Sort through the toy cupboard:
It’s surprising how much fun this can be! Get everyone together and aim to clear one shelf
or drawer. You will probably find that old treasures are rediscovered, odd pieces can be
thrown away, and some things will be ready to be passed down or sold. If you are not sure
whether to get rid of some of the toys, try packing them away in a box and hiding them in a
dark corner of the cupboard for a few months. When they come out again they will either
cause a sensation or not, which will make it easy to decide!
Have a pillow fight:
Make sure you use old pillows and don’t use feathers if someone in the house is allergic
to them, though!
Make a story tape:
Grab that tape recorder and a blank cassette, find a story you enjoy, and make your own
story tape! Each child can read for a while, or can take on the part of a particular character.
Make the appropriate noises too! You will probably have to practice a few times to get
the hang of it, and be prepared for lots and lots of giggles! Tip: a home-made story tape
makes a great present for a child who has to go to hospital or is bedridden for a time.
Record the sounds around you:
Get out the tape recorder and make a project out of recording everyday sounds. Try water
running in the bath, someone ringing the bell and opening the door, flushing the toilet! It
certainly makes you think about things a little differently than usual! Suggest that some
friends or neighbours do the same thing and then get together to see if you can identify
each other’s sounds!
Have a jigsaw afternoon:
Get out all your jigsaws and invite some friends around with theirs too! Clear plenty of
space and have a marathon jigsaw session! Some libraries have jigsaws you can borrow
too, and you can often find jigsaws for sale very cheaply at charity shops (thrift stores) and
car boot sales (garage sales). Tip: if you buy your jigsaws second-hand and the box has
seen better days, cut out the picture and store it in a ziploc bag with all the pieces.
Have a mammoth junk modelling session with friends:
Invite a few families around and ask them to bring their craft-cupboard junk with them –
boxes, containers, and other bits and pieces. You provide glue, sticky-tape, scissors, and
encouragement. You could make houses, or creatures, or boats, or modern art – or you
could all combine together to make one giant model!
Play card games:
Get out some old playing cards and have a game! Try snap or racing demon or beggar my
neighbour – all traditional games which are just lots of fun! If you need more inspiration
we have a new e-book coming out soon – Card Games for Kids – check back at
www.ActivityVillagePublications.co.uk or subscribe to our free weekly newsletter
(www.activityvillage.co.uk/free_newsletter.htm) to be informed when it is released.
Make a fishing game:
Cut fish shapes out of cardboard or craft foam and attach a paper clip to each “nose”.
Make fishing rods out of garden canes and string, and tie a small magnet to each end.
See how many fish you can catch! Older kids can write a number on the underneath of
each fish which will be their score when they catch it.
Play sardines:
You will need a group of children for this – mixed ages works best. One child goes to hide
and the others split up to search for him. When they find him, they must try to hide in the
same place with him! Warning - this game results in much giggling!
Play dice:
There are many excellent dice games which can be played by kids together, needing very
little apart from the dice and paper and pencil for scoring. To get you started why not
download a free game from our e-book, Dice Games for Little Kids? You will find it at
Activity Village Publications (www.activityvillagepublications.co.uk).
Alphabetical order game:
You need a quizmaster for this game, and some willing contestants with pencil and paper
at the ready! The quizmaster calls out a selection of words and the contestants rush to put
them into alphabetical order. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Days of the week
Months of the year
A selection of animals, colours, kitchen equipment etc
Numbers 1 to 10
Bowling:
Save empty plastic soda bottles until you have 10. Line them up and see how many you
can knock down again with a tennis ball!
Blow football:
Can you find a table-tennis ball and a large flat table? Have a game of blow football! Find
a friend, put the ball in the middle, and stand at opposite edges of the table. Now blow!
See who can get the ball to fall over the other player’s edge most often and declare them
the winner!
Battleships:
Battleships is a traditional game for two players, who will each need a paper and pencil.
First draw a grid about 8 squares tall and wide. Label the grid with the numbers 1 to 8
along the bottom and letters A to H along the sides. Make sure that each player’s grid is
the same! Then, making sure that the other player cannot see what you are doing, mark
“your fleet” onto your grid. An aircraft carrier is five squares in one straight line; a battleship
four squares in one straight line, a cruiser three squares in one straight line. Each
fleet should also have two destroyers (two adjacent squares) and two submarines (single
squares). Now try to find your opponent’s fleet by calling out a position on the grid (eg D4
or H8). He must tell you whether you have a “hit” or a “miss”, or if you have sunk a craft
(and if so, which craft it is). The first player to sink his opponent’s fleet is the winner.
