which of these fun (and often giggle-fit-inducing) games to play first. They’re so entertaining that you’ll be wanting to join in too!

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Sticky Spider Web:  Use painter’s tape to make a web-like design on a doorway opening (idea via  Hands On As We Grow ). Give your kids some newspaper to scrunch up and throw up at the web. Or get creative and use other light-weight objects like balloons. Have them count how many objects stick versus how many don’t for extra learning points.

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Sticky Note Wall Bop:  Attach 26 sticky notes to the back of a door and write a different letter on each one (in random order). Make a “start” line a few feet away from the door (more if you have older kids), and have your child stand behind it with a soft ball, bean bag, stuffed animal or pair of rolled up socks. Now instruct them to throw their object to try and hit the “A” or the “T”. Players with more advanced aim and spelling skills can try and hit all the letters in specific words (to make it even tougher, if they miss one of the letters, have them start all over again!).

Alternatively, write different point values on each sticky and give your child 10 throws. For each target they hit, mark down the number of points. At the end of the round, tally up to crown a winner (or if playing solo, have them try and beat their previous score).  (editor’s note: make sure your kids are retrieving their throwing object themselves…running and bending down to pick it up over and over again is all part of the exercise!)

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Floor Bop:  Take Wall Bop to the floor. Instead of aiming up high, your kids will now have to toss an object to land on pieces of paper on the floor. The same rules as above can apply.

Color Toss:  Similar to Floor Bop, but with this game you’ll tape colored pieces of construction paper to the floor. Create your own point system where you get 1 point if you land a  bean bag  on any paper, but 5 points if you land on a paper that matches the bean bag color.

You can also use these colored “mats” to instruct your child to do fun tasks such as “bounce like a bunny to green”, “tiptoe to yellow” and “high knees to red”.

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Ping Pong Ball Catch:  Get out those plastic red Solo cups and a few ping pong balls (or any small object that will fit in the cup) and have your kids toss the ball to a partner and try and catch it in the cup. Start out close together and then keep taking a step backwards to increase the challenge. For a single-player, they can simply throw the ball in the air and try and catch it. Alligator Alley:  One of our favorite go-to inside games of all time. Simply scatter some “islands” or “boats” across the floor (use pillows, stuffed animals, books, etc) and then have your kids jump from one to the next without falling into the “water” and risk being eaten by a hungry alligator. Bonus points if Mom plays said hungry alligator and chomps after them when they stumble!

Crab Walk:  Teach your child how to do the crab walk, then see how fast they can scurry across the room. Have races with siblings (or yourself!) and then increase the level of difficulty by having them balance a stuffed animal on their stomach. If it falls, they have to scramble back to the beginning and start again!

Cotton-Ball Crawl:  This Cotton-Ball Crawl game ( via Parenting ) is tons of fun and involves moving a pile of cotton balls from one room to another using a spoon. The feather-weight cotton balls make it easy to fly off if they don’t balance it just right!

ABC Exercise Cards:  Download these  fun printable cards  from Home School Share which outline an active task for each letter of the alphabet. Have your child do all the ones that make up their name, or simply pick at random. In addition to getting in some healthy physical movement, they’ll also be learning their letters!

Indoor Croquet:  Make your own indoor croquet course using toilet paper rolls or pieces of construction paper (via  Toddler Approved ). Amp up the activity by writing active tasks on each “tunnel” that need to be completed once your ball makes it through like “do 15 jumping jacks as fast as you can” or “go run up and down the stairs 2 times”. 

Movement Chain:  You need at least 2 players for this interactive game where the first person starts by performing a certain movement – this could be something simple like jumping 2 times, or more complex like holding a plank for 30 seconds. The next person has to perform the first movement, and then add on another, forming a chain. The following person does the previous 2 movements, plus adds their own. You continue in this fashion until the chain sequence is broken (usually forgotten!) and then that person is out. The last one standing is the winner.

Potato Drop:  The Potato Drop ( via Parenting ) is another one of our favorites because kids think it is good ol’ silly fun (we do too). Have all participants place a potato between their knees and race to a finish line where they have to drop it into a designated bowl or bucket. If the potato is dropped, or if hands touch it, they have to go back to the start and try again.  (editor’s note: this is actually a great party game for big groups of kids – split them up into 2 teams and relay race to see which one can get all their potatoes into the bucket first!)

Mirror, Mirror:  Stand face to face with your child, about a foot apart, and have them attempt to copy all your movements. Reach up and stretch to the sky. Do 10 jumping jacks. Run in place. Act like a monkey. Make it fun and you’ll both be working up a sweat in no time. Then switch roles and copy your child – they won’t be able to hold back the laughter (and neither will you!).

Airplane Landing:  Make paper airplanes and throw them. The catch? You have to collect it and bring it back to the start line without walking – this could be running, hopping, skipping, twirling, crawling…let them get creative!

Crib Mattress Slide:  This is another one of our go-to activities when we’re stuck inside – it’s super simple but kids think it is a riot! Take a crib mattress and prop it up on a bed or soft chair so it creates a slide to the ground. Now your kids can climb on up and slide down over and over again (just make sure you keep a hand on it at the top so it doesn’t slip down).

Pillow Case Race:  On hardwood or tile floors, sit on a pillow case (or a t-shirt) and use your arms and legs to scoot around a “race” course.

Target Practice:  Set up some targets (empty water bottles or paper towel rolls work great) and have your kids try and knock them down with Nerf guns or throwing soft objects. The exercise comes in when they have to keep going back and forth between retrieving their objects and the start line.

Wiggle Jar:  Print out these inventive  activity cards  from Home School Share and place them in a jar for whenever your child needs to let the “wiggles” out. These cards are packed with great movements and silly actions like “pretend you’re in a band for 2 minutes: play the instrument of your choice” and “push the wall (hold it up) for 30 seconds”. Discard the few cards that have outdoor activities for when you’re truly stuck inside!

Although we may hunt for things all the time (hello keys, wallet, phone!), your kids don’t always get the same chance at discovery. So set them up with a hunt all their own with these incredibly creative ideas:

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Lego Color Hunt:  You have to try this one, it is a kid-favorite and super easy to execute. Select 4 pieces of colored construction paper and then collect 10 Lego pieces that match each one (ie. 10 yellow Lego pieces for a yellow piece of paper). Now hide all of the Lego pieces in one room/area of your house and lay out the colored paper on a table or the floor nearby. Start the clock and have your kid(s) start hunting.

Once they’ve found a Lego, they need to return it to the piece of paper that matches in color. See how long it takes them to find them all (tell them there’s 10 of each color so they can count to see if they’re missing any themselves), and then re-hide so they can try and get a lower time.  (editor’s note: for my 2 older kids I hid 5 Duplo Legos and 5 regular Legos of each color and then assigned them a size – that way they each had the opportunity to find the same amount…and big brother couldn’t sweep them all up leaving little sis with nothing!)

Once they’ve had enough of the game, challenge them to have a little quiet time and make a cool rainbow structure out of the Legos (while Mom drinks a cup of coffee…score!)

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Puzzle Piece Hunt:  This is a genius idea courtesy of  No Time For Flash Cards . Hide all the pieces of a wooden board puzzle and have your child search for them – returning each piece to the board as they go. This game gets them moving, and their brain working at the same time, and kids love having a goal to complete. They’ll beg you to hide them again! 

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Paint Chip Color Hunt:  Pick up some brightly colored paint chips from your local hardware store and ask your kids to find items that match each color as closely as possible (again, keep a timer going so they quicken their pace). Don’t have Paint Chips? Use colored construction paper instead like  Simple Play Ideas !  ABC Hunt:  Have your kids go around the house with a basket, collecting items that start with each letter of the alphabet (A for apple, B for Barbie, C for Crayola, etc) – give them a checklist to mark off each one as they go. Time them so they run! Scavenger Hunt:  Use this  Scavenger Hunt Printable  from Living and Life Designed to send your kids on a fun hunt around the house collecting various items that you’ve listed. Make it fun by including specific things like “your favorite bath toy” or “a pink sock” to more general categories like “something that begins with the letter T”. And yes, set that timer!

Flash Light Scavenger Hunt:  If you have a room that can get sufficiently dark by turning off the lights and closing the blinds, send your kids on a Flash Light Scavenger Hunt where they have to find certain hidden items in the dark using a flashlight. Kids go crazy for this one! (via  Hands On As We Grow )

MAZE + OBSTACLE COURSE

These incredible ideas for making your own DIY maze or obstacle course will test your child’s strategic skills while getting their heart pumping.

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Mission Impossible Obstacle Maze:  Using either  Crepe Paper   or  Flag Tape  (held in place with  Painter’s Tape ), create an intricate maze in a hallway for your kids to navigate their bodies through. Put the tape up high and down low, forcing them to step over and crawl under at various points. The only problem with this one is that once you make it, your kids will constantly be begging you to make another! (Idea via  Brassy Apple ) Life-size Book Maze:  This creative idea from  Preschool Powol Packets  uses books (but other household items: clothing, brooms, and sports equipment like bats and sticks would all work well) to create a large scale maze that will challenge your kids to find their way out. Once they have the hang of it, have them crawl, hop, or walk backwards through it! This one is great for preschoolers to work on their spatial awareness and problem solving skills – in addition to getting them up and moving.

Obstacle Course:  This tried-and-true idea is always a huge hit with kids, and can be made different every time so it never gets old. Make sure to create an engaging course that includes a variety of motions (jumping, crawling, balancing, etc.) and uses a large area. Have your kids help make the course (which is half the fun!) using some of these creative ideas:

  • Hula hoops to jump through
  • Line of tape to balance on
  • Couch cushions to hop between
  • Table to crawl under
  • Blanket over 2 chairs to crab walk through
  • Tupperware containers to hurdle over
  • Stuffed animals to roll over
  • Plastic cups to run around

We love that obstacle courses are great for kids of all ages to participate in – the younger tots enjoy just being able to complete all the obstacles, while older kids can race against each other or the clock. You could even have them attempt it balancing a bean bag or stuffed animal on their head, or with 1 hand behind their back.

Take 10 minutes to set-up a super engaging course, and you’ll benefit from happy, worn-out kids.

USE YOUR GARAGE

Sometimes the most obvious ideas don’t dawn on you until it’s too late. If you have a garage, why not move out your car and let your kids go wild in the open (but covered) space. Depending on its size, they could use their scooters, bikes and other outdoor ride-on toys, or play a game of tag, catch, soccer or street hockey. The best part about this is that your kids really feel like they’re getting outdoor play time, and are getting some fresh (well, fresh- er ) air at the same time.

BRING OUTDOOR TOYS INSIDE

If using your garage isn’t a viable option (where are all the hoarders at?!), then consider bringing some of your child’s outdoor toys  inside . These can be smaller items like jump ropes and soft balls, or larger items like scooters, ride-ons and our all-time  favorite fold-up slide   (editor’s note:  this slide   has been in and out of my house for years – it fits in our playroom in the winter and is used with a stuffed animal landing pit and in obstacle courses. It then goes outside in the summer as a fun slide into our blow-up pool!)

SPORTS GAMES

Another way to bring the outdoors in, is to adapt your child’s favorite outdoor sports games to be indoor friendly. Try out these variations for plenty of sweaty fun:

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Basketball:  If you have a  Little Tikes basketball hoop  or an  over-the-door  one, then you’re all set to play with a soft foam ball. But no worries if you don’t, just grab some laundry baskets or beach buckets and place them on the floor, stairs or hang from a door handle or hook. Make-shift your own balls with a wad of newspaper, bean bags, soft toys or rolled-up socks.

Play a game of HORSE or see who can make the farthest shot. Set-up lines of tape to see how many shots they can make from each one. Or set a timer for 1 minute and challenge them to make as many baskets as they can (running to retrieve the ball after each missed shot!).

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Figure Skating:  Clear an area on your floor (you can even “rope” off an actual “rink” if you’d like), grab you hat and mittens, and pretend you’re gliding across the ice. There’s several fun ways to make it feel as real as possible:

  • Use dryer sheets – they provide just the right amount of slide and won’t scratch your floors!
  • Paper Plate Skating  from Hands On As We Grow: Simply grab 2 paper plates, step on them with bare feet (they’ll “stick” better) and then slide away. 
  • Put a pair of wool-like mittens on your feet (kids think this is pretty silly which adds to the fun)
  • Construct wax paper booties using string or tape
  • Save old tissue boxes and kids can simply place their feet through the opening!

