What parent hasn’t heard this one? “Mummy, Daddy, I’m bored…” It can be challenging to keep kids happy when they’re not in school. And it’s no wonder they are smart, curious and always looking for fun! If you’re looking for some ideas, here are a few suggestions of brilliant activities you can do with primary school children while they’re at home.
- Get crafty
- Have a picnic
- Put on a play
- Go on a treasure hunt
- Fill a magic box
- Have a “spa” day
- Do some gardening
Ways to have fun at home
1. Get crafty
Keep children’s hands busy and their minds engaged with some creative activities. Have some messy fun with paint, create silly masks with cardboard or have fun with some paper mache! DIY kits are also an excellent, and all-in-one, way to get crafty. Create your own origami models with this fun kit or learn some basic stitches with this felt unicorn sewing kit for beginners.
2. Have a picnic
Get the kids in the great outdoors whenever possible. If you can, why not have a picnic. Involve the children in preparing and packing the snacks. Get ready with some outdoor toys and head out to the garden or somewhere local to enjoy a fun-filled afternoon. Indoor picnics are also an option on rainy days. Just lay a blanket or picnic rug on the floor and replace the outdoor toys with games.
3. Put on a play
Encourage a love for theatre and get the children to put on their own plays! Dig out costumes and old clothes or prompt children to come up with an original story to perform. To inspire them, you could even jot down a few silly ideas on scraps of paper like an astronaut looking for Mars or an explorer stuck in quicksand. Maybe even have children reach into a hat to pick one. Once they’ve chosen their idea, give the children some time to rehearse, and then get ready for a show!
4. Go on a treasure hunt
Treasure hunts are great fun all year round whether they are in the woods, local park or even in the garden. Young children love looking for anything like flowers, squirrels or leaves following a series of clues. It doesn’t need much planning or they could create they very own treasure map!
5. Fill a ‘magic box’
Have children decorate a special box with coloured pens or pencils. Once it’s looking fabulous, fill it with special items your children can play with. This could be anything from colouring and activity books to puzzles, games and cards. When kids say they’re bored, have friends over or parents need some time to work or do chores, the magic box can come to the rescue! And don’t forget to keep things interesting by occasionally topping up the box with a new surprise game or puzzle!
6. Have a “spa” day
This one is ideal for rainy days! With just a few supplies, you can easily transform a room of your house into a spa. First, pop on some relaxing music. Then get ready for spa favourites: paint fingernails, soak feet in bowls of warm water, make face masks with kitchen ingredients and give each other massages!
7. Do some gardening
Gardening is a fantastic way to introduce kids to the wonders and beauty of nature. And best of all, gardens require regular maintenance, so this is an activity you can return to regularly. Growing food and flowers is also fun and helps teach children responsibility. If you don’t have an outdoor space, you can easily grow seedlings or herbs on a windowsill.
For more great ways to keep kids entertained, check out our wicked range of toys and games!
Why did the boy eat his homework? Because the teacher said it was a piece of cake!
