Free Things for Kids to Do at Home
Easy play, craft, cooking and boredom-busting ideas using things you probably already have.
Fun does not have to cost anything
Choose an idea that suits your child’s age, interests and the time you have. Most can be adapted for siblings to enjoy together, and nobody needs a picture-perfect result.
Ideas for all ages
Easy to simplify for little ones or make more challenging for older children.
Build a den
Use blankets, chairs, cushions and pegs to build a reading cave, shop, castle or campsite.
Home scavenger hunt
Find something soft, stripy, tiny, older than you, beginning with B or in every colour of the rainbow.
Put on a show
Choose a story, make paper tickets and perform a play, dance, joke show or living-room concert.
Make-your-own lunch
Let everyone build a sandwich face, decorate toast or choose toppings for a homemade wrap or pizza.
Book picnic
Put a blanket on the floor, bring a snack and take turns choosing stories, comics or fact books.
Music challenge
Try freeze dancing, musical statues, copy-my-move or making a family playlist and rating each song.
Babies and under 4s
Simple sensory, movement and pretend-play ideas with close adult supervision.
Kitchen band
Tap wooden spoons on upside-down pans and plastic tubs. Copy quiet, loud, slow and fast rhythms.
Treasure basket
Offer a small basket of safe household objects with different textures, such as a wooden spoon, flannel and large whisk.
Washing-up play
Add warm water and a little foam to a washing-up bowl. Wash sturdy toy animals, cups or spoons with a cloth.
Cardboard-box play
A large box can become a car, bed, boat or house. Add crayon marks and paper controls.
Sock matching
Mix clean socks and find the pairs. Talk about colours, sizes and patterns, then practise folding them together.
Animal movement
Stomp like an elephant, stretch like a cat, jump like a frog and waddle like a penguin.
Ages 4–7
Imaginative challenges that practise early reading, counting, making and problem-solving.
Draw a treasure map
Hide a small toy, draw rooms and landmarks, then add a trail or simple written clues for someone to follow.
Open a pretend shop
Use empty packets, handmade coins and price labels. Take turns being the customer and shopkeeper.
Paper aeroplane test
Fold paper planes, mark a launch line and see which travels furthest. Change one fold and test again.
Ice rescue
Freeze a small washable toy in a container of water. Use warm water, a spoon and salt to investigate how to free it.
Make and deliver post
Create cards or notes for people at home, make envelopes from scrap paper and deliver them to bedroom doors.
Bottle bowling
Stand up empty plastic bottles and roll a soft ball. Keep score, move the starting line or add numbers to the pins.
Ages 8–12
Longer challenges for children ready to plan, research, build and create more independently.
Paper bridge challenge
Use a few sheets of scrap paper and tape to build a bridge between two books. Test how many coins it can hold.
Create a family newspaper
Add headlines, an interview, a weather report, puzzle, cartoon and an advert for something silly.
Design an escape room
Create three clues using codes, riddles or hidden messages, then challenge someone to solve them in order.
Photography alphabet
Photograph objects, shapes or shadows that look like each letter of the alphabet. Turn them into a collage later.
Plan and make a snack
Choose a simple recipe, check what is available, write the steps and prepare it with suitable adult supervision.
Invent a board game
Draw a board on cardboard, write rules, make paper counters and test whether the game is fair and fun.
Teenagers and young people
Low-cost ways to create, learn a skill, relax or do something useful.
Make a one-minute film
Plan a tiny story, advert, tutorial or stop-motion clip. Film and edit it using a phone or tablet if available.
Restyle old clothes
Try a new outfit combination, repair a hem, turn old jeans into shorts or plan a safe upcycling project.
Cook from the cupboard
Choose one meal or snack using what is already at home, cost the ingredients and write down the recipe.
Create a reset routine
Put together a 20-minute routine with music, stretching, journalling, tidying or time outside.
Learn ten useful signs
Use a reputable free resource to learn a small set of BSL signs, then teach them to someone else at home.
Sell-or-donate clear-out
Sort a drawer or shelf into keep, donate, recycle and sell piles—with an adult’s help for online listings.
Make it at home
Simple play recipes made with ordinary household ingredients. An adult should prepare anything involving hot water, heat or cooking.
Easy homemade playdough
Makes one large ballYou will need
- 2 cups plain flour
- ½ cup table salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 to 1½ cups hot water
- Food colouring, optional
Method
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.
- An adult mixes the colouring and oil into one cup of hot water.
- Add the liquid gradually and stir. Add only enough extra water to bring the dough together.
- When cool enough, knead until smooth. Add a little flour if sticky.
- Store in a sealed tub in the fridge and discard if it smells unusual or shows mould.
Not edible: the high salt content can be harmful if swallowed, especially to pets.
Salt dough decorations
For models and keepsakesYou will need
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 cup table salt
- About 1 cup water
Method
- Mix the flour and salt.
- Add water gradually until a firm dough forms.
- Knead, roll and cut shapes. Make a hanging hole with a straw if wanted.
- An adult dries the shapes in an oven at about 100–120°C until hard, which may take two or more hours depending on thickness.
- Cool completely before decorating.
Not edible: keep away from pets and check items regularly if kept as decorations.
Simple bubble mixture
Best after restingYou will need
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup ordinary washing-up liquid
- 1 tablespoon glycerine or sugar, optional
Method
- Pour the water into a bowl.
- Stir in the washing-up liquid slowly so it does not foam too much.
- Add glycerine or sugar if available.
- Leave the mixture to rest for a few hours.
- Use a clean bubble wand or a loop made by an adult.
Avoid eyes and mouths. Wipe spills promptly because bubble mixture can make floors slippery.
Pavement chalk paint
For washable outdoor artYou will need
- Equal amounts of cornflour and water
- A few drops of food colouring
- Small pots and old paintbrushes
Method
- Mix the cornflour and water until smooth.
- Divide between small containers.
- Add a different colour to each pot.
- Paint on your own plain paving, then rinse away with water.
Test a small hidden area first. Food colouring may stain porous or pale surfaces, clothes and hands.
Paper-mâché paste
For cardboard creationsYou will need
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 cup water
- Scrap paper torn into strips
Method
- Whisk the flour and water into a smooth paste.
- Dip paper strips into the paste and wipe off the excess.
- Layer over cardboard or a suitable mould.
- Leave each project to dry fully in a ventilated place.
- Make a fresh batch for each session and discard leftovers.
Protect the table and wash hands afterwards. Keep wet projects away from soft furnishings.
Flour-and-oil moon sand
Soft, mouldable sensory playYou will need
- 8 cups plain flour
- 1 cup vegetable or baby oil
- A large tray or washing-up bowl
Method
- An adult mixes the flour and oil thoroughly.
- Squeeze a handful. It should hold its shape and crumble again easily.
- Add cups, spoons and moulds.
- Store briefly in a sealed tub or discard after play if contaminated.
Not edible. Not suitable for children who mouth materials. Supervise closely and be aware of allergies and slippery spills.
Need an idea right now?
Choose one from each row: a place, a challenge and a finishing touch. For example, “in the kitchen + build something + give it a name.”