Parents Beware: 70 Insanely Fun Activities to Keep Your Kids Busy

This article is a treasure trove of 70 engaging activities designed to keep kids entertained, both indoors and outdoors. It provides creative DIY projects and games that are perfect for ensuring your children stay occupied and happy, eliminating boredom. Ideal for any day, especially rainy ones, these activities are not just fun but educational too, with 75 interesting fun facts included to enhance the learning experience. It's a fantastic resource for parents looking to offer their children a blend of fun and knowledge.

 
Indoor Activities for Kids

Give your kids hours of creative fun with these simple, DIY indoor activities like making Avengers bookmarks, a colorful bucket-list wreath, building a bubble refill station, and crafting bath bombs.

Avengers bookmarks

• Craft Sticks in assorted colors
• Printer & Paper (for printing templates)
• Scissors
• Markers/Coloring Pencils/Crayons

1. Print color photos of the Avengers characters from the provided template onto paper or cardstock.
2. Cut out each character using scissors.
3. Glue each cutout character onto its corresponding colored craft stick on one side, leaving enough room at each end for additional decorating if desired.
4. Once dried, your mini superhero collection is ready to use! 

Bucket-list wreath

This indoor activity is creative and fun for kids of all ages. It involves creating a wreath from clothespins and writing or drawing the activities on each one. This wreath is a visual way for kids to stay on track with completing activities on their list. Materials needed to create the wreath include bright-colored clothespins, paper, markers, ribbons, string, and stickers for kids to personalize their activities.

Bubble refill station

A bubble refill station is a fun and mess-free way to entertain kids of all ages. It can easily be set up using recycled materials such as an old peanut butter jar and bubble solution. The refill station allows continuous play, as the bubble container can be refilled quickly during playtime without spilling or creating a mess. Bubble refill stations are great for providing kids with both indoor and outdoor activities, as bubbles can easily travel outdoors without fear of spilling. Parents can create one in minutes as a DIY project, and it will provide hours of entertainment!

DIY bath bombs

Instruct your kids on the simple process of making homemade bath bombs! All you need is three essential ingredients and no complicated tools. Create a fun sensory experience for your children by adding color, scent, and interesting mix-in items like toys or trinkets to their bath time routine:

1. Add 1 cup baking soda and ½ cup cornstarch in a mixing bowl. A non-toxic plastic spoon can be used to carefully mash these into each other until they are combined in the center of the bowl.
2. Add at least 10 drops of food coloring in liquid form (or more, depending on how colorful you want), plus one teaspoon of water or oil-based essential oils (which smells wonderful!) Mix with a spoon so that everything is well blended with no clumps remaining
3. When all dry ingredients are incorporated, begin pouring small amounts of water into the mixture, just enough to make it slightly damp but not sludgy—around one teaspoon should do
4. Take tiny handfuls of dough from moisture soaking up too quickly. If this happens, wet your hands again before rolling new batches.
5. Once the desired size has been achieved — anywhere between one inch and golf ball-sized balls — try rolling them around in some brightly colored mica powder or glitter if chosen for extra decoration.
6. Make sure each sphere has been securely put together – although this isn't necessary as water will help hold shape when taken out.
7. Let air dry overnight before using.

Felt flower bouquet

This is an easy and fun indoor activity for kids that requires no sewing. The materials needed include colorful felt, buttons, craft glue, scissors, and popsicle sticks. Kids can use the flowers to decorate rooms or as a quick Mother's Day gift idea. Parents can help younger children button the flowers together or offer guidance in choosing colors for a rainbow bouquet. Additionally, this craft makes for great busy bag activities suitable for preschoolers working on fine motor skills, such as threading the buttons through the fabric loops assisted by adults or older siblings. With just these few items, you and your kid will have beautiful handcrafted home décor that will bring endless joy!

Backyard Activities for Kids

Let kids explore and have adventures in your backyard with activities like a backyard treasure hunt, pool noodle pom-pom launcher, finger puppets, or spider web search.