If you would prefer not to draw your own grids each time, you can find
a free printable version of Battleships at Activity Village, here:
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/battleships.htm
Learn to knit:
Knitting is great fun for all kids – boys and girls – and if you stick to simple stitches is easy
to learn too. It takes very little time to make a scarf for a favourite Action Man or Barbie or
teddy, and not much more to make a blanket for a doll’s cot or a sleeping bag for a toy
which wants to go on a sleep-over or camping trip! The best way to learn to knit is to find
someone to teach you – and grandmothers are always a good place to start! If you can’t
find someone easily, then have a look at this website instead:
http://www.learntoknit.com/instructions_kn.php3
Make a map of the neighbourhood:
Have you ever tried making a map? You have to imagine that you are a bird flying high in
the sky and looking down – what would your neighbourhood look like from up there? See
if you can draw what the bird would see. Mark your house and your garden, and perhaps
your neighbours’ houses too. Where does the road go?
If you find it too difficult to draw your neighbourhood, try
drawing a plan of the room you are in instead. You don’t have
to imagine being a bird now – just pretend you are stuck to the
ceiling by the back of your trousers and while you are up
there, take note of what you see! First draw the outline of the
room, then use rectangles, squares and circles to represent
the furniture and rugs. Where are the doors and windows?
Mark these too. You can try doing this with a friend: each draw
your own plan and then compare notes to see if you agree!
Make pasta necklaces:
Colour some macaroni or other tube-like pasta by putting it into a ziplock bag with a few
drops of food colouring and a few drops of rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit (with adult
supervision please). Pour it out onto a baking sheet and leave to dry. Make several colours
if you can. Thread the pasta onto string to make necklaces.
Make balloon people:
Blow up balloons – not too much! Put the fastened-off bit at the top, then use felt-tip pens
to draw on features, and stick on paper legs and hands if you wish. Attach short lengths of
cotton (thread) and tie your balloon people up in a row to make a cheerful display that
everyone will love!
It’s surprising how much fun this can be! Get everyone together and aim to clear one shelf
or drawer. You will probably find that old treasures are rediscovered, odd pieces can be
thrown away, and some things will be ready to be passed down or sold. If you are not sure
whether to get rid of some of the toys, try packing them away in a box and hiding them in a
dark corner of the cupboard for a few months. When they come out again they will either
cause a sensation or not, which will make it easy to decide!
Have a pillow fight:
Make sure you use old pillows and don’t use feathers if someone in the house is allergic
to them, though!
Make a story tape:
Grab that tape recorder and a blank cassette, find a story you enjoy, and make your own
story tape! Each child can read for a while, or can take on the part of a particular character.
Make the appropriate noises too! You will probably have to practice a few times to get
the hang of it, and be prepared for lots and lots of giggles! Tip: a home-made story tape
makes a great present for a child who has to go to hospital or is bedridden for a time.
Record the sounds around you:
Get out the tape recorder and make a project out of recording everyday sounds. Try water
running in the bath, someone ringing the bell and opening the door, flushing the toilet! It
certainly makes you think about things a little differently than usual! Suggest that some
friends or neighbours do the same thing and then get together to see if you can identify
each other’s sounds!
Have a jigsaw afternoon:
Get out all your jigsaws and invite some friends around with theirs too! Clear plenty of
space and have a marathon jigsaw session! Some libraries have jigsaws you can borrow
too, and you can often find jigsaws for sale very cheaply at charity shops (thrift stores) and
car boot sales (garage sales). Tip: if you buy your jigsaws second-hand and the box has
seen better days, cut out the picture and store it in a ziploc bag with all the pieces.
Have a mammoth junk modelling session with friends:
Invite a few families around and ask them to bring their craft-cupboard junk with them –
boxes, containers, and other bits and pieces. You provide glue, sticky-tape, scissors, and
encouragement. You could make houses, or creatures, or boats, or modern art – or you
could all combine together to make one giant model!
Play card games:
Get out some old playing cards and have a game! Try snap or racing demon or beggar my
neighbour – all traditional games which are just lots of fun! If you need more inspiration
we have a new e-book coming out soon – Card Games for Kids – check back at
www.ActivityVillagePublications.co.uk or subscribe to our free weekly newsletter
(www.activityvillage.co.uk/free_newsletter.htm) to be informed when it is released.
