10 Fun Activities to Do at Home With Kids
Keeping kids busy and entertained doesn’t have to be hard, or cost a fortune. Here are 10 fun activities to do at home that will keep kids occupied and help develop their brains and motor skills.
Put on some music and ask kids to dance around until the tunes stop. When they do, have them freeze in whatever position they’re in – animal shapes, letters, or even yoga poses.
1. Play a game of hide-and-seek
Playing hide-and-seek is a simple yet fun indoor activity for kids. Kids can practice counting and learning rhyming words.
Whoever is ‘it’ closes their eyes and counts while everyone else finds a hiding spot. When ‘it’ finds the first hiding player they link arms and hide together – soon the hidden players are squashed up like sardines! This is a great socializing and team-building game.
2. Watch a classic movie
Watching movies together is an easy way to get kids’ attention. Classics like Errol Flynn’s pirate movies and cult films with old-school special effects can spark creativity.
Watch The Wizard of Oz, a timeless fairy tale of an adventurous girl and her band of friends. Or, go for the cuteness of My Neighbor Totoro and two sisters who live in the woods and meet a mythical creature.
3. Bake together
One of the best fun activities for kids is to bake together. This is a great activity that requires no equipment and can help develop their creativity and independence.
Repurpose old cereal boxes and toilet paper rolls for arts and crafts. This is a great indoor activity that will keep them busy for hours! It’s also a good way to get them away from their screens.
4. Go for a walk
Often kids think walking is boring, but you can turn it into an adventure by adding in fun activities to keep them interested. Try finding a waterfall, a playground or even a castle along your route.
You could also play a game with your children where they have to find all the colours of the rainbow in nature. Or, they can toss a coin every time you reach an intersection on your route!
5. Have a picnic
Make the most of sunny weather by having a picnic in your backyard. Bring out a blanket and food that kids can enjoy with their hands (avoid foods that require utensils).
Get the kids active by playing hopscotch or four square. Go on a nature scavenger hunt or conduct a few science experiments. Have a sticker party! It’s a great way to let their creativity shine.
6. Make a puzzle
Raise your hand if you love a good trash-to-treasure project! Today’s homemade puzzle craft for kids is a fun way to encourage creativity and upcycle materials that might otherwise be thrown away.
Children can make their own jigsaw puzzle by using toilet paper roles and a cereal box. This activity will help them identify shapes and colours easily. As they turn, slide and wriggle pieces into place, this game also helps build finger strength and perseverance.
7. Play a finding game
Give the kids a big roll of paper and let them go wild drawing and painting on it. Use different mediums – crayons, adhesive tape and even watercolor.
Make a scavenger hunt with small objects (choking hazard warning – adult supervision is required). This activity also helps with number recognition. For example, you can ask them to find all the items that start with a “B”. This is a great way for them to work on their spelling skills.
8. Yoga
Get out the yoga mats and encourage your kids to find their inner yogi. This fun indoor activity also helps them build strength and flexibility while teaching them to focus.
Have your kids hold mountain pose by sitting with their legs straight out in front of them and slowly extending their arms to either side. They can even flap their arms like butterflies to make this pose fun.
9. Make a tie-dye shirt
Have your kids get creative with a DIY tie-dye shirt. They will have a blast dipping their shirt in dye and creating one-of-a-kind designs.
Bust a move! Put on some old school tunes and host a dance party. This is a fun activity for older kids to work on their motor skills and burn off energy. Performing soil art is also great for kids to exercise their fingers and imagination.
10. Collect leaves
Collecting leaves is one of the best activities for kids in autumn. They can run around your yard, park, or woods and collect all sorts of different leaves. Then, they can sort them according to various categories.
For example, they can make a chart or graph to compare the types of leaves that they’ve collected. They can also create a collage or a scrapbook to display their collection.