Backyard treasure hunt

A backyard treasure hunt is an exciting game of discovery for kids. Gather materials such as a pen, paper, and items to hide or craft clues from. First, create clues by writing sentences that hint at the location of various “treasures” in your backyard. Use unique elements like shapes, colors, and rhyming words to challenge your child's brain. Hide each clue around different spots in the yard, but don't make them too hard to find! Once all the indications are set up, lead your child outside so they can have a blast searching for their prizes! Let them explore known and unknown areas of their surroundings while forming valuable problem-solving skills and using creativity to search for objects. Give updated hints if they need help or get stuck at any point during the treasure hunt. Finally, let them proudly collect each hidden item - it may be coins, candy, ribbons, etc., providing limitless fun combined with beautiful memories!

Pool noodle pom-pom launcher

This is an exciting activity that kids of all ages can enjoy! It requires a pool noodle and a balloon filled with air, making it an easy and accessible craft. Not only does this provide hours of fun, but it’s also considered a STEM activity as it combines creativity, hands-on fun, and active play. Kids can build simple launchers using the pool noodle material to shoot pom-poms off into the sky or across short distances. The Pool Noodle Pom-Pom Launcher is part of our collection of 70 activities for kids to keep them entertained at home or for significant events.

Spider web search

This is an exciting and educational backyard activity for kids that allows them to explore nature in a fun and interactive way. It encourages observation, critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and more. Spider webs are fragile works of art created by the intricate weaving method of spiders; they're beautiful pieces that can be studied to learn about arachnids. 

As part of a spider web search activity, The Explorers provides spider facts and creative ideas on how students can engage with nature while looking for webs. Such activities include creating treasure maps or stories based on their findings during the search. Additionally, learning about spiders can be made into an outdoor game where kids have to look out and find signs associated with spiders, such as cobwebs or tracks in the dirt, that may indicate living arthropods nearby! 

Trying to identify what kind of spider it might be - Orb Weavers? Jumping Spiders? Daddy Long Legs - gets especially interesting when participants get close enough for fantastic observations of an intertwining web’s structure!

Finger puppets

These are an easy, fun way for kids of all ages to engage in creative play and storytelling. They provide endless imaginative play, roleplaying, story-telling, and performance opportunities. Made of materials like cloth and felt, they come in countless designs, from animals to characters from classic children's stories.

1. Help foster creativity & imagination.
2. Provide an educational platform.
3. Stimulate problem-solving skills
4. Allow children to explore different emotions & ideas
5. Easy to transport – great for entertaining anywhere

Bath paint

• It is an easy and fun activity for kids to stay entertained indoors and outdoors.
• It can be used as a DIY project, offering creative and engaging art experiences for small children.
• It is also suitable as a sensory coloring or painting experience – excellent for toddlers!
• Shower curtain painting can also be employed with bath paints – using otherwise missed outdoor playtime opportunities.
• Homemade recipes are quick & simple to prepare using essential kitchen ingredients in 10 minutes.

Be sure, however, that the choice of pigments is age-appropriate so that it doesn’t stain clothes or furniture during playtime!

Crafts and DIY Projects

Get creative with the children by creating a crafty project, such as a Craft Stick Trivia Game, Rainbow Walking, Backpack Tags, Summer Fun Journal, or Paper House Village.

Craft stick trivia game

This fun and easy DIY project is sure to keep the kids entertained! The game begins with colorful craft sticks adorned with questions for players to answer. From science facts to music trivia, you can customize the game with genres or categories of your choice – showcasing just how versatile this activity is. Also, thanks to its size, it's perfect for playing on the go - making it an ideal family entertainment activity during game nights. Kids and adults will be engaged in games filled with funny stories or challenging questions that are fun and educational.