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Lacrosse:  Lacosse is a tough sport to safely practice inside, unless you have  this genius training device . The  CradleBaby  is a regulation Lacrosse ball with a tether strap that attaches to the head of a Lacrosse stick. So your child can practice their stick skills all over the house without creating any damage!

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Bowling:  Set up your bowling “lane” with some painter’s tape and use plastic bottles or cups for pins. Use any type of ball to bowl, attempting to knock down as many pins as possible. Keep track of the score, or simply aim to knock them all down in one turn. Create a plastic cup pyramid to up the fun-factor even more. Soccer:  Bring outdoor nets inside, or set up a goal using 2 cones (or plastic cups), a chair (score by getting it through the legs) or a simple piece of tape. Use any soft ball, or a super fun gliding ball  like this one !

Mini Golf:  If you already have  mini-golf putters , all you’ll need are a few “holes” to start your round of golf. Tape some plastic cups lying on their side to the ground, or create tunnels with pieces of construction paper. If you don’t have putters, use long rolls of wrapping paper, hockey sticks, or  pool noodles !   

Hockey:  Create your own version of indoor hockey using balloons and pool noodles for young kids, or a knee hockey set  like this one  featured in our  Gift Guide: The Best Indoor Gross Motor Toys For Active Kids

Dress the Part If you’re stuck indoors for the long haul, pick several of the activities from our list and announce to your kids that you have some fun indoor activities planned. Instruct them to put on their favorite active wear and meet back at a designated spot in a few minutes. Just the act of getting into “special clothing” will snap them out of boredom and get them excited about what’s to come!

Tea Collection Active Wear - Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

A big thank-you to our incredible partner,  Tea Collection , for providing us with samples of their new Active collection to test. We’ve been avid fans of Tea’s globally inspired clothing for years, and their latest endeavor did not disappoint. Our kid-testers stayed cool in their colorful tanks, shorts and leggings thanks to the moisture wicking, made-to-move fabrics.

We love that you can mix and match pieces from Tea Active with their everyday collection, and bonus: they’re made with UPF 40 protection, so they’ll keep your kids comfy and protected both indoors  and  out.

Check out Tea Active and all their latest arrivals  here .

CLASSIC GAMES + ACTIVITIES

Some games are classics for a reason: they’re just simple good ol’ fun. These ones are our favorites, updated for modern indoor play:

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Egg ‘n’ Spoon Race:  Grab a spoon and any small round object that will fit on top (or if you’re brave and have easy-to-clean floors, go ahead and use a real egg!). Create a course for your child to navigate through and see if they can do it without dropping it off the spoon. Once they’ve got the hang of it, go for speed!

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

“Potato Sack” Race:  Update this classic by using pillow cases! Have your kids step in and hold it up around their waist, then hop to the finish. So simple, but they will be laughing like crazy and getting crazy tired all at once.

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

3-Legged Race:  Tie your kids’ outside ankles together with something soft and stretchy like a long ski sock, PJ pants or bandage wrap. Now they’ll have to work as a team to coordinate their movements to get from point A to point B. This is one of our favorites because it not only builds gross motor coordination, but is great for sibling bonding too!

Best Active Indoor Activities For Kids | Fun Gross Motor Games and Creative Ideas For Winter (snow days!), Spring (rainy days!) or for when Cabin Fever strikes | Awesome Boredom Busters and Brain Breaks for Toddlers, Preschool and beyond to get their energy out!

Wheelbarrow Puzzle Walk:  Take your average Wheelbarrow race to the next level by having your child complete a puzzle in this brilliant idea from  Stir The Wonder . Set-up a wooden puzzle board and scatter the pieces around a room. Grab your child’s ankles (or hips to make it a bit easier for little ones) and hold them up so they can walk on their hands to collect them. They have to bring each piece back 1-by-1 and fit it into the board until the puzzle is complete.  (editor’s note: this is one of my kids’ favorites and is great for upper body strengthening!) Hula Hoop:  If you have a  Hula Hoop , now is the perfect time to dust it off and bring it back to life. Make it fresh by turning it into a game like who can do the most circles around their waist, arm or ankle. Try rolling it back and forth between 2 people, or see if your child can put some backspin on it and make it return to themselves. For little ones, put it on the floor and practice jumping in/out, side-to-side or have them pick it up and use it as a steering wheel to drive an imaginary car all around the house!

Jumping Limbo:  Do the Limbo in reverse: instead of going under, have your kids jump  over ! Using something flexible like a stretchy exercise band, crepe paper or jump rope, have 2 people hold it (or attach it to something on one side) and start it on the ground. Have your kids run in a circle and then jump over it. After a few successful jumps, raise it an inch or two. Keep raising it until they can’t jump any higher!

Red-Light, Green-Light (Purple Light?!)  Do your kids go nutty for this game every single time like ours? We like to add in a few different colored lights as the game goes on to keep it interesting:

  • Yellow Light: Slow crawl on the ground
  • Green Light: Jump like a frog
  • Blue Light: Try and touch the sky
  • Purple Light: Do a silly dance

Hide-and-Seek:  Make it more active by having them hide on different levels of your house every time, that way they’re going up and down stairs every few minutes. Or, have the player that is found first perform a “penalty” that can include classic exercises like jumping jacks, burpees or sit-ups!

Simon Says : Get your child on board to play a game of Simon Says and they’ll do whatever active motions you dream up. But make sure you still make them a little silly – think animal movements, dramatic actions and anything on one foot.

Twister : Get in a good stretch by playing a  game of twister . Don’t have the game? Make your own by taping construction paper circles on the floor. 

Bubbles ! We’ve never met a child that doesn’t get excited about bubbles. Blow some with a wand and challenge your kids to pop them all before they touch the ground, prompting lots of jumping and diving. Better yet,  create your own Bubble Machine  with a fan! (via Kids Activities Blog)

Parachute:  Grab a bed sheet and get your whole family involved – everyone taking a side and rapidly moving your arms up and down. Put some small balls or balloons on top and try and fling them off. Kids love this one!

ACTIVITY DICE

We love these fun, interactive games where your assign a get-up-and-move task to each side of a cube. Kids simply roll the cube to see what activity they need to perform, and for how long. You can create different themes like animal movements (think “run like a Cheetah”, or “Hop like a Frog”) or go for classic exercises (jumping jacks, sit-ups or planks anyone?) and scale them appropriately for your child’s age and ability.

Kids really love these simple yet silly games, and you can easily change them up with new tasks to keep it fresh. A few of our favorite variations include:

Gross Motor Activity Dice For Kids | Free Printable Movement Dice perfect for Brain Breaks, Boredom Busters and staying active indoors | Fun and physical game to get energy out inside

(1)   Lego Super Hero Action Dice:  We love this  free printable  from Life Over C’s and so will any Super Hero loving kids. Simply print and roll and they’ll be soaring like superman, zooming like the Batmobile and Running like Flash!

(2)   Get the Kids Moving Game:  Just print, cut and glue these  colorful printable die  (via Paperelli for iheartnaptime) and your kids will be performing silly (but strengthening) tasks like “Bunny Hops for 15 seconds” or “One-Leg Flamingo Balance for 45 seconds” in no time.

(3)    Animal Action Dice:  This adorable  printable dice  from Playdoh to Plato features creative animal movements like “Wander like a moose” and “Scurry like a squirrel”. 

(4)   Movement Dice:  Alternatively, use these  printable movement dice  from Pink Oatmeal which include classic movements and animals.

(5)   Animal Movement Activity Dice:  Simply print and stick these engaging  animal movements  from Silhouette Blog onto a wooden block. This one is perfect for pre-schoolers who won’t be able to hold back the giggles whenever they roll “Waddle like a penguin”.

(6)   Move Like An Insect Gross Motor Dice:  This printable dice from Life Over C’s  features bugs  and their movements. Your kids will be having a blast crawling like caterpillars and flapping like butterflies while burning off tons of energy! 

(7)   Moving My Body Gross Motor Dice:   Another great printable  from Life Over C’s features 2 dice – 1 with body parts and 1 with motions. Roll them both and put them together to do active motions like “wiggle your head” and “bend your elbow”. 

(8)   Snowy Winter Gross Motor Dice : For  this game  from 3 Dinosaurs there are two dice: 1 for winter-themed movements (think snow angel, skiing and shoveling) and 1 for speed (fast, slow and normal). A great active boredom buster for your next snow day! 

(9)   Animal Dice Game:  Another fun option for animal movements are these  free printable dice  from Twitchetts which combine instructions on 1 die like “act like…” and “run like…” with different animals on another die. 

(10)   Gross Motor Action Dice:  This  easy printable  from I Can Teach My Child will have your child hop, skip and jumping their energy away. 

BONUS IDEAS!

These may not be printable, but they’re super easy to execute and are still extremely engaging.

Assign-a-Dice:  On a piece of paper assign each number from 1-6 a movement or action. Have your child roll a dice and perform the task assigned to the corresponding number. Make it active yet silly for best results. A few fun ones to try:

  • Do 10 burpees…blindfolded!
  • Crab Crawl backwards around the edge of the room
  • Fly like a bird to the bathroom and back
  • Army crawl for 20 seconds

For extra fun, use 2 dice and assign movements to one die (running, jumping, etc), and animals to the other. Roll them both and your kids will be “slithering like a monkey”, “hopping like a fish” or “skipping like an elephant” amidst fits of laugher.

Uno Movement Game:  OK, so this  Uno Movement game  from Still Playing School isn’t technically an activity dice game, but it works in a very similar manner. Grab a deck of  Uno Cards  and assign actions to each number. Flip a card over and  everyone  gets up and completes the task.

GET DRAMATIC

This won’t be a problem for most kids, as drama is often a skill that is practiced daily (whether they realize it or not!). Have your kids channel that drama in these exciting activities that will also reduce their restless energy.

Movement Charades:  Pretend to be your favorite animal, superhero or sports player by imitating their signature moves (no sounds allowed!). The rest of the players try and guess who they are – the first one to do so correctly, gets a point. If your kids have trouble thinking on the spot, write down some suggestions and place them in a hat to draw from when it’s their turn

Create a Show:  Invite your kids to create their very own play (you’ll provide the audience!). The only catch is that they have to create it around an active prompt you give them – this could be a sport, activity (karate, dance, gymnastics) or our personal favorite, a Circus Show full of juggling (attempts at least) and jumping through hoops. Once they’re ready to perform, video tape it so it feels like a real production (plus kids love to watch themselves on tape so you’ll get a moment of rest while the replay airs).

Put on a Fashion Show:  Kids love to dress-up, and this idea brings that love to the next level. Create a long runway out of tape or  kraft paper  and invite your fashionistas to perform their best walk while you pump the music. You can play the judge awarding points for style, creativity and their overall strut.

Choreograph a Routine:  If your child is into dance, theatre or just loves to be the star of the show, challenge them to choreograph a one minute solo routine that they’ll have to perform in front of their loyal fans (ahem, you). Not only does this get kids thinking creatively and working independently (aka Mom gets a break), it also gets their blood flowing as they practice over and over again until it’s just right.

IMAGINATIVE PLAY

Exercise your child’s body  and  mind with these active imaginative games .

Snowball Fight:  Create an indoor snow fight by creating your own snowballs with scrunched up pieces of newspaper, or buy a fun indoor snowball fight kit  like this one . Make your own fort to take cover in between throws. This is a kid-favorite and they burn a ton of energy ducking and darting out of the way of incoming blizzards.

We’re Going On A Bear Hunt:  Hide a bear (or other stuffed animal) somewhere in your house and have your child find it (use “hot” or “cold” for younger kids who may need a bit of direction). Bonus points if you read  the book  first. 

Make Elephant Feet:  Stomp around the house with these inventive  DIY Elephant Feet  from Martha Stewart. Click  here  for the full tutorial. 

MUSICAL + DANCE

Time to pull out your best ‘90s dance moves and crank up the music. With these games your kids will forget all about the rain or snow outside, and instead they’ll dance up a storm of their very own.

Dance Party!  Turn on the high-energy music and have a dance off! Make sure you have a large open space (clear of toys to trip on) and twirl, twist and shimmy your way around the room. Add in musical instruments or turn off the lights and break out some glow-sticks to prolong the party.

