It can be hard to constantly come up with new ideas to keep your children busy and entertained at the best of times. You might be spending more time than usual at home now and finding this task even more challenging with lockdown, isolation, and round-the-clock caretaking.
Here are a few activities and simple games for pre-school children that you can try together at home – because childhood can’t wait.
Animal Races
This is a really fun one to join in and be silly with too. It’s a great way to show children how to move their body in different ways.
You must race from a starting line to a turnaround point and back again. But you must move like an animal……
- Waddle like a duck
- Slither like a snake
- Hop like a kangaroo
- Plod like an elephant
- Jump like a frog
Hide and seek objects
Where’s the object? While playing with toy cars, dolls or soft toys, place one object under a chair, table or another piece of furniture and another object on top.
Ask your child which object is ‘under’ and which is ‘on top’. Do the same with a box or bag to develop the concept of ‘in’ and ‘out’. Or use a shelf unit for ‘high’ and ‘low’. Progress the game by asking your child to place an object under or on top of something.
‘Where’s your name?’
Hide something with your child’s name written on it (use a capital for the first letter of their name and then lower-case letters).
See if they can find it before you count to 20. If you have more than one child to entertain, perhaps an older sibling could help with counting to 20.
Have a Disco
Learn to follow instructions – stop, start, touch the floor, kick your leg, arms in the air.
Great exercise in a small space.
Simon Says
Play ‘Simon says’. First, ask your child to follow what you say to do an action.
For example…
- “Jump up and down”
- “Turn around”
- “Stand on one leg”
- “Fold your arms”
- “Whisper your name”
When they are familiar with following instructions, explain that they can only do it when ‘Simon says’. So, if you say, “Simon says touch your nose” then they do that action.
If you just say, “Touch your nose” they mustn’t do that action.
This game can be used to get the child to do activities from a routine – or not to do activities that may be interrupting the routine. For example: “Simon say brush your teeth”… “Play with your bath toys”.
You could change the name of Simon. Perhaps if your child is always good for Nanna, “Nanna says” might work in your house! If they are old enough, your child can have a go at thinking of actions for you both to do – or not.
You could even get family members to be “Simon” via a telephone or video call.
Build a den
It’s good to have separate spaces whilst we are all at home together. Building a den can create a lovely cosy place for children to go for some alone time. A den can also be a wonderful place of adventure and imagination.
The beauty of this play is that it’s great for mixed age groups, so a lovely activity for toddlers to play alongside older siblings.
A couple of chairs, a table or even a clothes horse can make wonderful den frames. Add a sheet, a blanket, old curtains or a tablecloth to make an ideal den cover.
For ages of about 12-18 months, children are likely to get more out of the sensory elements of the den. Using different fabrics, making a roof and filling your den with cushions will make a lovely snuggle space for younger children.
Here are some ideas for how to use your den space: –
- Have a picnic with your teddy
- Set up a reading den with cosy cushions and books
- Create a sensory den with lights, fabric, textures and colour
- Make a music den by filling the den with some pots and pans to create a musical masterpiece
Bean Game
This one’s great for tiring out the little ones!
Each time you call out the name of a bean, your child has to make the appropriate actions….
- Runner Bean – running on the spot
- String Bean -standing up straight with your arms stretched out above your head
- Broad Bean – star jump
- Baked Bean – curl up into a ball
- Jumping Bean – jumping on the spot
- Has Been – lie down on the floor
There are lots more beans for you to make up your own actions for!
Give them a cardboard box
Endless fun awaits in your recycling bin!
Give your child a cardboard box and just watch as their imagination comes to life!
Here are some ideas to get them started: –
- Make a fort
- Turn the box into a race car
- Cut 2 arm sized holes into the lid of the box and play a sensory game of “what’s in the box”
- Sit inside the box with some crayons or some craft supplies and turn it into a giant blank canvas
- Create junk models
Water-play in the bath
Bath time has such great potential for fun – the water, the bubbles, the contained toddlers!
Run a bath, bust out some bubbles and grab some different containers and utensils from the kitchen. Watch how your child can make endless amounts of fun out of transferring water from a sieve to a saucepan!
Give them a spoon and a beaker and ask them to make you a cup of bubble tea… but be warned, they will expect you to drink it!