Rainbow walking

Rainbow walking is a fun and educational DIY project for kids. The experiment involves blending colors using water to create a beautiful rainbow on paper. It teaches kids about colors and color mixing based on the concept of capillary action, which slowly causes the colors to transform over time. To do this experiment, follow the steps below: 

1. Prepare six cups of water, each with food coloring (red, orange, yellow, blue, and purple).
2. Half of the paper towel should be placed at one end of an elongated tray, while altar paper towels should be on the other.
3. Place a cup on each alternate corner of the paper towels and carefully pour the same amount of colored water into each cup, ensuring they don't mix.
4. Spread out each colored liquid onto its side equally by tilting the tray slightly from one side to another.
5. Now wait 10-20 minutes to watch as all the colors mix and form a rainbow on two different paper towels!
6. Once done, remove both sides of the paper towel from the tray and see the magnificent effects of capillary action!

Backpack tags

Backpack tags are a popular craft and DIY project related to 70 fun activities for kids that help keep them entertained. They add a personal touch to backpacks, can be secured with glue, and can be customized with the student's information. For parents seeking out an activity for their children, backpack tags provide an easy way of teaching organizational skills while adding individual flair. Free printable templates are available, making it easy for everyone to access this creative outlet. Making custom backpack tags is also much less expensive than buying pre-made ones from stores, giving families on a budget an excellent option for inexpensive craft projects.

Unlock Creative Adventures with Blocks Bricks Toys For Girls!

See Product

Entertaining Dancing Cactus Toy: Your Interactive Fun Companion

See Product

Dive Into the World of Dinosaurs with Dinorex: The Ultimate Toy for Toddler Exploration

See Product

Kids Magnetic Plastic Chessboard: A Perfect Blend of Fun and Learning

See Product

Summer fun journal

Writing and learning during the summer can be exciting and fun with a summer fun journal. Crafts, DIY projects, indoor and outdoor games, science experiments – parents can use the journal to give their children 70 activities to entertain themselves throughout the summer. The journal is an excellent way to practice school writing skills and combat any summer learning loss in a fun way. Besides that, it provides a place for them to document their beautiful activities all over the summer and create lasting memories.

1. Easy and creative indoor activities include Avengers bookmarks, bucket-list wreaths, bubble refill stations, DIY bath bombs, and felt flower bouquets.
2. Fun backyard adventures like treasure hunting and making spider webs with pool noodles or finger puppets from natural materials.
3. Crafting projects that will keep kids engaged, such as making trivia games out of craft sticks or rainbow walking exercises to help creativity flow.
4. Get those brownie points for games like sensory sorting, faux flower garland, and free play activities!
5. Science experiments will provide many mix-n-match opportunities like baking soda volcanos or creating fireworks in jars!
6. Plus, many more exciting things are suitable for young ones of any age!

Paper house village

This is a great craft activity for kids to develop their creativity and imaginative play. Using paper, a plate, or other materials, children can create an entire village of fun with houses to open, ombre trees for decoration, and more. Kids can also learn about their family tree while creating the paper house village.

Indoor Games and Free Play

Keep the kids entertained with engaging indoor games, such as sensory sorting, faux flower garland making, melted pony bead wind chimes creating, fairy leaf puppets building, and pool noodle boats floating.

Sensory sorting

This fun and interactive activity for kids promotes analytical skills and is suitable for those with autism and sensory processing difficulties. It involves sorting objects based on shape, size, texture, or color criteria. Kids can practice sorting using figures, balls, blocks, or other toys like stuffed animals and dolls. By engaging in sporting activities, children learn to identify everyday items by their characteristics while having fun simultaneously!

Faux flower garland

Creating faux flower garlands can be a fun and creative way to keep the kids entertained indoors or in the backyard. They are great for crafting projects and can also be used for gross motor activities like treasure hunts or as decorations at home. Balsam Hill offers a variety of artificial florals, including flower arrangements, wreaths, and garlands. For those looking to create their floral look, there’s an easy DIY tutorial on making an artificial flower garland using thrift store flower stems – perfect for any budget-conscious parent! Faux flower garlands are also fantastic for pretend play with water activities like bubble refill stations or bath paint. With colorful and whimsical designs, these spring decor additions can brighten any space while adding a touch of sophistication. For parents looking for added versatility that is highly suitable for indoor games and free play activities for kids, faux flower garlands will surely delight everyone in the household.

