Activities for Kids While You’re Working From Home
When you’re a parent, working from home sans child care is not an ideal scenario, but it happens. Whether your little ones are off from school on a holiday, they have a snow day, or someone is feeling under the weather, there might be a plethora of reasons why you still have to get work done with littles in the house. Sure, you can put on an episode of Cocomelon —but that only lasts for so long, you might not want them in front of a screen all day.
We turned to experts and real parents for some activity ideas to keep your kids busy, so that you can focus on emptying your inbox and checking off your to-do list. We have activity options for 5-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 9-year-olds, and everything in between.
Choose Activities that Promote “Flow” Play
Flow play is the deepest form of play—when kids are so interested in something that they get lost in it. Think about a toddler pouring water in the bathtub. “You get in ‘the zone.’ And that feels wonderful at any age,” says Susan K. Perry, PhD, a social psychologist and author of Playing Smart.
Research shows spending time “in flow” helps kids build big life skills like resilience, creative thinking, and impulse control. But those magical moments—when your child gets completely absorbed in play—may seem few and far between. Enter these activities and play ideas for kids that fall into the “flow” category.
“Children are naturally really curious,” says David Shernoff, PhD, an educational psychologist at Rutgers University. “They readily become engrossed in an activity. As a parent, you need to set up the conditions to make that most likely.”
Start by choosing activities that target your child’s personal interests, get supplies together, then let them be. To really find flow, your kid needs chunks of time and permission to make a mess. “If they feel judged or heavily watched by a parent, they are not going to get into a flow,” says Jennifer Miller, author of Confident Parents, Confident Kids.
So, look for ways to control chaos without limiting creativity, like painting on the patio. Then don’t disturb them—not even with a whole-hearted “good job!” Kids learn best through trial and error. Your role is to help get things started, then sit back and watch the magic begin!
Crafty Play Activities for Kids
After a quick tutorial from you, your kid will be ready to make a masterpiece with these crafty activities.
Construct cute animals
Dig up a cardboard egg carton and a piece of cardboard. Cut a pointy section from the carton to be the creature’s face, and glue it to the cardboard. Paint facial features (unicorn! piglet!) on the carton, and ears and body on the cardboard (for visuals, check out @nylah.khan). —Nylah Khan, a Los Angeles–based art teacher
Sketch a life-size self-portrait
Unfurl a few feet of butcher paper on the floor, have your child lie down on it, and then outline their body. Prop up a mirror nearby so they can fill in the details. —Miller
Get sculpting
Try no-mess papier-mâché to build 3D objects by using plaster cloth. Start by making a bowl: Wet strips and wrap them around the bottom half of a balloon. Wait 30 minutes for the strips to harden, then pop the balloon. Add flair with paint or markers. For a next-level project, wrap strips around cardboard or Styrofoam to make dolls or masks. —Khan
Watercolor to the extreme
Have your kid draw a design on thick white paper using a black permanent marker. (We advise supervising this part!) On a piece of aluminum foil, have them use washable markers to create an abstract pattern—the more colors, the better. Spritz the paper with water and place it facedown on top of the foil; rub the two together gently to transfer the colors. Then it’s all about the reveal: Ceremoniously peel back the paper to uncover the vibrant artwork your kid has created. Make sure to let it dry. —Khan
Build a dream playground
Let your child raid the recycling bin, then grab a roll of tape and some ice-pop sticks, corks, and string to create an ultimate park of loop-the-loop slides, swings, and monkey bars for their tiny toys. —Lyndsey Wheeler, cofounder of Camp Supernow, a virtual after-school program
Uncover a secret message
So this is what white crayons are for! Have your child use one to draw patterns or write words, then paint over their work with watercolors. Watch as the wax pushes the water away in a process called resist art. —Khan
No paintbrush = no problem
Skip the paintbrush and add texture to paintings by swapping in sponges, scrubbers, a comb, leaves, flowers, bath poufs, toy cars, LEGO bricks, blocks, cookie cutters, marbles (let kids roll them around with paper in a box), and, of course, fingers.
Sensory Play Activities for Kids
Let those little hands clutch, splosh, and pick their way through hands-on good times with these fun, sensory activities.