Freeze Dance:  Add-in a game to your dance party where one person stops the music and everyone else must instantly freeze. If you catch someone moving, they’re out. The last one standing (or dancing in this case), wins.

Musical Letters:  Make pieces of paper with big letters on them and spread them around the room. Play some music while they dance and then stop it and call out one of the letters. They have to immediately find the letter and sit down on it. If they pick the wrong one, have them do 15 jumping jacks (or whatever age appropriate movement you decide). Scale this activity to fit the level of your child – use colors, numbers or sight words to make it easier or harder. (Idea via  Let Kids Be Kids )

EXERCISE VIDEOS!

Let’s face it, most kids would love to sit in front of their iPad on a rainy day for hours on end, but an explosion of pent-up energy at bedtime is not exactly our idea of fun. Instead, turn their “device” time into exercising fun by turning on some kid-friendly YouTube Exercise Videos.

Some of  our favorite YouTube channels and videos  for getting your kids up and moving include:

GoNoodle:   This channel  provides the greatest variety of get-you-moving videos for kids. Do a little exploring and you’re bound to find the perfect one for your kids  (editor’s note: a current favorite in our household is  this one  from Trolls)

Whip/Nae Nae Elementary Cardio Workout :  This genius cardio version  of the popular Whip/Nae Nae moves performed by elementary school kids incorporates jumping jacks, lunges and push-ups in a workout that’s so fun, kids won’t even realize they’re working out.

Koo Koo Kanga Roo:  If you can get past the kitchy mustache and fanny pack on this dynamic duo, you kids will be totally intrigued by  Koo Koo Kanga Roo’s dance-a-long songs , including our favorite  Dinosaur Stomp . 

Learning Station:   This channel  boasts “healthy music for a child’s heart, body and mind”, offering educational videos with lots of active participation geared towards toddlers, preschoolers and elementary aged kids. Some of our top selections: “ Move and Freeze ” and “ Shake Your Sillies Out “. 

Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel:  Jack Hartmann  is another great channel with lots of videos to explore, and features educational themes (learn counting, numbers and more!) with dance and movement. Check out the short  Brain Breaks  and  Physical Education songs , plus our favorites “ Animals in Action ” and “ Top Dog ”. 

Move To Learn Channel : Pair  educational songs  with easy-to-follow exercise moves, and you’ve got engaged kids burning tons of energy. We love “ King Shapes ” for youngers kids and “ Football Fractions ” for slightly older kids (especially those sports-obsessed!). 

Saskia’s Dansschool:  This incredible dance school in The Netherlands films their talented dancers performing high-energy dances to popular songs. Head to their “ Kids Dances ” section for choreographed routines danced by a group of skilled kids to hits from the likes of  Justin Bieber ,  Justin Timberlake  and  Meghan Trainer . These videos have millions of likes on YoutTube and your kids will love playing them over and over again to pick up all the moves (plus many of them even have their own choreography step-by-step tutorial videos!).

GROOV3Dance Channel:  Professional dancer/choreographer Benjamin Allen leads this series of “how to dance” videos, and we think their  mini workouts  that last 3-5 minutes are perfect for kids – they feature hit songs and are all high-energy and super engaging. These are perfect for grade schoolers and tweens who want to learn some killer dance moves!

Make sure you check out the “ Forget You ” CeeLo choregraphed dance which features child dancers. 

Just Dance Kids:  Simply search for “ Just Dance Kids ” on YouTube and it will pull up a whole selection of video routines pulled from the Wii U games. They feature great music that will make you want to jump in there and try to perform all the moves alongside your kids!

Cosmic Kids Yoga:  This channel includes a  huge collection of videos  that focus on yoga and mindfulness wrapped in fun, interactive adventures – building kids’ strength, balance and confidence.

Steve Songs “Let’s Move”:  You can’t go wrong with anything from Steve Songs, and  this song  (as cheesy as it may be) prompts kids to “get up, get up” and certainly has the right message with its “let’s move” chorus. It’s super catchy (just try and get it out of your head!) and kids think it’s silly fun.

Fit Factor Kids Exercise:  Kids seem to love this  fun 5-minute exercise routine  led by a teenage girl who demonstrates a variety of different animal movements. Try it with yours!

Vacuum, Sweep or Swiffer:  Open up your cleaning closet and have your child pick their favorite tool. The  Swiffer  always seems to be a highly coveted item, and having them work their push/pull muscles while cleaning the house is a winning combination for all.

PLAY WITH ACTIVE TOYS

Head over to our  Gift Guide: The Best Indoor Gross Motor Toys For Active Kids (To Get That Energy Out!)  for our kid-tested recommendations for the best ride-on, balance, swinging, climbing and jumping toys, plus active “board” games.

Best Indoor Gross Motor Toys For Active Kids | Toys To Help Kids Get Energy Out | Gift Ideas For Toddlers for Fun Active Play - Perfect for fighting cabin fever on rainy days or snow days!

Armed with this list of indoor activities, we hope you’ll now be prepared for any type of weather or situation that forces you and your brood inside.  What’s your go-to activity for a rainy or snowy day? We’d love to hear about it – let us know in the comments section below. Found this helpful? We’d love to continue to make your life (with kids en tow) easier and have you  join our What Moms Love community . We’ll hook you up with all of our exclusive resources, including our popular  10 Screen-Free Toys For Guaranteed Quiet Time , our fun  Holiday/Birthday Coupon Book for Kids  and the inspiring  35 Food Subs & Swaps for Healthy Family Meals .

Simply let us know where to send all your goodies below:

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96 comments.

I am loving this post! My twins are 4 years old and the weather has been super cold and windy lately. Plus my son is sick, so I’ve been staying indoors and there’s only so many paintings and chalk drawings you can do 🙂

Thanks for these ideas. I like the painter’s tape activities as well as the hunting games. Your tip about using two different legos is GENIUS..I know my son would totally find all the pieces before my daughter would, so having two different sizes is perfect!

Thanks for these tips and I’m going to share it with my mamas!

Great ideas!

This is a great list for when you are stuck inside. I need to go out and get some tape. Who knew there were so many fun things to do!??

Where has this post been all my life. Okay pinning away so much good stuff here. Also just became a huge fan of your blog ❤️

Oh my goodness, you have no idea how much I could have used this when I was babysitting in high school!! I LOVE all your ideas, and how they really don’t take much to pull together. Sharing on Pinterest!!

I love this list! Winter lasts so long here and it’s harder to get all that energy out! Saving this!

My kid seriously get cabin fever from being inside for a few hours, let alone days from the weather being bad. I am going to have to create most of these activities for the little dude!

Loving this list…. my kids need to burn some energy especially on these cold days! Love how you incorporated learning too!

My little guy is such a wiggle worm. These are perfect for him!

I am mesmerized by this post! Seriously, I read every single word. I am definitely doing these with my kids because they need to get all their energy out!

This is a HUGE and AWESOME list. I will totally be referring to this for my littles this winter!!!

These are all great. I will be getting some tape, balloons, and ping pong balls right away!

OMG THANK YOU! I have a very active toddler who is somehow never tired, so this is an awesome list to refer to when I need new ideas. Thank you for sharing!

Umm these are absolutely GENIUS ideas!! Props to you, Mama of the year!! Cause I wouldn’t have thought of a single one of these! lol! Now I want to try them all.

Wow who knew you could do so much with just a roll of tape!! Pinning this for future reference. 🙂

WOW!! so many cool ideas here!! I love that there are so many gross motor activities on this list. Awesome post!

This is quite the treasure trove! Thank you! With all of this rain we’ve had this season, I’m dying for some park time with my 3-year old. Hopefully these ideas will keep us busy in the meantime. 🙂

Thank you for all of these amazing ideas! You are so creative. I will definitely be coming back to this post when we have our next snow storm.

Nicole | The Professional Mom Project

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Such an awesome, epic list!

total life saver, we have been inside for almost a week and have a big snowstorm hitting later today

great ideas as a after school teacher our area has had several snow storms back to back and cabin fever has truly set in!

That was brilliant.. thanks for the great tips… love the obstacle course

Love the ideas. I’m a tutor and this will really help during the breaks

Lol this reminds me of back when my brothers and I were little. One of my brothers and I were pretty calm kids. But the youngest one was crazy hyper and restless. If stuck in the house too long, it was a call for disaster waiting to happen.

Oh my gosh, thank you SO much. I am bookmarking this because it is still too cold to play outside here, and there is only so much you can play in the snow! My son will LOVE these for sure! Thank you for putting this together!

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This is an excellent list and I am going to bookmark it. My son is going to love some of these.

Awesome article!! Thanks for sharing these great tips 🙂

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OMG! I am bookmarking this page. What a power house of great activities! And for so many ages. You ROCK! Signing up for your blog!

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Too cool all these game ideas for my 4 kids! Thank you very much What moms love.

You’re so welcome!

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Wow! I think I am only about a quarter of the way through the article, and although I am not normally one to comment, I just had to stop and say thank you! I know my boys and I will love so many of these ideas, especially as winter is here for us now. Thank you for such a comprehensive and inspiring list!

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Wow, this is really fabulous. I didn’t know there were so many ways to keep children busy right under our noses. The activities you have listed here also suit a vast age group. Thanks a lot for sharing this post. I am inspired and would try keeping kids busy with some of these indoor games myself.

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I have been scouting for indoor activities for my twins… very happy to have come across your post…I have already set up their weekend activity for scavenger hunt.. Whatmomloves Thankyou and keep sharing some more activities for lil boys.

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I must tell you, All the activities are amazing and looking forward to doing with my 8-year child. thanks for sharing!

My son loves so much balloon games & dart games. Thanks for your great list.

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There is really no age limit on these. I am going to implement some of these ideas in my year 9 maths class. Mini golf sounds great, groups can design their own holes and then the class can play the course. Thank you!

We agree and sounds like a fabulous idea!

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These are all great. As a table tennis afectionado, I can definately vouch for the ping pong ball catch 🙂

This is just a wonderful Blog, thanks for the great insight and tips. We really appreciate your effort! Keep up the awesome work!

Aly thank you so much!!! Why did I love every single one of your huge list of ideas. XX

Yay! So happy to hear this Mirel. Thank you for leaving such a lovely comment.

Hi. Thanks for this much helpful article. Actually i was searching for some articles on Kids Indoor activities. I liked your article a lot.

Your suggestions are really great for me to play with my children. After playing games, they become active so much. Thank you so much for your sharing.

I have had my kids blow the cotton ball rather than use the spoon 🙂 Gave them wads of fluffy cotton and established a start and finish line. They had to race and see who can blow their cotton ball to the finish line the fastest. They exhausted themselves silly 😀

Excellent ideas…. Really awesome… Thank you so much

Excellent ideas in these days, Thank you soooooo much.

Just read through your indoor activities and games. They are amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing them xx

This is a lovely list of activities. My client has a latex allergy so we will avoid the balloon related activities however but the rest are great. What about cookery? In the winter time I have had fun teaching the kids to cook stewed juicy pears for lunch or dinner or bake up a batch of cupcakes for tea. We have also made applesauce ladled into jars and festive star shaped biscuits in the past for a Christmas Day lunch. You could even try other recipes in addition. The kids love it. I help of course.

Dance is another great activity to try too.

Epic post! Thanks for these amazing ideas! Coming at the right time 🙂

Awesome list! So many great ideas! We’ve done some of these activities and love them! They are actually great!

My kids are very active, they love these games so much, we are gonna try them all at the weekends. My four-year-old-son is interested in numbers and letters, how wonderful is that? Thanks for these great ideas.

the games are reallyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy brialliant. the kids love it,it has so many physical activities .

Thanks for this much helpful article, all the activities are amazing! I am going to implement some of these ideas in year 9 maths class in my school

My children usually seem to have a lot of pent-up energy that needs to be released through entertaining activities. I was scrolling and looking for some activities for my children when I came across this blog, which offered me various ideas for my children. We’ll try them all out on weekends and have a great time together. Thanks! It was a great blog.

Thanks for putting this one. My 3 year old son is way too energetic to handle!

The article you have shared here is very awesome. I really like and appreciate your work.

Wow! I love this list! It’s extremely thorough, and I love that there’s so many pictures to go with so many of the activities without having to click out of the page. I definitely am going to bookmark this for later when I start running out of ideas! Thanks for sharing these!

