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Fun Activities for Kids + a ton of FREE Resources

How is homeschooling going for everyone right now? For us, it’s been touch and go most of the time. Some days we are on top of it and other days I just call it quits. Please tell me I’m not the only one! 🙁 So for all the now homeschooling families (including myself) I wanted to share some fun activities that my kids are loving plus some of my favorite resources from interactive videos, free printables, and everything in between. Many of these I have used back in my teaching days and I highly recommend checking them out. Hope you find these helpful!! 🙂

 

Activities

There are so many great fun and FREE resources out there, from read alounds on YouTube, fun songs (for dance breaks), and craft ideas, there really is plenty to keep your kids busy. Below are a couple of DIY activities and a workbook I’ve done myself that were a hit with my oldest daughter.

 

1. Scavenger Hunt

This is a great activity for either inside or outside. I’ve seen so many versions of these that you can print off or just write out.  As you can tell ours is just written and it isn’t as cute as some others, but hey it works, right?!?! You can even make this work for older kids too by having it say “find 5 things that start with the letter c”, or “something that rhymes with the word log”. Make it for your kids level and for things they can actually find around the house.

2. Shadow Tracing

I saw this great idea on Facebook and we had to try it out. It’s a great way for them to get outside and stay focused on a simple task. Love that you can use all kinds of things to trace from letters, toys, or they can even make their own shapes using aluminum foil. Once their done tracing they can even add to their drawing by making a fun scene by adding detail. You can even have then write a story about it their picture.

3. Frozen Toys

This I saw a fellow teacher friend do and it’s genius!! My daughter wants to do this everyday. I’ve never seen her so focused on something for so long. It’s a great way to teach them about how scientists dig for fossils or even how liquid changes in cold or hot climates.

4. Side Walk Chalk Drawings

Love seeing all the thank you notes and encouraging words all over the internet for all the delivery services using sidewalk chalk. I think most of us during this time have busted out the sidewalk chalk, because kids love it. It’s a great way for them to draw out their letters, numbers, or even play a game to to match the right letter to the right letter sound. The possibilities are endless. This is one that we did as a little obstacle course that we made up together, and even my husband wanted to show off his hopscotch skills (if that’s even a thing?) 😉

5. Obstacle Course

This is a great idea for almost any age and can be modified for the younger ones. It’s also something that could be done inside on a rainy day. From tunnels, hoops, and jump ropes, or kicking a ball into a goal you can really get creative on this one. Great way to get them moving and something they’ll always remember 😉

6. Make your Own Board Game

I wish I had a picture of this one!! We made one a while back and it turned out so cool. It was on a simple white poster board and we drew it out with marker, that’s it!! Super easy and super cheap. First we made a pathway with a starting point and a finish line. We added about 3 to 4 obstacles in the way and a couple of “go back” spaces. It’s a great way for them to be the artist and get creative. Having a theme helps too, ours was dinosaurs, so we had a mud pit as well as dino eggs all around. They can also make board game pieces with tiny toys or even painted rocks, which brings me to my next activity….

7. Painting Rocks

I love this idea!! It is something that they can completely create on their own with a fun message or saying. They can even give them to others or leave them around the neighborhood for a little uplifting note (we could all use that right about now). We put ours in our garden 🙂

 

 

To say we need to be resourceful during this time is an understatement.  I can’t wait for this quarantine to be completely over and I know everyone feels the same, but until then I wanted to share some free resources you can check out. Kids everywhere are on screens more than ever right now, so lets at least make it educational. Here are some great YouTube channels, websites, and Instagram accounts to check out.

YouTube Channels

What did we ever do before YouTube? It’s the place we all go when we have a question, concern, or simply need to be entertained. These are fun and engaging channels from art lessons, PE, dance videos, and science experiments.

 

Websites

There are so many great websites out there for all subjects and for all ages. From color by numbers, CVC word practices, to simple writing pages, you can find almost anything.

 

Instagram

There are some great Instagram accounts out there that are full of great activities for kids. I’ve made a lot crafts in my day but I wouldn’t necessarily call myself crafty. I usually turn to the Pinterest or Instagram for inspiration. These accounts are filled with some amazing ideas for crafts or activities you can make with everyday household items.

 

 

Let me know how your handling homeschooling & what you have been using that helps?

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