Make a fishing game:
Cut fish shapes out of cardboard or craft foam and attach a paper clip to each “nose”.
Make fishing rods out of garden canes and string, and tie a small magnet to each end.
See how many fish you can catch! Older kids can write a number on the underneath of
each fish which will be their score when they catch it.
Play sardines:
You will need a group of children for this – mixed ages works best. One child goes to hide
and the others split up to search for him. When they find him, they must try to hide in the
same place with him! Warning - this game results in much giggling!
Play dice:
There are many excellent dice games which can be played by kids together, needing very
little apart from the dice and paper and pencil for scoring. To get you started why not
download a free game from our e-book, Dice Games for Little Kids? You will find it at
Activity Village Publications (www.activityvillagepublications.co.uk).
Alphabetical order game:
You need a quizmaster for this game, and some willing contestants with pencil and paper
at the ready! The quizmaster calls out a selection of words and the contestants rush to put
them into alphabetical order. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Days of the week
Months of the year
A selection of animals, colours, kitchen equipment etc
Numbers 1 to 10
Bowling:
Save empty plastic soda bottles until you have 10. Line them up and see how many you
can knock down again with a tennis ball!
Blow football:
Can you find a table-tennis ball and a large flat table? Have a game of blow football! Find
a friend, put the ball in the middle, and stand at opposite edges of the table. Now blow!
See who can get the ball to fall over the other player’s edge most often and declare them
the winner!
Battleships:
Battleships is a traditional game for two players, who will each need a paper and pencil.
First draw a grid about 8 squares tall and wide. Label the grid with the numbers 1 to 8
along the bottom and letters A to H along the sides. Make sure that each player’s grid is
the same! Then, making sure that the other player cannot see what you are doing, mark
“your fleet” onto your grid. An aircraft carrier is five squares in one straight line; a battleship
four squares in one straight line, a cruiser three squares in one straight line. Each
fleet should also have two destroyers (two adjacent squares) and two submarines (single
squares). Now try to find your opponent’s fleet by calling out a position on the grid (eg D4
or H8). He must tell you whether you have a “hit” or a “miss”, or if you have sunk a craft
(and if so, which craft it is). The first player to sink his opponent’s fleet is the winner.
If you would prefer not to draw your own grids each time, you can find
a free printable version of Battleships at Activity Village, here:
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/battleships.htm
Learn to knit:
Knitting is great fun for all kids – boys and girls – and if you stick to simple stitches is easy
to learn too. It takes very little time to make a scarf for a favourite Action Man or Barbie or
teddy, and not much more to make a blanket for a doll’s cot or a sleeping bag for a toy
which wants to go on a sleep-over or camping trip! The best way to learn to knit is to find
someone to teach you – and grandmothers are always a good place to start! If you can’t
find someone easily, then have a look at this website instead:
http://www.learntoknit.com/instructions_kn.php3
Make a map of the neighbourhood:
Have you ever tried making a map? You have to imagine that you are a bird flying high in
the sky and looking down – what would your neighbourhood look like from up there? See
if you can draw what the bird would see. Mark your house and your garden, and perhaps
your neighbours’ houses too. Where does the road go?
If you find it too difficult to draw your neighbourhood, try
drawing a plan of the room you are in instead. You don’t have
to imagine being a bird now – just pretend you are stuck to the
ceiling by the back of your trousers and while you are up
there, take note of what you see! First draw the outline of the
room, then use rectangles, squares and circles to represent
the furniture and rugs. Where are the doors and windows?
Mark these too. You can try doing this with a friend: each draw
your own plan and then compare notes to see if you agree!
Make pasta necklaces:
Colour some macaroni or other tube-like pasta by putting it into a ziplock bag with a few
drops of food colouring and a few drops of rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit (with adult
supervision please). Pour it out onto a baking sheet and leave to dry. Make several colours
if you can. Thread the pasta onto string to make necklaces.
Make balloon people:
Blow up balloons – not too much! Put the fastened-off bit at the top, then use felt-tip pens
to draw on features, and stick on paper legs and hands if you wish. Attach short lengths of
cotton (thread) and tie your balloon people up in a row to make a cheerful display that
everyone will love!
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