Thanks for putting this out there!

Thank you for sharing this.

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115 fun activities to do at home with kids

  • By Rachel Chappell
  • November 10, 2023

kids-activities

Keeping the kids entertained at home can be a huge challenge. Whether you’re trying to avoid rainy weather, staying home with sick kids or simply planning a day at home, you might looking for some fun ideas of things you can do with the kids that don’t involve screens! We’ve got lots of ideas for home-based activities with kids – from craft & games, to exercise, cleaning, home organisation and photography.

Keeping kids entertained is challenging at the best of times, but even more so when the weather is bad outside, or you’re having to stay at home when sick! This list will help break up the screen-time and keep the kids active and engaged. It’s full of plenty of kids’ activity ideas.

Fun activities to do at home with kids

Looking for things to do at home with the kids? We have sorted the kids’ activities into different categories to make it even easier for you to browse!

Art & Craft Activities

Indoor play activities, outdoor play activities, home organisation, fun education, entertainment.

It’s time to pull out the arts and crafts and get messy! These kids creative activities at home will keep them nice and busy.

  • Tint shaving cream with food colouring, paint the windows or glass doors (or the inside of the shower glass) then rinse it off
  • Using butchers paper, trace a partner’s whole body. Now try to include as many body parts and organs as you can
  • Graffiti the garden fence with chalk
  • Paint the garden fence with water (can do this after the chalk and count it as cleaning!)
  • Make a small bowl, plate , egg cup or statue from air dry clay
  • Make Origami animals or paper ninja stars
  • Make a mud kitchen in the garden, make different coloured rock paint
  • Practice hammering nails into a plank of wood
  • Create a “God’s eye” weaving using sticks and wool
  • Try shadow drawing, leaf rubbings, painting bark or stones
  • Thread pasta into jewellery
  • With some old clothes, cut and create clothes for your toys
  • Make 3D paper rainbows
  • Make your own bubble blower
  • Try leaf threading and make a nature chandelier
  • Use a mirror to draw a self-portrait
  • Create an Alfoil river in the garden and float things down it
  • Make a paper chain to hang up in the dining room
  • Fold paper and cut out paper snowflakes
  • Make pom poms out of wool
  • Play drawing games like Simon Says drawing
  • Put on a puppet show using toys behind the couch
  • Make DIY rain clouds in a jar
  • Do the magic milk experiment
  • Create a sensory shaker bottle using an old bottle, glitter and water (and whatever else you’d like to put in there!)
  • Make greeting cards for the stationery cupboard to be used for birthdays and other occasions
  • Paint a family portrait to be framed and hung
  • Create a paper crown for a member of your family and decorate it
  • Try Michelangelo drawing under the table 
  • Make a pretty lantern using an old jar, tissue paper and glue
  • Make an infinite paper flipper ! 
  • Make frozen dinosaur eggs (or you could use fairies, or Ooshies, etc ) 
  • Make a paper cut out family
  • Make a paper plate whale 
  • Try dying some old plain fabric using natural dyes 
  • Do a chalk photoshoot
  • Make a bottle rocket 
  • Make rainbow paper 
  • Make a stained glass window using clear contact & cellophane 
  • Make a marble run
  • Paint a stick gnome
  • Make a rainbow stick
  • Choose an inspirational quote and create a poster for your room
  • Make sidewalk paint
  • Make a magic potion using aromatherapy oils, glitter, water, petals
  • Try sharpie tie dye using a sharpie and rubbing alcohol
  • Take some artistic photos in black and white. Play around with filters and see what you can create. You could use a phone or learn how to use the proper camera (if you have one)
  • Take some garden clippings and see which ones you can get to grow roots for replanting
  • Make a popsicle stick catapult
  • Can you draw or paint with your feet ?
  • Press flowers within a few heavy books
  • Learn to finger knit, French knit or braid wool into friendship bracelets

Looking for fun things to do at home when the weather isn’t playing nice? Here’s some fun kids’ activities that the whole family can have fun with.

  • Treasure hunt (with clues, hide a favourite toy somewhere in the house)
  • Play dress ups in mum and dad’s clothes – do a photoshoot
  • Have a mum and daughter pamper date
  • Give someone a back, foot or head massage – a favourite indoor kids activity for the parents!
  • Have a Living Room disco – play freeze, musical chairs, have a dance off
  • Build a fort using the couch and every cushion/pillow you can find
  • Organise your Lego and then have a building challenge. Who can build the best house, hotel or shop?
  • Build a teepee fairy house
  • Do a marshmallow toothpick engineering challenge
  • Using Lego characters or other small toys, make a stop motion movie (download the app Stop Motion to your phone or Ipad)
  • Go through your board/card games and challenge yourself to play them all. Design your own game
  • Build a bug hotel
  • Fold paper planes and see how far they will fly
  • Build the highest block tower you can
  • Learn to braid hair
  • Keep a balloon in the air as long as possible
  • Make a Lego zip line
  • Build a house with a deck of cards
  • String up the Christmas lights in your living room
  • Play cinema – make tickets, popcorn, give your guests a rug and watch a movie together
  • Play hotels using your bedrooms as ‘hotel rooms’ or restaurants by setting up the dining room like a restaurant with menus (or hospitals , vets, banks, etc)
  • Play the gummy bear game (using dice and 5 gummies each. Roll a 1 you eat one in your pile, a 2 you pass one bear to your left, a 3 you pass to your right, a 4 you keep it, a 5 you eat it, a 6 you keep it – keep playing till the gummies are gone!)
  • Use masking tape to make a race track. Race matchbox cars. Or use the inside of your bathtub as a ramp for racing
  • Make a time capsule to be opened in 10 years
  • Change the bedsheets and build a sheet city in your bedroom before they get washed!

Fun home activity with kids

Make a batch of play doh!

Pop on the apron and get baking! It’s one of the best home activities for kids.

  • Make a batch of play doh
  • Go through recipe books together and have a bake-off challenge
  • Learn how to bake bread

When the weather’s nice, there’s nothing better than getting the kids outside to expel some energy. Here are some fun activities to do with kids in the great outdoors.

  • Do a backyard scavenger hunt
  • String up a sheet tent in the backyard
  • Create an obstacle course: this is one of the best things to do with kids at home
  • Write notes of love, compliments or doodles and hide them around the house for family to find
  • Put goggles and swimmers on and swim in the bath
  • Have a handball tournament
  • Find 10 different shaped leaves in the garden
  • Outdoor games like egg and spoon race, tag team races, three legged races, or play stuck in the mud
  • Get swimmers on and wash the car or your bike!
  • Set up camp in the garden and play inside the tent
  • Water play – buckets, scoopers, whisk, pouring jugs, straws , bubbles!
  • Have a picnic lunch outside. Take books and toys with you. 
  • Jump rope – can you get to 100 without stopping?
  • Lie on a picnic blanket in the garden and spot cloud shapes. Make up a story about what you see.

Since you’re home, why not take advantage and get ahead with a little organising. It’s fun for the kids, and nice and practical for you as well.

  • Go through clothing from previous seasons, try on and cull things that are too small
  • Go through old photos and videos, and old craft and paintings
  • Gardening – pull weeds, trim bushes, collect flowers for a vase
  • Organise the books on your shelf into a rainbow of colours
  • Find three toys to give to charity
  • Fill a small spray bottle with water and aromatherapy oil and then spray and wipe the house
  • Take everyone’s height measurement on a door frame
  • Sort through all your crafts and art supplies. You can even set up a kids art spot. See if something inspires you. Organise and sharpen all your pencils and test all your markers

Learning can be fun! If you’re after activities to do at home with kids, then here’s all the inspiration you need to get their brains fired up.

  • Research your family tree – see how far back you can go
  • Interview the members of your family on video, or write their answers down
  • Write a short story or poem that includes a dog, an umbrella and some sushi
  • Try the travelling water experiment
  • Take apart an old appliance. Can you put it back together?
  • Hop online and try some educational games. Discover amazing online education websites
  • Go on a virtual tour of places around the world
  • Write a letter to a friend, relative or teacher to mail, or start a journal
  • Work together to a family emblem, motto or song. Include elements that are important to you and your family

Screens are your best friend when you’re stuck at home. Here’s some creative ways to use them to keep the kids busy.

  • Host a kids’ virtual challenge party
  • Make screen time educational! Watch some educational TV shows. Best Educational YouTube Channels for kids
  • Choose a picture book each and read aloud to each other in the biggest bed in your house
  • Wow In The World
  • Circle Round
  • Little Green Pod
  • Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
  • Fierce Girls
  • Story Pirates

If you need ways to expel some energy indoors, here are a few options to get everyone moving.

  • Make up a workout and do it together (eg: 25 star jumps, 20 squats, 15 crunches, hop like a bunny around the lounge room, frog leap your partner) – this is a great kids activity for the whole family.
  • Do an exercise class together on YouTube. Best Free Exercise Workouts for kids on YouTube

Shopping list for craft activities

  • Cream of tartar
  • All purpose flour
  • Food colourings
  • Vegetable oil

General craft supplies

  • Shaving cream
  • Food colouring
  • Paper – coloured and white
  • Air-dry clay
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Acrylic paints
  • Watercolour paints
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Butchers paper or a large paper table cloth
  • Baking soda
  • Duct tape or Masking tape
  • An empty plastic bottle
  • Black paper
  • Clear n ail polish
  • Tissue paper
  • Sticky tape
  • Popsicle sticks

Thanks to North Shore Mum Daniela Minns for sharing all these ideas of things to do with kids at home! You can follow her on Instagram here or check out her website . 

Want more fun activities to do with kids?

  • What’s On: Best things to do in Sydney this weekend
  • Learning from home! Best Educational YouTube Channels for kids
  • Must visit farms & petting zoos around the North Shore
  • Best indoor play centres in Sydney’s north
  • Movies: What’s in cinema these school holidays
  • art , craft , fun activities , kids' activities , organisation , rainy day , stay at home mum

Rachel Chappell

Rachel Chappell

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 37 cool science experiments for kids to do at home.

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General Education

feature_scienceexperiment

Are you looking for cool science experiments for kids at home or for class? We've got you covered! We've compiled a list of 37 of the best science experiments for kids that cover areas of science ranging from outer space to dinosaurs to chemical reactions. By doing these easy science experiments, kids will make their own blubber and see how polar bears stay warm, make a rain cloud in a jar to observe how weather changes, create a potato battery that'll really power a lightbulb, and more.

Below are 37 of the best science projects for kids to try. For each one we include a description of the experiment, which area(s) of science it teaches kids about, how difficult it is (easy/medium/hard), how messy it is (low/medium/high), and the materials you need to do the project. Note that experiments labelled "hard" are definitely still doable; they just require more materials or time than most of these other science experiments for kids.

#1: Insect Hotels

  • Teaches Kids About: Zoology
  • Difficulty Level: Medium
  • Messiness Level: Medium

Insect hotels can be as simple (just a few sticks wrapped in a bundle) or as elaborate as you'd like, and they're a great way for kids to get creative making the hotel and then get rewarded by seeing who has moved into the home they built. After creating a hotel with hiding places for bugs, place it outside (near a garden is often a good spot), wait a few days, then check it to see who has occupied the "rooms." You can also use a bug ID book or app to try and identify the visitors.

  • Materials Needed
  • Shadow box or other box with multiple compartments
  • Hot glue gun with glue
  • Sticks, bark, small rocks, dried leaves, bits of yarn/wool, etc.

insect hotel

#2: DIY Lava Lamp

  • Teaches Kids About: Chemical reactions
  • Difficulty Level: Easy

In this quick and fun science experiment, kids will mix water, oil, food coloring, and antacid tablets to create their own (temporary) lava lamp . Oil and water don't mix easily, and the antacid tablets will cause the oil to form little globules that are dyed by the food coloring. Just add the ingredients together and you'll end up with a homemade lava lamp!

  • Vegetable oil
  • Food coloring
  • Antacid tablets

#3: Magnetic Slime

  • Teaches Kids About: Magnets
  • Messiness Level: High (The slime is black and will slightly dye your fingers when you play with it, but it washes off easily.)

A step up from silly putty and Play-Doh, magnetic slime is fun to play with but also teaches kids about magnets and how they attract and repel each other. Some of the ingredients you aren't likely to have around the house, but they can all be purchased online. After mixing the ingredients together, you can use the neodymium magnet (regular magnets won't be strong enough) to make the magnetic slime move without touching it!