Go bananas with shaving cream
Have your kids hop into a dry bathtub with their swimsuit on. Add a bowl of warm water, a giant pile of shaving foam, and some toys. (Kids under 5 will need supervision.) Afterward, turn on the faucet and rinse it all away. —Lizzie Assa, founder of the Instagram account @theworkspaceforchildren
Free the bears
Keep a preschool-age child engaged while refining their (kid-safe) scissor skills: Drop a small plastic bear (or LEGO figure or Shopkins character) into each cup of a muffin tin, trap them with painter’s tape, then tell your kid, “The bears were captured and need your help to escape!” —Beth Rosenbleeth, founder of Days With Grey
Sort stuff
Give your 4- or 5-year-old buttons or pom-poms and then encourage them to divide the items into a muffin tin by size, shape, or color. Kids love to organize and put things into piles, and working with very small objects helps them drop into a flow state. —Dana Anderson, a Montessori teacher in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
Assemble a sensory bin
Fill a shallow storage container with a few pounds of dried black beans, then toss in some toys (plastic bugs, construction vehicles, action figures) for a tactile experience. Add cups, serving utensils, and funnels for scooping. When your child is done, snap on the lid and store the container for another day. —Renu Blankinship, founder of the Instagram crafting account @makermint
Expert Tip
In addition to dried beans, try using rice, split peas, cotton balls, Easter grass, seashells, dried pasta, popcorn kernels, leaves, pom-poms, beads, or scraps of fabric for your sensory bin filler. (If your little one is still mouthing objects, choose larger items to minimize the risk of choking.)
Pretend Play Activities for Kids
Pretend play has many benefits for children; for example, it encourages them to practice creative thinking, self-regulation, conflict resolution, problem-solving skills, and more. Suggest these make-believe scenarios to get your kid’s dream world going:
- Set up an airport.
- Hold a ceremony (like a wedding or a coronation).
- Play restaurant.
- Open a vet clinic or a hospital.
- Take a trip into space.
- Re-create a scene from a movie.
Play-Doh Activity Ideas
Whether homemade or store-bought, Play-Doh is one of the best mediums for open-ended, imaginative fun. Pair a few colors with a rolling pin, a butter knife, and cookie cutters, and watch as your child becomes calmly industrious as they smash away, or introduce an exciting challenge:
- Make monsters by adding googly eyes, feathers, and pipe cleaners.
- Hide pennies in a chunk of dough and ask your child to dig them out. (Be sure your kids are old enough to be around pennies for this one!)
- See who can make the funniest face.
- Press in plastic bugs or dinosaurs to create “fossils.”
- Use alphabet cookie cutters to practice spelling words, or roll out the dough and shape letters by hand.
- Try to build a tall tower using toothpicks.
Imaginary Play Ideas
A prop or two can kick-start their mind. Try out these imaginary play ideas.
Open a store
All you need is a toy cash register. Kids can come up with anything from pretend pizza parlors to make-believe malls. —Lauren Tingley, a first-grade teacher in Red Bluff, California, who blogs at Simply Well Balanced
Create a giant racecar track
Tack down painter’s tape to construct a road system that spans a few rooms, runs up the walls, and goes under and over furniture. Upgrade your routes by decorating shoeboxes as buildings. —Miller
Enlist a cardboard box
With markers and tape, a simple cardboard box can turn into a spaceship, a castle, a truck, or even a time machine. Need some inspo? Read Not a Box by Antoinette Portis, a picture book about a bunny who uses his imagination to make his own cubed creation. —Brooke Wetzel, a kindergarten teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina
Go “camping”
Pitch a tent in the living room, and fill it with cozy blankets and sleeping bags for the ultimate hideout. At night, bring a flashlight in to tell stories. —Donnya Negera, CEO of YUUMA Collection diaper bags
Hire an intern
If you’re working from home, set up an office for your child next to your desk with all the fixings: pencils, paper, a calculator, and even a play laptop. Ask them to do their work (whether it’s actual homework or filing pretend invoices) while you do yours. —Anderson
Make a toy-washing station
Fill one plastic tub with soapy water and another with clean rinse water. Hand your child a sponge, a washcloth, an old toothbrush, a few small cups, and a small almost-empty bottle of dish soap to get their dolls, cars, and other plastic toys squeaky clean. —Assa
Science Activity Ideas for Kids
Foster the little Bill Nye in your curious kid with these surprising experiments. STEAM and STEM activities help kids get excited about science, technology, engineering, art, and math!