Melted pony bead wind chimes

This is an ideal entertainment activity for kids to create beautiful wind chimes using red pony beads and clear tri-beads. This craft involves using heart-shaped silicone treat pans that can be used indoors or outdoors. It suits birthdays, Valentine's, and other themed celebrations and will bring joy and amusement into any space.

Here are the materials needed and steps required to make melted pony bead wind chimes:

• Heart-shaped silicone treat pan
• Red pony beads
• Clear tri - beads
• Oven preheated at 250°F

1. Place the red pony beads in the heart shape of the silicone pan to form a pattern or design.
2. Place clear tri-beads over each red pony bead section so that every pony bead is covered by one clear tri-bead.
3. Place the treated pan in the oven at 250°F for about 3 minutes or until it smells like plastic when cooking.
4. Carefully remove the tray from the oven and place it on a heat-resistant surface to cool down completely before handling it since it will be hot to the touch.
5. When cooled down completely, take them out from the tray with a metal spatula or spoon to prevent burns on hands or fingers as you handle them carefully one by one until all wind chimes are taken out from the tray without blocking them from sticking together heat course during the baking process.
6. Once all your melted pony bead wind chimes have been removed from the tray, you can place them on strings or hang them in open space, creating your decor options and adding glorious charms indoors and outdoors spaces.

Fairy leaf puppets

These are exciting nature crafts for kids. This fun activity involves gathering autumn leaves of various shapes and sizes and then augmenting them with upcycled materials like clothespins and craft sticks. A trendy craft idea perfect for the fall and autumn seasons, kids can have loads of fun engaging in this indoor game or free-play activity. Making the puppets is an enjoyable task and a learning exercise that encourages creativity while teaching essential skills such as sorting and matching. Fairy Leaf Puppets have become a popular craft amongst toddlers and preschoolers to enjoy nature's plentiful, colorful wonders!

Pool noodle boats

These are a fun and creative way to keep kids occupied with their custom-made boat creations. Sculpting colorful boats out of pool noodles is easy and fun, requiring minimal supplies such as toothpicks, foam, and cut pool noodles. These boats can be used for games, learning activities, or sensory play. 

• Pool noodle boats can also be used for motor skills development by learning how to maneuver the noodles to assemble them into a boat. It’s also great practice for problem-solving and creative thinking.
• Encourage active play by creating races between the noodle boats or putting them in water containers filled with colored water or glitter for some science exploration. Kids can also have a blast decorating their crafts with foam shapes glued onto them or painting them with watercolors for even more fun!
• Swimming pools present an opportunity to use traffic cones for “harbors” and build bridges between the traffic cones using floating rings for your noodle boats to go under! And let's not forget nighttime: reflective tape applied on the bottom of each boat will make them shimmer brightly under the starry night sky when illuminated with flashlights!

Outdoor Activities for Kids

Let your child explore nature by participating in a fun and exciting nature scavenger hunt, create art or designs on the sidewalk with chalk paint, make homemade wind chimes from tree branches and string, have fun playing with cloud dough outside, or cool off in the summer heat by making ice cream in a bag!

Nature scavenger hunt

This outdoor activity can help children explore nature while having fun. This activity involves hunting for outdoor items like leaves, twigs, feathers, rocks, etc. A printable list of fun objects to see can be downloaded free from online sources or made up. The scavenger hunt is a great way to spend time outdoors with kids, as it allows them to explore and learn about their environment while engaging their creativity and curiosity. It's not just about finding hidden treasures but embracing the beauty surrounding us daily; nature hikes can be incredibly educational when different natural elements are discussed. 

Additionally, several creative scavenger hunt ideas for differing locations or themes help make this adventure even more exciting! As warmer weather approaches, springtime activities such as playing a round of golf, going horseback riding, hitting the pickleball court, or going on a nature scavenger hunt have opened up for parents looking for ways to bond and entertain their families safely. Kids love treasure hunts, so enjoy teaching your kids how fantastic Mother Nature’s wonders are in a safe environment with this fun-filled experience – you may create some lifetime memories, too!

