Play Right: Educational and Physical Activities at Home

This week, many parents find themselves faced with a new challenge: how do we keep our kids active and entertained while they're home from school?

Luckily, there are many fun, simple, and educational activities kids can practice at home. From DIY science experiments to creative brain games, these activities help work out our brains--and stay busy indoors! 

We've broken down our list into STEAM activities, focusing on school skills kids can hone at home. Let's dive in! 

 

S - SCIENCE

For Younger Kids

  • Fun with Food Coloring. What kid doesn't like bright colors and making a (contained!) mess? Food coloring is a great tool for teaching simple science skills. To learn how plants consume water, place leafy celery sticks in cups filled with different-colored water and set them in a sunny space. Each day, identify places where the colored water has traveled through the stalks. 
  • Make Your Own Ice Cream. Believe it or not, cooking is science! This recipe from Pop Sugar is a great, kid-friendly option (the salt is the most important ingredient in this recipe--for lower sugar content, switch to a healthy artificial sweetener or use frozen fruit). Pop your ingredients in the small bag and fill the large bag with ice, then shake away! 
  • Make Oobleck. Slime is all the rage right now, but Oobleck will never lose its awesomeness! This easy home recipe uses corn starch and water (2 parts corn starch to 1 part water) to create an ooey, gooey solution that solidifies when you touch it. Did you know Oobleck is also a great tool to teach about sound waves? Watch what happens when you set up a loud, bass-heavy speaker close to your Oobleck tray! (P.S. For easy cleanup, cover a table with trash bags or a plastic table liner before you start your experiments!) 

For Older Kids

  • Write in Invisible Ink. Did you know lemon juice only shows up on paper when you hold it close to a heat source? Have your kids draw or write with lemon juice, then heat it (carefully!!!) over a space heater or stove top to see your secret messages appear. 
  • So You Want To Be A Meteorologist? Kids and adults alike are fascinated by the science behind weather. Create a "weather watch" station in your backyard. (No backyard? An uncovered space near your front door works just as well.) Set up a thermometer, a wind vane, a barometer, and some kind of container to measure rainfall. Each day, check your measurements and write down your observations about the clouds, the air quality, and the air pressure. Based on your measurements, make a prediction together for tomorrow's weather. 
  • DIY Science Experiments. This list from Mommy Poppins offers 63 experiments you can do with tools and ingredients you probably already have around the house!

 

T - TECHNOLOGY

For Younger Kids

  • Simple Machines. How many simple machines do you have around the house? Explain the basics of simple machines--inclined plane, lever, wedge, wheel and axle, pulley, and screw--and challenge your kids to find examples in each room. 
  • Make Some Music. Believe it or not, musical instruments are examples of technology! Bust out the bell kits and guitars (or electronic app versions, if you don't have instruments around the house) and work together to create magical music! 
  • Invest in Educational Apps. Many parents are looking to limit their kids' screen time, but when it's spent well, young kids can get a lot out of time with technology. Here's a list of some of the best educational apps for kids, which can run on smartphones or tablets. Establish time limits for apps and games, and be sure to take frequent physical activity breaks! 

For Older Kids

  • Teach Computer Skills with Home Research Projects. How much does your middle schooler know about the Middle Ages? How many facts can you find out about your favorite dinosaur? Challenge computer-literate older kids to create research projects on a fun topic and organize their findings in presentation tools like PowerPoint and Prezi. Then, take turns presenting your findings to the rest of the family! 
  • How Does That Toy Work? Investigate your kids' favorite toys for tips on their inner workings. This is a great way for older kids to see real-world examples of technology at work. (Just be careful to document and supervise any dismantling so you'll be able to put it back together!)
  • The Potato Light Bulb Experiment. It's a simple experiment, and a classic! You can make a battery out of a potato with a lightbulb, a few strips of wire, a copper nail, and a zinc nail. To take it a step further, experiment with different types of potatoes: which ones make the lightbulb brighter?

 

E - ENGINEERING

For Younger Kids

  • Build with Blocks. Your kids' LEGO and block creations are early examples of engineering! Challenge younger kids to build simple towers, then practice your prepositions by getting them to place toys "on top of," "below," and "next to" their creations. 
  • Make a Pillow Fort. An oldie, but a goodie! Work together with your kids to make a fort out of sheets, blankets, and pillows. Then, snuggle up together in your favorite jammies to read stories and play word games. 
  • Blast off with Straw Rockets. Make DIY rockets with the power of your breath! This example from Buggy and Buddy offers a great free template for creating your rockets. 

For Older Kids

  • Host Paper Building Competitions. Paper seems so flimsy--so can you build a paper structure strong enough to hold up a favorite toy? Clear off a tabletop and stock up with construction paper, paper towel tubes, tape, and Popsicle sticks. Work together to find creative ways to strengthen your creation and build taller and taller structures!
  • Make a Rube-Goldberg Machine. Rube-Goldberg machines are some of the most fascinating engineering experiments out there--and they're tougher to create than you might think! This challenge is great for older kids, since they'll have to find a way to connect simple machines and household tools into one continuous machine. 
  • Try the Egg Drop Project. Can you build the right protection for an egg so it can fall without breaking? Use household tools like tape, tissues, construction paper, and fabric to soften up an egg to fall from different heights. 