Engineer a pasta skyscraper
See who can build the tallest or wackiest structure out of marshmallows and dried spaghetti (this pasta is perfect for breaking into just-right sizes). Before kids start, ask them what makes some structures stronger than others. —Allison Wilson, senior director of curriculum and innovation at Stratford School in Santa Clara, California
Build an animal habitat
Have your child research their stuffed animal’s “home” in the wild as inspiration for creating a mini one out of household items like LEGO bricks, blocks, and scraps of fabric. A shoebox can morph into a bear’s cave. A plastic bin filled with blue paper and rocks can turn into a cove for a crab. Make sure it includes the four elements all animals need to survive: water, shelter, food, and space. —Wilson
Arrange an exploration area
Collect tape, string, scissors, cardboard, a magnifying glass, pipe cleaners, rubber bands, and other odd items your child can use for whipping up an “invention.” For school-age kids, include a screwdriver and broken or cast-off items such as an old computer keyboard or phone, videotapes, or busted toys that they can open up and investigate. —Perry
Mix up some oobleck
This mysterious substance is sometimes a solid, sometimes a liquid, and always a hit. Combine two parts cornstarch with one part water. Show your newbie scientist how to make it into a ball, drive play cars through it, and pour it through a colander. (For a stretchy, slimy twist, substitute liquid dish soap for the water.) —Wilson
Tried-and-True Play Ideas
When in doubt, break out these old-school boredom busters from your childhood.
- Make paper-bag puppets.
- Build a house of cards.
- Play marbles.
- String a cat’s cradle.
- “One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war.”
- Do a blindfolded taste test.
- Have a staring contest.
- Race paper airplanes.
Learning Activity Ideas
Check out a how-to book from the library and nudge your kid to learn the following.
- A magic trick
- A few words in sign language
- Yoga poses
- Juggling
- Origami
- Crocheting
- How to make a friendship bracelet
- Hand-clapping games
- New jump-rope moves
Physical Activity Ideas
Burn off those afternoon Zoomies with a game that gets kids up and moving.
Bring out their ninja skills
Let your kid build an obstacle course where (almost) anything is game—couch pillows to hurdle, stuffed animals to run around, and a blanket tunnel to crawl under. —Jennifer Munch, a school counselor in the Philadelphia area
Jazz up a dance party
Play freeze dance, do the limbo, teach the Macarena, or move like animals (think lion, bird, or elephant). —Wheeler
Make a move cube
Cover a square tissue box with paper. Write or draw actions on each side of the cube: “Jump,” “Squat,” “Find something green.” Have your child throw the die (aka move cube) along with a regular-size die. The goal: Complete the task on the move cube the number of times shown on the regular die. —Rosenbleeth
DIY a parachute
Easily re-create this gym-class hero with a bedsheet. Hold the edges and run in circles like a carousel, or make “popcorn” by bouncing cotton balls on top. And don’t forget this favorite: Crouch down low, lift up the sheet to catch air, and quickly sneak underneath for a moment of wonder together. —Anderson
Rethink sports
Play volleyball with a balloon, bowl a tennis ball into half-filled water bottles, kick a rolled-up sock into “soccer net” laundry baskets, or use brooms, a tennis ball, and tape-marked goals for hockey. —Marlene Heuer, a preschool teacher in Rochester, New York
Hit the rink
Tape wax paper to your kid’s shoes, put on some classical music, and let them “skate” on the carpet. (Careful, kids, it’s just as slippery as ice!) To skate on hardwood floors, try paper plates. —Heuer
Food Play Ideas
Juice up meal prep with a sous-chef by your side.
Grab the skewers
Snacks are better on a stick! Set out colorful foods: bananas, cubes of cheese, cucumber slices, and berries. Show how to slide them onto a skewer, then let your kid practice making rainbows and different patterns. —Heather Staller, founder of Happy Kids Kitchen
Prep veggies
Let your kid go nuts tearing “trees” off a head of broccoli or cauliflower. Have them dump the florets in a bowl, drizzle on olive oil, and mix with their hands. Sprinkle on salt and roast in the oven for a tasty side. —Amy Palanjian, creator of Yummy Toddler Food and author of Busy Little Hands: Food Play!
Chop to it
It’s never too early to teach cooking skills! Even toddlers can press a plastic knife or a crinkle cutter through a banana. Older kids can slice other soft foods like strawberries, pears, or hard-boiled eggs. Guide them through the first few cuts; explain how to use a “bear claw” grip to hold the food as they cut. —Palanjian
DIY Game Play Ideas
Sometimes, all kids need is a game prompt to make all the play magic they need.
- Play The Floor Is Lava.
- Have a sword fight with pool noodles.
- Keep a balloon (or two or three) in the air.
- Read Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig and then do it yourself, making your kid into a “pizza” by kneading and tossing the “dough.”
- Make up your own Olympic game (“… and the biggest bubble blower medal goes to …”).
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