Sidewalk chalk paint

This is a simple and mess-free way to entertain kids outdoors. This 4-ingredient DIY paint is easier to use than traditional drawing chalk and can be used to create art murals or add designs and patterns to sidewalks. It's a popular activity for kids of all ages during the summer and fall since it only requires a little preparation or clean-up afterward.

DIY wind chimes

Making wind chimes can be a fun and creative outdoor project for kids. This list provides instructions for making eight simple yet beautiful homemade wind chimes using upcycled materials:

1. Collect seven plastic pop drinking straws, two paper clips, and some string.
2. Cut the plastic straws into differing lengths - the lengths should make a scale pattern from longest to shortest. To achieve this, cut two equal-length straws in half and trim them until you get the desired sizes from long to short.
3. Bend one end of each paper clip into a tiny loop; this creates a hook on which you can hang your straws.
4. Link the paper clips by connecting them via their loops using a piece of string, leaving about 7 inches of space between them for later hanging your straws.
5. Hang each straw piece onto each paper clip loop in size order, beginning with the longest straw first and ending with the shortest one last, to create your wind chime ‘scale’ melody pattern.
6. Tie off your completed wind chime by tying both ends of the string together at its base and securely knotting it off several times for extra security if needed or desired.
7. Hang in an area that allows breezes (such as from nearby trees or patios) to catch it up, and music plays! With no need for electricity or batteries whatsoever!

Cloud dough

This is a versatile and safe sensory play material for kids. It only requires two essential ingredients – usually flour and oil – to create the texture of sand without getting messy. Parents can vary the recipe by adding food coloring, glitter, or other additives to children's ages. Kids can easily explore their creative sides with cloud dough as they mold it into various shapes and figures that will erase when touched but retain their shape until manipulated again. Cloud dough also serves as a beautiful, calming, and enjoyable outdoor activity on breezy days when not too much manipulation from the air currents is desired due to strong winds. Additionally, because of its simple composition of non-toxic materials, so long as edible items are not added unexpectedly after crafting, parents don't have to worry about their children's safety playing with it inside and outdoors, during summer months, or all year round.

Ice cream in a bag

This is an interactive, educational activity for kids of all ages. Not only is it delicious and easy to make, but it also introduces children to the world of chemistry and culinary exploration. To make ice cream in a bag, you will need two zip-lock bags (one small size and one larger size), 1 cup milk or heavy cream, ¼ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and a few cups of crushed ice and ½ cup rock salt in a larger container, like a gallon-size bag.

1. Pour the milk or heavy cream into the smaller ziplock bag, then add the sugar and vanilla extract. Seal the bag tightly.
2. Place the small bag inside the giant suitcase and fill it with crushed ice.
3. Add rock salt to the ice-filled giant bag until it is over half full. Seal this more giant bag, too.
4. Shake both bags for about 5 minutes, ensuring that both bags are held securely in your hands as you shake so they don't break open - adults should shake together with younger children if needed!
5. When done shaking (the mixture should be thickened), remove and discard any remaining melted water between the two bags.

Science and Educational Activities

Explore science and learning with your children with fun activities such as making homemade slime, baking soda experiments, lava lamps, and volcano creations.

Fireworks in a jar

This fun and educational activity lets kids learn about cause and effect as they transform basic kitchen supplies into a dazzling, explosive display. You’ll need:

Homemade slime

This can be a fun, educational activity for kids. Not only does it provide hours of entertainment, but making slime helps develop cognitive skills and fine motor development. Making homemade slime requires glue, warm water, food coloring or dye (optional), and borax as the activator. With these simple ingredients, you can create various shades of colors while exploring different textures! The benefits of making homemade slime include:

1. Enhancing attention span - making slime involves paying particular attention to quantities and proportions for consistency.
2. Developing creative thinking - adding glitter, scents, and colorants is a great way to achieve unique results each time you make it!
3. Improving sensory integration - playing with texture increases tactile senses, essential for physical coordination and learning about our environment.
4. Practicing problem-solving – measuring out ingredients may require some estimation if we want a specific result; trial-and-error also pays off!