  • Liquid starch
  • Adhesive glue
  • Iron oxide powder
  • Neodymium (rare earth) magnet

#4: Baking Soda Volcanoes

  • Teaches Kids About: Chemical reactions, earth science
  • Difficulty Level: Easy-medium
  • Messiness Level: High

Baking soda volcanoes are one of the classic science projects for kids, and they're also one of the most popular. It's hard to top the excitement of a volcano erupting inside your home. This experiment can also be as simple or in-depth as you like. For the eruption, all you need is baking soda and vinegar (dishwashing detergent adds some extra power to the eruption), but you can make the "volcano" as elaborate and lifelike as you wish.

  • Baking soda
  • Dishwashing detergent
  • Large mason jar or soda bottle
  • Playdough or aluminum foil to make the "volcano"
  • Additional items to place around the volcano (optional)
  • Food coloring (optional)

#5: Tornado in a Jar

  • Teaches Kids About: Weather
  • Messiness Level: Low

This is one of the quick and easy and science experiments for kids to teach them about weather. It only takes about five minutes and a few materials to set up, but once you have it ready you and your kids can create your own miniature tornado whose vortex you can see and the strength of which you can change depending on how quickly you swirl the jar.

  • Glitter (optional)

#6: Colored Celery Experiment

  • Teaches Kids About: Plants

This celery science experiment is another classic science experiment that parents and teachers like because it's easy to do and gives kids a great visual understanding of how transpiration works and how plants get water and nutrients. Just place celery stalks in cups of colored water, wait at least a day, and you'll see the celery leaves take on the color of the water. This happens because celery stalks (like other plants) contain small capillaries that they use to transport water and nutrients throughout the plant.

  • Celery stalks (can also use white flowers or pale-colored cabbage)

#7: Rain Cloud in a Jar

This experiment teaches kids about weather and lets them learn how clouds form by making their own rain cloud . This is definitely a science project that requires adult supervision since it uses boiling water as one of the ingredients, but once you pour the water into a glass jar, the experiment is fast and easy, and you'll be rewarded with a little cloud forming in the jar due to condensation.

  • Glass jar with a lid
  • Boiling water
  • Aerosol hairspray

body_rockcandy

#8: Edible Rock Candy

  • Teaches Kids About: Crystal formation

It takes about a week for the crystals of this rock candy experiment to form, but once they have you'll be able to eat the results! After creating a sugar solution, you'll fill jars with it and dangle strings in them that'll slowly become covered with the crystals. This experiment involves heating and pouring boiling water, so adult supervision is necessary, once that step is complete, even very young kids will be excited to watch crystals slowly form.

  • Large saucepan
  • Clothespins
  • String or small skewers
  • Candy flavoring (optional)

#9: Water Xylophone

  • Teaches Kids About: Sound waves

With just some basic materials you can create your own musical instrument to teach kids about sound waves. In this water xylophone experiment , you'll fill glass jars with varying levels of water. Once they're all lined up, kids can hit the sides with wooden sticks and see how the itch differs depending on how much water is in the jar (more water=lower pitch, less water=higher pitch). This is because sound waves travel differently depending on how full the jars are with water.

  • Wooden sticks/skewers

#10: Blood Model in a Jar

  • Teaches Kids About: Human biology

This blood model experiment is a great way to get kids to visual what their blood looks like and how complicated it really is. Each ingredient represents a different component of blood (plasma, platelets, red blood cells, etc.), so you just add a certain amount of each to the jar, swirl it around a bit, and you have a model of what your blood looks like.

  • Empty jar or bottle
  • Red cinnamon candies
  • Marshmallows or dry white lima beans
  • White sprinkles

#11: Potato Battery

  • Teaches Kids About: Electricity
  • Difficulty Level: Hard

Did you know that a simple potato can produce enough energy to keep a light bulb lit for over a month? You can create a simple potato battery to show kids. There are kits that provide all the necessary materials and how to set it up, but if you don't purchase one of these it can be a bit trickier to gather everything you need and assemble it correctly. Once it's set though, you'll have your own farm grown battery!

  • Fresh potato
  • Galvanized nail
  • Copper coin

body_pulley

#12: Homemade Pulley

  • Teaches Kids About: Simple machines

This science activity requires some materials you may not already have, but once you've gotten them, the homemade pulley takes only a few minutes to set up, and you can leave the pulley up for your kids to play with all year round. This pulley is best set up outside, but can also be done indoors.

  • Clothesline
  • 2 clothesline pulleys

#13: Light Refraction

  • Teaches Kids About: Light

This light refraction experiment takes only a few minutes to set up and uses basic materials, but it's a great way to show kids how light travels. You'll draw two arrows on a sticky note, stick it to the wall, then fill a clear water bottle with water. As you move the water bottle in front of the arrows, the arrows will appear to change the direction they're pointing. This is because of the refraction that occurs when light passes through materials like water and plastic.

  • Sticky note
  • Transparent water bottle

#14: Nature Journaling

  • Teaches Kids About: Ecology, scientific observation

A nature journal is a great way to encourage kids to be creative and really pay attention to what's going on around them. All you need is a blank journal (you can buy one or make your own) along with something to write with. Then just go outside and encourage your children to write or draw what they notice. This could include descriptions of animals they see, tracings of leaves, a drawing of a beautiful flower, etc. Encourage your kids to ask questions about what they observe (Why do birds need to build nests? Why is this flower so brightly colored?) and explain to them that scientists collect research by doing exactly what they're doing now.

  • Blank journal or notebook
  • Pens/pencils/crayons/markers
  • Tape or glue for adding items to the journal

#15: DIY Solar Oven

  • Teaches Kids About: Solar energy

This homemade solar oven definitely requires some adult help to set up, but after it's ready you'll have your own mini oven that uses energy from the sun to make s'mores or melt cheese on pizza. While the food is cooking, you can explain to kids how the oven uses the sun's rays to heat the food.

  • Aluminum foil
  • Knife or box cutter
  • Permanent marker
  • Plastic cling wrap
  • Black construction paper

body_polarbears-1

#16: Animal Blubber Simulation

  • Teaches Kids About: Ecology, zoology

If your kids are curious about how animals like polar bears and seals stay warm in polar climates, you can go beyond just explaining it to them; you can actually have them make some of their own blubber and test it out. After you've filled up a large bowl with ice water and let it sit for a few minutes to get really cold, have your kids dip a bare hand in and see how many seconds they can last before their hand gets too cold. Next, coat one of their fingers in shortening and repeat the experiment. Your child will notice that, with the shortening acting like a protective layer of blubber, they don't feel the cold water nearly as much.

  • Bowl of ice water

#17: Static Electricity Butterfly

This experiment is a great way for young kids to learn about static electricity, and it's more fun and visual than just having them rub balloons against their heads. First you'll create a butterfly, using thick paper (such as cardstock) for the body and tissue paper for the wings. Then, blow up the balloon, have the kids rub it against their head for a few seconds, then move the balloon to just above the butterfly's wings. The wings will move towards the balloon due to static electricity, and it'll look like the butterfly is flying.

  • Tissue paper
  • Thick paper
  • Glue stick/glue

#18: Edible Double Helix

  • Teaches Kids About: Genetics

If your kids are learning about genetics, you can do this edible double helix craft to show them how DNA is formed, what its different parts are, and what it looks like. The licorice will form the sides or backbone of the DNA and each color of marshmallow will represent one of the four chemical bases. Kids will be able to see that only certain chemical bases pair with each other.

  • 2 pieces of licorice
  • 12 toothpicks
  • Small marshmallows in 4 colors (9 of each color)
  • 5 paperclips

#19: Leak-Proof Bag

  • Teaches Kids About: Molecules, plastics

This is an easy experiment that'll appeal to kids of a variety of ages. Just take a zip-lock bag, fill it about ⅔ of the way with water, and close the top. Next, poke a few sharp objects (like bamboo skewers or sharp pencils) through one end and out the other. At this point you may want to dangle the bag above your child's head, but no need to worry about spills because the bag won't leak? Why not? It's because the plastic used to make zip-lock bags is made of polymers, or long chains of molecules that'll quickly join back together when they're forced apart.

  • Zip-lock bags
  • Objects with sharp ends (pencils, bamboo skewers, etc.)

body_leaves

#20: How Do Leaves Breathe?

  • Teaches Kids About: Plant science

It takes a few hours to see the results of this leaf experiment , but it couldn't be easier to set up, and kids will love to see a leaf actually "breathing." Just get a large-ish leaf, place it in a bowl (glass works best so you can see everything) filled with water, place a small rock on the leaf to weigh it down, and leave it somewhere sunny. Come back in a few hours and you'll see little bubbles in the water created when the leaf releases the oxygen it created during photosynthesis.

  • Large bowl (preferably glass)
  • Magnifying glass (optional)

#21: Popsicle Stick Catapults

Kids will love shooting pom poms out of these homemade popsicle stick catapults . After assembling the catapults out of popsicle sticks, rubber bands, and plastic spoons, they're ready to launch pom poms or other lightweight objects. To teach kids about simple machines, you can ask them about how they think the catapults work, what they should do to make the pom poms go a farther/shorter distance, and how the catapult could be made more powerful.

  • Popsicle sticks
  • Rubber bands
  • Plastic spoons
  • Paint (optional)

#22: Elephant Toothpaste

You won't want to do this experiment near anything that's difficult to clean (outside may be best), but kids will love seeing this " elephant toothpaste " crazily overflowing the bottle and oozing everywhere. Pour the hydrogen peroxide, food coloring, and dishwashing soap into the bottle, and in the cup mix the yeast packet with some warm water for about 30 seconds. Then, add the yeast mixture to the bottle, stand back, and watch the solution become a massive foamy mixture that pours out of the bottle! The "toothpaste" is formed when the yeast removed the oxygen bubbles from the hydrogen peroxide which created foam. This is an exothermic reaction, and it creates heat as well as foam (you can have kids notice that the bottle became warm as the reaction occurred).

  • Clean 16-oz soda bottle
  • 6% solution of hydrogen peroxide
  • 1 packet of dry yeast
  • Dishwashing soap

#23: How Do Penguins Stay Dry?

Penguins, and many other birds, have special oil-producing glands that coat their feathers with a protective layer that causes water to slide right off them, keeping them warm and dry. You can demonstrate this to kids with this penguin craft by having them color a picture of a penguin with crayons, then spraying the picture with water. The wax from the crayons will have created a protective layer like the oil actual birds coat themselves with, and the paper won't absorb the water.

  • Penguin image (included in link)
  • Spray bottle
  • Blue food coloring (optional)

body_erosion

#24: Rock Weathering Experiment

  • Teaches Kids About: Geology

This mechanical weathering experiment teaches kids why and how rocks break down or erode. Take two pieces of clay, form them into balls, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Then, leave one out while placing the other in the freezer overnight. The next day, unwrap and compare them. You can repeat freezing the one piece of clay every night for several days to see how much more cracked and weathered it gets than the piece of clay that wasn't frozen. It may even begin to crumble. This weathering also happens to rocks when they are subjected to extreme temperatures, and it's one of the causes of erosion.

  • Plastic wrap

#25: Saltwater Density

  • Teaches Kids About: Water density

For this saltwater density experiment , you'll fill four clear glasses with water, then add salt to one glass, sugar to one glass, and baking soda to one glass, leaving one glass with just water. Then, float small plastic pieces or grapes in each of the glasses and observe whether they float or not. Saltwater is denser than freshwater, which means some objects may float in saltwater that would sink in freshwater. You can use this experiment to teach kids about the ocean and other bodies of saltwater, such as the Dead Sea, which is so salty people can easily float on top of it.

  • Four clear glasses
  • Lightweight plastic objects or small grapes

#26: Starburst Rock Cycle

With just a package of Starbursts and a few other materials, you can create models of each of the three rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Sedimentary "rocks" will be created by pressing thin layers of Starbursts together, metamorphic by heating and pressing Starbursts, and igneous by applying high levels of heat to the Starbursts. Kids will learn how different types of rocks are forms and how the three rock types look different from each other.