 

A - ART

For Younger Kids

  • Print-and-Prep DIY Coloring Books. There are tons of free, printable coloring pages online. Print out a few of your favorites and challenge your kids to make them into creative coloring books by stringing bindings through punched-out holes. Decorate with stickers and then color away to your heart's content! 
  • Stick with Storytime. Storytelling is an art form passed down through generations. Reading together is a great way to boost kids' skills with the alphabet, but you can also boost kids' imaginations by challenging them to come up with their own stories. For a family activity, start with the phrase "Once upon a time" and take turns adding a single sentence to create a silly story together! 
  • Craft It Out. Some craft projects need to be simplified for younger kids. Here's a great list from Easy Peasy and Fun that focuses on crafts for little fingers!

For Older Kids

  • Learn About Famous Artists. How do art experts recognize a painter from their particular style? What do Picasso and Michelangelo have in common? Challenge older kids to look up famous paintings and identify traits in their styles. For added research fun, have your kids write biographies of famous artists and create art projects that mimic some of their most famous pieces!
  • Make Your Own Movie. ACTION! Using a smart phone camera or laptop, record your own movie. Start by crafting a script together, searching closets for the perfect costume pieces, and practicing. Record your creations and use a simple software like iMovie to create family films. 
  • Get Crafty! Where little hands may have trouble stringing beads or learning to stitch, older kids and tweens find a lot of enjoyment in craft activities. Duct tape wallets and beaded lizards are favorites from our Scout days, and this list from Happiness is Homemade offers more than 40 options for older kids. 

 

M - MATHEMATICS

For Younger Kids

  • Fun with Food. From counting Cheerios to practicing division with pieces of cheese, you can turn snacktime into a learning opportunity by helping kids identify numbers and shapes with their favorite foods. 
  • Making Shapes. Need a little more practice with the basics of geometry? Teach younger kids to recognize circles, squares, and triangles, then find examples of these shapes around your house. 
  • Puzzle Books. Many puzzle books designed for younger thinkers offer the basics of math. You can find printable versions online, or order entire books from your favorite online small business! (P.S. There are even simplified versions of Sudoku and crossword puzzles for younger minds!)

For Older Kids

  • Multiplication Table Races. How many multiplication tables can your middle-schooler get through in sixty seconds? Have older kids race each other to complete math worksheets, or set personal records against their last tries. Be sure to celebrate every victory! 
  • This Is "Jeopardy!" Quizzo isn't just for random trivia knowledge--it's also a great tool for practicing math! Make your own Jeopardy chart with categories like "multiplication," "word problems," and "picture puzzles," and let your kids "buzz in" to answer questions. Keep score and create fun prizes for the winners! 
  • Math Games. Do your kids know the basics of money management? How about "real world" math? This collection of Math Games offers excellent ways to teach kids basic math skills through gamification. 

 

And a bonus... INDOOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

A few weeks ago, we shared some of our favorite winter activities for kids. Many of these are held indoors, or can be easily made into indoor games! Besides our list, here are more ways to get active and chase away kids' cabin fever:

For Younger Kids

  • Baby Games. Newborns and toddlers need to stay active too! Here is a collection of activities that help parents and babies get active together. 
  • Pop Out the Bubble Wrap. This energy-burning, stress-reducing activity is great for parents, too! Lay out strips of bubble wrap and find creative ways to make it pop: jump on it, roll around on it, or try to pop the bubbles with your eyes closed. 
  • Follow the Leader. This game is simple, but there's so much you can do with it! Start by making up a movement and having your child mimic it. Mix it up by setting the movements to sounds, or challenging your kids to create movement patterns. For siblings, take turns being the leader, or practice "mirror movements" by trying to imitate each other as quickly as possible. 

For Older Kids

  • Animal Races. How fast can you cross the living room walking like a crab? Hopping like a bunny? Crawling like a snake? For added fun, have your kids come up with the different animals--and see how YOU stack up! 
  • Don't Drop the Balloon! Do you have some extra balloons from your last birthday party? Challenge your kids to play catch with a balloon and keep it from touching the ground. For added difficulty, set up an obstacle course to tackle without dropping the balloon! This list from What Moms Love includes a great section on games kids can play with a few balloons. 
  • Clean Up Races. This is a beloved tool for parents and babysitters alike. Challenge kids to see how fast they can pick up their toys, make their beds, and clean up the living room. Each day, see if they can beat their last record! (To keep kids motivated, add in a reward each time they beat their previous time, like half an hour of TV time or a special treat with lunch.)
  • Pillow Fight! Do we really need to explain this one? You get the picture. :-)

As a closing tip, if you're struggling to find activities for kids stuck at home, there are TONS of online resources available for this exact topic. Simply search "Homeschooling resources for X," and plug in the skill, grade level, or topic you're trying to master. 

Additionally, Scholastic just released Scholastic Learn at Home, a website that offers free day-by-day resources and projects to keep kids learning while schools are closed. As we come across new offerings and resources, we'll continue to add to this post! Feel free to bookmark this page and use these resources in the future. 

XO, 

The New Jammies Team

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