Baking soda experiments

Introduce children to chemical reactions, which are safe and easy to conduct with common household ingredients like baking soda and vinegar. Young children, particularly preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary school students, can learn chemistry concepts through a range of fun activities such as the classics “vinegar volcano” or “lava lamp,” as well as more novel experiments. Here are five baking soda experiments that kids can efficiently conduct at home: 

1. Balloon blowing: By adding some baking soda into a balloon, then carefully adding vinegar to it and tying off the mouth of the balloon securely, kids can observe how gases expand when combined, making an exciting reaction that inflates their balloon!
2. Rainbow walking: Mixing some food coloring into a cup of baking soda is a surefire recipe for fun! Spread out the colored powder on parchment paper or a tray and let them practice balancing by walking over it to avoid spilling it everywhere.
3. Melted pony bead wind chimes: Threading pony beads in various colors onto thin wire or string allows kids to melt these colorful pieces with a hairdryer - creating a pretty-sounding musical piece perfect for summer days!
4. Fizz bombs: A simple combination of baking soda, hot water, and dish soap makes for lots of bubbling entertainment when soaking an object in this mixture. Kids can watch the science happen as they lift their chosen item, submerging it back in for more fizzing frothiness.
5. Colored bubbles: By adding some food coloring to the bubble mix, little inventors can create fascinatingly colorized bubbles using straws so they can blow away their cares one multicolored bubble at a time - rainbow dreams come true!

Homemade lava lamps

This provides a fun and visually stimulating science experiment for kids. You will need oil, Alka-Selzer tablets, and food coloring to create this activity. The exciting part of the project is exploring concepts of density and buoyancy while making an attractive lava lamp in minutes! Gather these supplies:

1. Start by pouring about one inch of oil into a transparent, heat-safe glass jar or bottle. Pry opened the Alka-Selzer tablet using scissors and added 4 to 5 drops of desired food coloring to the glass container.
2. Seal the lid tightly on the jar or bottle if there is one present; otherwise, cover the top with your finger, hold it in place, then begin shaking vigorously until effervescence starts to form, at which point you'll let go briefly watch what happens next before moving onto shaking again. Ensure not to overfill, as contents may come out quickly when released from pressure afterward! Keep going till all ingredients are combined thoroughly, then set aside for some bubbly magic between layers that move intermittently up and down as ocean waves bring back memories from looking at deep sea creatures through goggles during summer days... ahh, isn't nature wonderful?
3. Once thoroughly admiring its beauty, take random snapshots showing off colors contrasting nicely against each other along their captivating journey across the surface — post them above the refrigerator fridge, perhaps album or somewhere else memorable they can forever look upon fondly anytime want more insight into understanding the phenomenon seen Online there plethora resources offering great detail background information overall process short amount time available youngsters leap ahead school curriculum without having leave comfort their home plus bonus extra hours quality enjoyment bonding time spent between parent-child (ren).

DIY volcano

Creating a homemade erupting volcano is an easy and fun activity for kids that will help them understand the geological processes of how volcanoes are formed. This science experiment uses a few materials, such as baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, and sand, to create a mini-eruption in the playdough base. Kids can also learn about different types of volcanic eruptions: explosive or effusive, depending on their lava viscosity and temperature.

1. Put handfuls of sand into your empty bottle until it has been filled halfway up with the sand.
2. Place the funnel at the bottle's opening, then pour baking soda in the funnel until approximately two-thirds full of the powdery substance.
3. Add several drops of food coloring inside if desired
4. Take the funnel out, then slowly pour vinegar over the top, ensuring all powder gets wetted by liquid (kids giggle while doing this!)
5. Move back quickly as the eruption begins! 

The 70 fun activities for kids to keep them entertained are a great way to promote creativity, engagement, and independent play. These activities cater to all interests and age groups, making it easy for parents and caregivers to find something their child would enjoy.

From indoor hide-and-seek to conducting science experiments, playing with magnets, or indoor volleyball, these exciting activities can be done outdoors and indoors, depending on the weather.

Ready access is made possible by the printable resource with the article and a separate list of 75 fun facts for kids across different subjects like science, history, and geography. So everyone has plenty of exciting activity ideas when staying in!