  • Toaster oven

#27: Inertia Wagon Experiment

  • Teaches Kids About: Inertia

This simple experiment teaches kids about inertia (as well as the importance of seatbelts!). Take a small wagon, fill it with a tall stack of books, then have one of your children pull it around then stop abruptly. They won't be able to suddenly stop the wagon without the stack of books falling. You can have the kids predict which direction they think the books will fall and explain that this happens because of inertia, or Newton's first law.

  • Stack of books

#28: Dinosaur Tracks

  • Teaches Kids About: Paleontology

How are some dinosaur tracks still visible millions of years later? By mixing together several ingredients, you'll get a claylike mixture you can press your hands/feet or dinosaur models into to make dinosaur track imprints . The mixture will harden and the imprints will remain, showing kids how dinosaur (and early human) tracks can stay in rock for such a long period of time.

  • Used coffee grounds
  • Wooden spoon
  • Rolling pin

#29: Sidewalk Constellations

  • Teaches Kids About: Astronomy

If you do this sidewalk constellation craft , you'll be able to see the Big Dipper and Orion's Belt in the daylight. On the sidewalk, have kids draw the lines of constellations (using constellation diagrams for guidance) and place stones where the stars are. You can then look at astronomy charts to see where the constellations they drew will be in the sky.

  • Sidewalk chalk
  • Small stones
  • Diagrams of constellations

#30: Lung Model

By building a lung model , you can teach kids about respiration and how their lungs work. After cutting off the bottom of a plastic bottle, you'll stretch a balloon around the opened end and insert another balloon through the mouth of the bottle. You'll then push a straw through the neck of the bottle and secure it with a rubber band and play dough. By blowing into the straw, the balloons will inflate then deflate, similar to how our lungs work.

  • Plastic bottle
  • Rubber band

body_dinosaurbones

#31: Homemade Dinosaur Bones

By mixing just flour, salt, and water, you'll create a basic salt dough that'll harden when baked. You can use this dough to make homemade dinosaur bones and teach kids about paleontology. You can use books or diagrams to learn how different dinosaur bones were shaped, and you can even bury the bones in a sandpit or something similar and then excavate them the way real paleontologists do.

  • Images of dinosaur bones

#32: Clay and Toothpick Molecules

There are many variations on homemade molecule science crafts . This one uses clay and toothpicks, although gumdrops or even small pieces of fruit like grapes can be used in place of clay. Roll the clay into balls and use molecule diagrams to attach the clay to toothpicks in the shape of the molecules. Kids can make numerous types of molecules and learn how atoms bond together to form molecules.

  • Clay or gumdrops (in four colors)
  • Diagrams of molecules

#33: Articulated Hand Model

By creating an articulated hand model , you can teach kids about bones, joints, and how our hands are able to move in many ways and accomplish so many different tasks. After creating a hand out of thin foam, kids will cut straws to represent the different bones in the hand and glue them to the fingers of the hand models. You'll then thread yarn (which represents tendons) through the straws, stabilize the model with a chopstick or other small stick, and end up with a hand model that moves and bends the way actual human hands do.

  • Straws (paper work best)
  • Twine or yarn

#34: Solar Energy Experiment

  • Teaches Kids About: Solar energy, light rays

This solar energy science experiment will teach kids about solar energy and how different colors absorb different amounts of energy. In a sunny spot outside, place six colored pieces of paper next to each other, and place an ice cube in the middle of each paper. Then, observe how quickly each of the ice cubes melt. The ice cube on the black piece of paper will melt fastest since black absorbs the most light (all the light ray colors), while the ice cube on the white paper will melt slowest since white absorbs the least light (it instead reflects light). You can then explain why certain colors look the way they do. (Colors besides black and white absorb all light except for the one ray color they reflect; this is the color they appear to us.)

  • 6 squares of differently colored paper/cardstock (must include black paper and white paper)

#35: How to Make Lightning

  • Teaches Kids About: Electricity, weather

You don't need a storm to see lightning; you can actually create your own lightning at home . For younger kids this experiment requires adult help and supervision. You'll stick a thumbtack through the bottom of an aluminum tray, then stick the pencil eraser to the pushpin. You'll then rub the piece of wool over the aluminum tray, and then set the tray on the Styrofoam, where it'll create a small spark/tiny bolt of lightning!

  • Pencil with eraser
  • Aluminum tray or pie tin
  • Styrofoam tray

#36: Tie-Dyed Milk

  • Teaches Kids About: Surface tension

For this magic milk experiment , partly fill a shallow dish with milk, then add a one drop of each food coloring color to different parts of the milk. The food coloring will mostly stay where you placed it. Next, carefully add one drop of dish soap to the middle of the milk. It'll cause the food coloring to stream through the milk and away from the dish soap. This is because the dish soap breaks up the surface tension of the milk by dissolving the milk's fat molecules.

  • Shallow dish
  • Milk (high-fat works best)

body_stalactite

#37: How Do Stalactites Form?

Have you ever gone into a cave and seen huge stalactites hanging from the top of the cave? Stalactites are formed by dripping water. The water is filled with particles which slowly accumulate and harden over the years, forming stalactites. You can recreate that process with this stalactite experiment . By mixing a baking soda solution, dipping a piece of wool yarn in the jar and running it to another jar, you'll be able to observe baking soda particles forming and hardening along the yarn, similar to how stalactites grow.

  • Safety pins
  • 2 glass jars

Summary: Cool Science Experiments for Kids

Any one of these simple science experiments for kids can get children learning and excited about science. You can choose a science experiment based on your child's specific interest or what they're currently learning about, or you can do an experiment on an entirely new topic to expand their learning and teach them about a new area of science. From easy science experiments for kids to the more challenging ones, these will all help kids have fun and learn more about science.

What's Next?

Are you also interested in pipe cleaner crafts for kids? We have a guide to some of the best pipe cleaner crafts to try!

Looking for multiple different slime recipes? We tell you how to make slimes without borax and without glue as well as how to craft the ultimate super slime .

Want to learn more about clouds? Learn how to identify every cloud in the sky with our guide to the 10 types of clouds .

Want to know the fastest and easiest ways to convert between Fahrenheit and Celsius? We've got you covered! Check out our guide to the best ways to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa) .

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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25 of the Best Indoor Games for Kids Aged 8-12 Years

Jennifer Buttner

March 10, 2020

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Sick of hearing “I’m bored!” from your older kids? Entertaining tweens indoors can be challenging, as they tend to turn their noses up at all suggestions that don’t involve technology! So if you’re looking for alternatives to plugged in activities, here are 25 of the best indoor games for kids aged 8-12 yrs, that will be sure to keep everyone happy!

The kids will be driving you and each other crazy in no time if they’re feeling cooped up, so get them started with one of these indoor games for kids and then listen for the laughter!

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 11 Entertaining Sleepover Games for the Best Ever Slumber Party

Best Indoor Games for Kids

#1. what am i eating.

My tween loves playing this game with his friends. They blindfold one person and raid the cupboards to find items for them to taste. Things like honey, soy sauce, mustard, frozen pea, marshmallow etc. all work well.

The blindfolded person must try and guess what they have been given to taste. Make sure you check for food allergies before playing this game. And it is probably best to supervise the food choices!

#2. He Said She Said

A fun way to get the kids’ imaginations going.

Each person gets a piece of paper and a pen/pencil. They write the first few lines of a story, fold the page until the last line or last few words of the previous person’s story is only visible, and pass the paper over the to next person, who writes the next few lines, and so on until the page comes back to the original author.

Since each child cannot see all of the previous person’s story, they must write their lines based on one sentence/word. The resulting mixed-up stories will invariably bring much laughter.

#3. Play Alphabet Chat

Challenge each other to talk for a minute each without using words beginning with an agreed letter of the alphabet.

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 15 Entertaining and Fun Indoor Games for Kids of All Ages

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#4. Create a Secret Code

Best indoor games for kids - Mykidstime

Make your own secret code up and write a message to your friends that they have to decode.  The Pigpen cipher uses symbols in place of the letters.

#5. Murder in the Dark

One of the best indoor games for kids is ‘Murder in the Dark’! This game is best done at night so that it’s dark when the lights are turned off. Have the kids sit in a circle and close their eyes. You gently tap one child on the shoulder, and they are the murderer. Everyone opens their eyes and you pick a detective.

  • The detective leaves the room and waits outside until 5 seconds after they hear a scream.
  • The lights are turned off and the other players must mix and mingle around the room. The murderer must tap their victim on the shoulder and whisper into their ear, I am the murderer and you are now dead. The victim must give a blood curdling scream and collapse to the floor.
  • Everyone except the murderer, must stand still. Only the murderer can quietly move away, if they choose too.
  • The detective enters the room 5 seconds after the scream and turns on the lights.The detective looks at the victim and starts to question everyone in order to identify the murderer. Only the murderer can tell a lie. Everyone else MUST tell the truth.
  • Once the detective has decided who they think the murderer is they must touch the accused murderer on the shoulder and announce I am arresting you for the murder of John Smith (name the victim).
  • If the detective is right then the murderer can confess. If the detective is wrong then the true murderer can reveal themselves.

#6. Build a Bridge

Set up in teams to build a bridge out of straws that is strong enough to hold 100 pennies. Or build a bridge out of popsicle sticks and other materials.

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: Fun Family-Friendly Engineering Activities to Do at Home

#7. Paper Aeroplane Race

All you need to make paper aeroplanes is paper and pens for decorating.

First fold your paper aeroplane and then the kids can draw the pilots at the front and the passengers looking out of the windows. Have Paper Aeroplane races and see whose gets furthest.

#8. Sock Wars

For this game you will need 10-20 socks rolled up into balls:

  • Divide the room into two equal halves, and place the socks on the line in the middle (you could use masking tape to mark). Divide all the kids into two equal teams.
  • When the game starts, the object of the game is to get as many socks onto the other teams side of the room before time is up.
  • Team members must stay on their side of the room and toss the socks over to the other sides.
  • A team member cannot hold onto a sock for more than 10 seconds before having to throw it.
  • You could also add in beach balls of varying sizes with the socks, for variety.

#9. Flying Carpet

Each child, or group of children, stands on a rug or cushion in the middle of the floor. This is their ‘flying carpet’ the only problem is, it is upside down! The object of this game is to turn the ‘flying carpet’ over without stepping off it. If you step on the floor you are out!

More difficult than it sounds!

#10. Murderer Wink

Similar to Murder in the Dark, but with a winking murderer.

  • Sit all the children in a circle and get them to close their eyes.
  • Pick one player, or 2 if you have a really large group, to be the murderer, by touching them on their shoulder.
  • Then get everyone to open their eyes and pick a detective.
  • The ‘murderer’ must catch another players eye and wink quickly at them. If you are winked at you die, in a really dramatic fashion of course!
  • The detective must try and guess who the murderer is.
  • The murderer keeps winking at people until they are all out or they have been caught.

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:   20 Great Childhood Games to Play Together

#11. Two Truths and a Lie

Best indoor games for kids - Mykidstime

Creative indoor games for kids, that don’t require any props of equipment, are always a good idea. To play this game, each person shares three statements, one of which is false and two of which are true. Everyone else has to guess which is the lie.

#12. Balloon Ping-Pong

All you need is some balloons and either table-tennis bats, or make your own bats using paper plates and sticks for handles.

Clear some space in the hall and off they go.

#13. Geography Game

The first person starts with a geographic place name and the next person has to think of a place name that starts with the last letter of the previous place.

For example: BlackrocK – KilbeggaN – NicE – EdinburgH…and so on. See how far round the world you can get!

This also makes a great car game for kids , particularly if they use places they see along the journey.

#14. Play The Minister’s Cat

An old Victorian game where you have to think of adjectives to describe the Minister’s Cat in alphabetical order, e.g. start with “The minister’s cat is an adorable cat”.  The next person says e.g. “The minister’s cat is an adorable cat and a bouncy cat” and so on.

#15. Indoor Obstacle Course (with a twist)

Set up some obstacles in the room. Blindfold one player and the rest of the players must lead them through the obstacle course by telling them the way to go. Left to avoid a chair, right 2 steps to avoid a table. etc.

For bigger groups, split them into pairs and let each playing take a turn at leading and navigating.

Don’t Miss…

When you go past the Pass the Parcel stage, you need games that will keep the 8-12 year olds engaged and interested. These highly entertaining party games for tweens  are tried-and-tested for party success!

party games for tweens container

#16. Beetle

Beetle is a drawing game which you play with dice. Each beetle body part has a number associated with it, and that number must be rolled before can draw that particular body part.

  • 6 – Head – one needed
  • 5 – Body – one needed
  • 4 – Tail – one needed
  • 3 – Leg – four needed
  • 2 – antenna – two needed
  • 1 – eye – two needed

Winner is person who gets their beetle drawn first.

#17. Twenty Questions

One person thinks of a thing or a person and the others have to guess what it is but are only allowed to ask questions that get a Yes or a No. The others must guess by the 20th question. First one to guess gets to pick the next item to be guessed.

#18. Sardines

Sardines gives a twist to the classic game of hide and seek. Instead of one person seeking and everyone else hiding, one person hides and everyone else seeks.

Once one of the seekers finds the person hiding, they must hide with that person. This continues until there is only one person left seeking, and everyone else is crammed together like sardines in the hiding place. The last person to find everyone else now becomes the new hider for the next round.

#19. Make Up Limericks

Have a go at making up limericks, a limerick has five lines; the first, second, and fifth rhyme with each other, and the third and fourth rhyme with each other. Give the kids a theme, or first line to get them going.

Here’s one by Edward Lear:

There was an Old Man with a beard Who said, ‘It is just as I feared! Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!’

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#20. Build it High

Best indoor games for kids - Mykidstime

Using marshmallows and wooden skewers or uncooked spaghetti see who can build the highest stack. You may need a few packets of marshmallows for this game as, if they build it well, they may be able to join several skewers together. To win, the stacks must stay up without help!

While you have the marshmallows out, what about learning how to make a marshmallow catapult ?

#21. Chinese Whispers

Kids get such a kick from this, and works well for all ages – the more kids you have for this, the better.

Sit the kids in a circle, and you tell the first child a sentence of sufficient length, which they then whisper into the next child’s ear and so on. See how much the sentence has changed by the time it comes back to the start.

#22. Stop the Bus

  • Each person has a piece of paper and draws on columns for these headings Girls Name, Boys Name, Animal, Food/Drink, Place.
  • One person says the alphabet silently in their head, then another says “Stop the Bus” and that letter is the initial for the words in each category. e.g. Say the letter is D –  Categories could be Dora, David, Dog, Dates, Denmark.
  • When everyone has finished you add up their scores for that round, awarding 10 points for a unique answer (one no one else has), and 5 points for a duplicate answer.
  • You can come up with new categories as well to play against.

#23. Try to Skip 100 Times Without Stopping

Get the skipping rope out and have a go at skipping 100 times without stopping. Manage that? Aim for 200 now. Check what the world record is for the most skips in 1 minute  – can you beat it?!

#24. Charades

Classic indoor games for kids never get boring!

Charades can be played with any type of word or phrase, but with kids you may find that movie titles, television programmes and popular tween literature work best.

#25. Hang Man

Hang man is a great game that you can play at home or in restaurants. All you need is a pencil and paper.

  • Write down a word, with each letter of the word represented by dashes
  • Everyone else tried to guess what letters might be in the word – if they guess a correct letter , that is then inserted into the correct position, if they don’t guess correctly, start to draw the stick man.
  • Proceed like so until the word is guessed correctly in time, or the little stickman has been hanged.

#26. Freecell

A variation of the extremely popular Solitaire, Freecell is a fast-paced and engaging game the is a great brain enrichment activity for your 8-12 year olds.

  • Played online, the site features a breakdown of the history and rules of Freecell
  • The main difference between Freecell and Solitaire is Freecell is played with all cards facing up.

#27. Hearts

This classic card game will teach your child how important a good strategy is, especially in card games. The card-swapping Hearts is available in single and multiplayer modes.

  • Played online, the site also features a the history of Hearts
  • Hearts also features different variations of the game

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 33 Fun Projects for Kids Aged 8-12yrs

25 of the Best Indoor Games for Kids Aged 8-12 Years – Mykidstime

About the Author: jenniferb

Jennifer Buttner

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The 10 Best Toys For 5 Year Old Boys

R eaching the age of 5 is an important milestone , but if you have a 5-year-old boy, you might struggle to find ways to keep your little one entertained. While there are plenty of skills your 5-year-old is working on, boys at this age can be especially energetic. To help you find something they’ll love playing with, we’ve created a list of the best toys for 5-year-old boys.

Whether they have a birthday coming out or they’ve simply outgrown their old toys, it’s a good idea to keep in mind what they’re learning before purchasing new toys or activities for your child. Keep reading to find out more about what your child is learning and some of the best toys for boys at this age.

What to Expect at 5-Years-Old

Little kids seem like they’re learning something new every day! As a parent, you’re likely amazed at how fast your child is growing and learning new things, especially around the age of 5. If this is your first child or you’re looking for a gift for someone else’s child, you might not know what to expect with children this age.

At 5 years old, you may notice your child is starting to:

  • Communicate their feelings and develop stronger language skills
  • Practice more physical skills like jumping or skipping
  • Recognize rhyming words and ask a lot of questions
  • Feel big emotions and start to communicate and socialize with others

It’s typical for 5-year-olds to have big feelings and not always know how to express them. They’re also learning a lot in regard to vocabulary and social boundaries. Let’s take a look at some of the best toys for boys at 5 years old.

EagleStone Dinosaur Shooting Toy

Let’s start off with the perfect toy for energetic 5-year-olds : the Dinosaur Shooting toy from EagleStone. This toy features an electric scoring target and comes with 24 foam balls and 1 air pump gun. It comes in several different colors and versions so you can choose the one that fits your child best.

The foam ball shooter that comes with this set can shoot up to 33 feet. This toy is great for independent play or your child can play with friends or siblings. The EagleStone Dinosaur Shooting Toy is made of safe materials and is a great gift for kids of all ages.

Foam Airplane Launcher

If you’re looking for a toy your child can play with inside or outside, the Foam Airplane Launcher is a great choice. These foam airplanes can fly up to 49 feet and their lightweight style makes them easy to get up in the air. 

The Foam Airplane Launcher can also encourage your young child to get outdoors, which is great for their health. The Foam Airplane Launcher comes with a launcher, 3 airplanes, 3 stickers, and instructions. You can also choose from a few different colors to ensure you get your child’s favorite.

Toysmith Tech Gear Multi Voice Changer

If you’re looking for a toy your child will love showing their siblings or friends, check out the Toysmith Multi Voice Changer. This silly and simple toy will be a hit with your 5-year-old boy.The voice changer features 10 different voice modifiers so your child can have fun with different voices and use their imagination.

It’s simple to use and there are buttons and levers on the side where you can adjust the frequency or volume of the voice changer. It also includes flashing LED lights on the side. You and your child can even have fun with this silly toy together.

Batman Interactive Gauntlet

Superhero toys are definitely a favorite of 5-year-old boys and your child will love this Batman Interactive Gauntlet. This interactive gauntlet includes lights, sounds, and 2 different modes of play. The gauntlet also has over 15 different sounds and phrases for your little boy to play with.

With the Batman Interactive Gauntlet, your child can play in battle mode or mission mode. Battle mode includes action sounds and mission mode includes fun and engaging storytelling missions.

MindSprout Dino Blasters

The MindSprout Dino Blasters are another fun toy your little boy can play with outside. Your child will have a blast with this launcher toy as they launch the dinosaurs in the air by stomping on the volcano.

It’s simple for any child to play with and is a great interactive way to play with friends or siblings. It also gets them outdoors and active while they run from the launcher and try to catch the dinosaur rockets.

Lego Gear Bots

This Klutz-certified Lego Gear Bots kit is perfect for young children who love building with LEGOs. The Gear Bots set allows your little boy to build 8 kinetic creatures using LEGO technic bricks and papercraft.

Not only is this a fun way for your child to play or build independently, but it’s also great for STEM learning. Each gear bot is physics-driven, which gives you the perfect opportunity to teach while you build with your child.

Bennol Outdoor T-Ball Set

This outdoor t-ball set is perfect for active boys who love sports and playing outside. The t-ball set is adjustable and is great for beginners. It includes a bat, base, automatic ball launcher, batting tee, and 6 baseballs.

The oversized balls are great for young children who are just learning how to play ball. It’s the perfect way for your boy to learn how to swing, serve, and hit the ball. There’s no experience required and it’s simple to set up in any yard or outdoor space.

Magnetic Tiles

If you’re looking for a toy to keep your child entertained for hours, these magnetic tiles from the Soyee Store are the perfect choice. Magnetic tiles have become incredibly popular with young kids and there’s no limit to the possibilities when it comes to building different things and designs.

This is considered a starter set and includes 52 pieces. Also, they’re compatible with other brands so you don’t have to use the same brand all the time. These magnetic tiles are also great for STEM learning and give you the opportunity to teach different STEM concepts to your child.

Air Floating Soccer Ball with LED Light

This air-floating soccer ball is another excellent choice for active kids. The Hover Soccer Ball Set comes with a soccer toy and 2 goals. The hovering soccer ball has a powerful motor that allows it to glide across different surfaces, and it can be used indoors or outdoors.

The soccer ball that comes with this kit can be recharged so you don’t have to constantly replace the batteries. It also includes multi-color LED lights and it includes a protective foam bumper to keep kids safe during play.

Spin Art Machine Kit

For crafty or art-loving children, the Spin Art Machine Kit is the perfect activity to keep them engaged. This kit allows your 5-year-old to unleash all their creativity and practice their art skills in a fun and safe way.

This kit also allows them to have fun and experiment with different patterns and color combinations. The Spin Art Machine Kit is simple and easy to use, even for young children. It includes the Paint Vortex Machine, a splatter guard, 4 bright colored paints, 3 metallic paints, 10 art boards, and 2 white crayons.

Finding the Best Toys for 5-Year-Old Boys

Keeping a 5-year-old boy engaged in a toy or activity can be difficult, but there are plenty of games and toys out there that are age-appropriate. While they’re learning new physical, social, and emotional skills, there are many toys that can help them stay engaged and continue to learn and grow.

Whether it’s a special occasion or you’re just looking for a way to surprise your child, the toys on this list of best toys for 5-year-old boys are ones your little one will love.

The post The 10 Best Toys For 5 Year Old Boys appeared first on Moms Who Think .

This article may contain affiliate links that Microsoft and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links.

The 10 Best Toys For 5 Year Old Boys

Missing 5-year-old Darnell Taylor found dead; Pammy Maye faces murder charge

activities for 5 year old boy at home

Columbus police announced Friday morning that police recovered the body of 5-year-old Darnell Taylor , who had been missing since early Wednesday. Police said that his foster mother will now face murder charges.

Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant made the announcement Friday morning at a news conference.

Police took the woman, Pammy Maye, into custody shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday night in the 4000 block of Tiedeman Road in the Cleveland suburb of Brooklyn. Police found her wandering in a nightgown, and she told investigators where they could locate Darnell's body, Bryant said.

Maye told police that she left Darnell's body in a sewage drain in the 1000 block of Marsdale Avenue in Franklin County. Investigators located the body shortly after 1 a.m. Friday.

Darnell had been  the subject of an Ohio Amber Alert since early Wednesday when a man who identified himself as his foster father called 911 around 3 a.m. to say his wife had told him the boy was dead, and he couldn't find the boy in the house on the 900 block of Reeb Avenue.

Officers searched Maye's family and friends' homes looking for her and the child before requesting a statewide Amber Alert, which was issued after 5 a.m., though delivery issues were reported with the system.

Franklin County Children Services said Thursday that Maye and her husband had become the legal custodians of Darnell, despite police calling Maye the foster mother of Darnell.

Who is Pammy Maye?

Maye remains in custody, and Bryant said police will seek to add murder charges to counts of kidnapping and endangering children. Maye has been taking care of Darnell since May 2023, according to Columbus police and the  Ohio Amber Alert website .

Bryant said that police have notified Darnell's biological family of the death and Maye's arrest.

Police confirmed Friday morning she remains in custody in Cuyahoga County. Records do not yet detail when Maye is expected to make her first appearance in court in Franklin County. Columbus police said she is being evaluated at a Cleveland-area hospital.

Maye has no discernible criminal history. Public records show that she and her husband married in 1998 and bought their Reeb Avenue home in 2021. A list of police calls to their home obtained by the Dispatch shows that officers previously responded a handful of times since the couple bought it.

In October 2023, police were called to investigate a report of a missing person. However, no report was taken. In November 2023, just two weeks later, police were called for an unspecified disturbance. Again, no report was taken. 

On three other occasions since May 2021, police went to the home to accompany the fire department on unspecified medical runs. 

Learn More: What we know about Darnell Taylor kidnapping and Pammy Maye

Police searched neighborhood around Pammy Maye's home

A Columbus police officer in a patrol car sat guard Thursday afternoon outside Maye’s Reeb Avenue home and told reporters no one was home and not to approach.

Neighbors who spoke to The Dispatch at their residences Thursday said they did not know Maye except in passing. They said that area of Reeb Avenue was generally a quiet neighborhood.

Neighbor Saria Guardado, whose son acted as a translator during the interview, said she had only interacted with Maye once, when the woman dropped off some vegetables. While she spoke with The Dispatch, an officer came to her side door to ask permission to search the garage, which she granted.

Another neighbor said she’d provided Ring doorbell footage to police, though it didn’t appear to her that any of the footage would be useful.

Police had asked residents in the 43207 ZIP code, which is in the South Alum Creek neighborhood in Columbus' South Side that includes the Reeb Avenue home where the foster mother and child reside, to search their property for anything that may look suspicious or out of place. Court filings and the searches Thursday suggest police are concerned that the boy may have been left somewhere in the area.

7-year-old boy fatally hit by truck while trying to retrieve ball

RINGGOLD, La. (KSLA/Gray News) - Authorities say a 7-year-old Louisiana boy was killed when he was hit by a truck after crawling underneath it to retrieve a ball.

Louisiana State Police troopers began investigating a single-vehicle crash involving a pedestrian shortly after 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Ringgold. The crash claimed the life of 7-year-old Kaiden Coke, KSLA reports .

The preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of a 2011 Dodge Ram was backed into a parking space in a private parking lot. Kaiden, who was playing with a ball, was inside the same parking lot.

For reasons still under investigation, the 7-year-old lost his ball, and it rolled under the truck. As he went to get the ball, the driver, who was unaware that the boy had crawled under the truck, pulled out of the parking space, police said.

Kaiden was hit by the truck and pronounced dead at the scene by the Bienville Parish Coroner’s Office.

Police say the driver of the truck was not injured. Although impairment is not suspected, routine toxicology samples were collected and will be submitted for analysis.

The incident remains under investigation.

In a statement, police provided a list of safety measures that can help reduce the risk of tragic crashes involving children:

“It is crucial to educate children on the importance of never playing near or around cars and trucks. Always make it a habit to walk around your vehicle and thoroughly check the surrounding area before reversing. Avoid solely relying on detection devices, as they may not always be foolproof. Encourage your children to stand to the side of the driveway or sidewalk so they are clearly visible to you when backing out. Furthermore, when driving through residential areas, it is imperative to be extra cautious and attentive. Keep a watchful eye out for children, reduce your speed, and remain vigilant at all times. By following these safety tips, we can all play a role in preventing tragic crashes and keeping our communities safe.”

Copyright 2024 KSLA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Amber Alert for 17-year-old William Sieh canceled after safely returning home Sunday, police say

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PEARLAND, Texas (KTRK) -- An Amber Alert for 17-year-old William Sieh has been canceled after authorities say he returned home on Sunday.

The Pearland Police Department did not provide further information.

See the original report below.

According to an Amber Alert released on Saturday night, police were searching for 17-year-old William Sieh, who was last seen at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Pearland.

The Amber Alert described William as a 5'2, 110-pound white male with brown hair and green eyes.

Before returning home, he was reportedly last seen at the 3600 block of Pine Chase Drive wearing a gray and maroon long-sleeved Pearland shirt with black pants.

Pearland police say the teen left on his own, but they believed he was in danger when he wasn't home to take his needed medication.

For news updates, follow Luke Jones on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

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  • MISSING BOY
  • MISSING CHILDREN

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  3. 55+ Easy Activities for 5 Year Olds

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  4. Fun and Learning Activities for 5 Year Olds

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  5. 5 Problem-solving activities kids can do at home

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  6. Best Toys for 5 Year Old Boys

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COMMENTS

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    White House Crafts An indoor day is the perfect time to break out all of the ribbons, craft sticks, pipe cleaners and googly eyes that are just begging to be turned into DIY masterpieces. (And, if...

  2. 55+ Easy Activities for 5 Year Olds

    3. Build a fort - used blankets, cushions and chairs to build the ultimate retreat nook. Dontas forget to add lots and lots of books! 4. Build a marble Run - use cardboard, construction paper, tape and marbles. Roll the construction paper up to make a tube and tape them to the cardboard to make a marble run. 5. Make silly putty. 6.

  3. 80 Best Activities for Kids 2023

    Crafting Cheerfully Decoder Wheel Kids will have so much fun decrypting secret messages after they make their own decoder wheel. You can use the one from the tutorial below, or invent your own...

  4. 42 easy activities to keep kids busy while parents work at home

    Toy wash: Fill a sink, plastic bin, or bowl with water. Provide towels and a box of toys that kids can wash (toys with electronic pieces should be hidden for this activity). Throw in some small cars, plastic animals, toy food, plastic keys, etc., and let your kids clean away.

  5. Top 36 Activities for 5 Year Old Children

    25 In this Article Importance of Activities for 5-Year-Olds Educational and Learning Activities Art and Craft Activities Fine and Gross Motor Activities Montessori Activities Sensory Activities Indoor Activities Outdoor Activities FAQs Engaging young children in activities is vital for their holistic growth and development.

  6. 51 Best Activities for 5 Year Olds for Holistic Development

    Math Worksheets Things you'll need: Templates You can print out math worksheets from SplashLearn for your 5-year-old and have them solve word problems, addition and number sense questions, and more. Skills learned: Core math concepts, 2. Count By Skipping 1, 2, 3s Things you'll need: Worksheets and a pencil or pen

  7. Indoor Activities for 5-10 Year Olds (with Cheat Sheet!)

    Make an old-fashioned cup and ball game! Securely tape a ping pong ball to one end of a 2 foot string. Poke a hole in the bottom of a paper cup. Thread the other end of the string through the hole in the cup and tie in a secure knot. You'll want the knot on the outside of the cup base, so that the string leading to the ball tracks through the ...

  8. 25 Engaging Activities For 5-Year-Olds

    Five-year-olds are eager to learn, help, and do. They are on the go from morning till night, so they need plenty of short activities to keep them entertained. We've compiled a list of 25 engaging activities, so dive right in and remember to have fun! 1. Play With Your Food Kids are always told, "Don't play with your food."

  9. 50 Things To Do with Kids at Home

    Make a game of it, dress ups is always a fun activity for kids at home. 21. Build a house with a deck of cards. This is such an easy indoor kids activity for those who need a challenge. All you need is a deck of cards. Put them together in triangles and try to build them up into the form of a house.

  10. 7 Fun And Easy Learning Activities For 5-Year-Olds

    7 Fun And Easy Learning Activities For 5-Year-Olds - Begin Learning Parent Resources for Learning > Core Skills > 7 Fun And Easy Learning Activities For 5-Year-Olds 7 Fun And Easy Learning Activities For 5-Year-Olds by Dr. Jody LeVos | May 18, 2021 | Core Skills It can be challenging to find the right activities for 5-year-olds.

  11. 50+ Indoor Games for Kids: All Ages

    Key Takeaways. Play fun indoor games like Balloon Blow, Musical Statues, Pass The Parcel, and Box Targets. Engage in age-appropriate activities such as Sleeping Lions, Blind Man's Buff, and Bowling for kids 3 years and older. Enjoy games like Zingo, What's The Time Mr. Wolf?, and Go Fish for kids 4 years and older.

  12. 50 Independent Activities Children Can Do at Home

    Here are 50 activities that, with minimal prep beforehand, your children can complete all on their own. 1. Try this three-marker art challenge, which challenges kids to make artwork using just three colors. 2. Mystery Science Activities is offering tons of STEM activity ideas for kids to do at home right now.

  13. Activities for Kids: Ideas for 101 Free Games, Crafts, and More

    Take a walk in the woods. Take your dog to a dog park or visit a local animal shelter (bring a donation). Teach your child how to ride a bike. Visit a garden. Visit a skate park together and watch older kids do tricks. Wash your car together. Watch your child play a sport or take them to see a friend's game.

  14. 50 Easy Crafts for Kids

    1 Embellished Bow Here's a quick way to take a basic straw basket to the next level! Kids can embellish bows with iron-on patches and stenciled monograms. Help them create their own bows using a 3"...

  15. 50 best indoor activities for kids

    Tissue paper transfer art from It's Always Autumn is another perfect indoor activity for kids, and it's really fun to see the designs you can make with nothing but tissue paper and water! 32. Challenge your kids to some Engineering building challenges from Frugal Fun 4 Boys. 33.

  16. Activities for 5 Year Olds

    Preschooler activities that are perfect for 5 to 6 year olds. Please note: This is just the age that we tried these activities in our house. These activities may be suitable for other ages. As well as not suitable for your child that is of this age. Please take into consideration the level of development that your child is at.

  17. Online Educational Learning Games for 5-Year-Olds

    These board games for 5 year olds that we picked carefully will entertain your children and vastly support their mental development. 1. Kerplunk Game. Finding family board games for 5 year olds for family nights can be difficult as children at that age can experience difficulties in understanding the game.

  18. Indoor Activities for Kids

    Learn Origami. Learn About a New Animal. Learn a New Card Game. Learn to Sew. Learn to Knit. Do Brain Teasers. Learn a New Language. Learn About a Country. Over 100 ideas are included in this indoor activities for kids free printable.

  19. How to Homeschool a 5 Year Old

    Step 1: Check your state laws for compulsory attendance. Ages vary when attendance is mandatory, but it's always safer to investigate the required days per year that you must homeschool your child. Step 2 : Choose a homeschooling curriculum or curricula that fits your child's learning styles. Step 3: Decide on a schedule.

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    TAPE GAMES A simple roll of low-tack Painter's tape ( like this one for delicate surfaces ) will be your new best friend once you try these genius ideas that get kids exerting their energy in all sorts of creative ways.

  21. 115 fun activities to do at home with kids

    Make Origami animals or paper ninja stars. Make a mud kitchen in the garden, make different coloured rock paint. Practice hammering nails into a plank of wood. Create a "God's eye" weaving using sticks and wool. Try shadow drawing, leaf rubbings, painting bark or stones.

  22. 37 Cool Science Experiments for Kids to Do at Home

    Difficulty Level: Easy. Messiness Level: Medium. In this quick and fun science experiment, kids will mix water, oil, food coloring, and antacid tablets to create their own (temporary) lava lamp. Oil and water don't mix easily, and the antacid tablets will cause the oil to form little globules that are dyed by the food coloring.

  23. 25 of the Best Indoor Games for Kids Aged 8-12 Years

    Charades. Classic indoor games for kids never get boring! Charades can be played with any type of word or phrase, but with kids you may find that movie titles, television programmes and popular tween literature work best. #25. Hang Man. Hang man is a great game that you can play at home or in restaurants.

  24. The 10 Best Toys For 5 Year Old Boys

    Finding the Best Toys for 5-Year-Old Boys. Keeping a 5-year-old boy engaged in a toy or activity can be difficult, but there are plenty of games and toys out there that are age-appropriate. While ...

  25. Vigil held for 4-year-old boy shot and killed on Milwaukee's ...

    MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A balloon release was held to honor the life of a 4-year-old boy who was shot and killed Sunday, Feb.18.Family of Jamero Edwards gathered outside Bradley Townhomes and ...

  26. Missing 5-year-old Darnell Taylor found dead; Pammy Maye faces murder

    Columbus police announced Friday morning that police recovered the body of 5-year-old Darnell Taylor, who had been missing since early Wednesday.Police said that his foster mother will now face ...

  27. 7-year-old boy fatally hit by truck while trying to retrieve ball

    RINGGOLD, La. (KSLA/Gray News) - Authorities say a 7-year-old Louisiana boy was killed when he was hit by a truck after crawling underneath it to retrieve a ball. Louisiana State Police troopers began investigating a single-vehicle crash involving a pedestrian shortly after 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Ringgold.

  28. Amber Alert for 17-year-old William Sieh canceled after safely

    According to an Amber Alert released on Saturday night, police were searching for 17-year-old William Sieh, who was last seen at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Pearland.