Home » Activities for preschoolers – ideas to keep young children entertained at home

Activities for preschoolers – ideas to keep young children entertained at home

If you can’t go out and are stuck at home, it’s hard to come up with new ideas to entertain young children. But here are some activities for preschoolers and younger primary aged children to help you out.

If you read my blog or follow my Facebook page, you may have guessed I’m not really one of ‘those’ mums who has a whole timetable of ‘fun and educational’ activities up my sleeve for such times as being stuck at home. I don’t tend to have a list of activities for preschoolers on my phone. However much I love a list.

Twin toddlers making a red velvet cake
See that arm? That’s not mine…

Nope. I can stretch to Duplo, Lego, Mobilo, Play Doh, Kinetic sand (at a push), cutting, sticking, junk modeling from the recycling bin and colouring. Absolutely no painting, messy play, slime, or (heaven forbid) GLITTER in my house. After that little lot is exhausted, it’s time for the TV. Netflix and the ridiculous amounts of kids’ films I record each Christmas are my saviour. This was the last time I tried painting…

You’ll have also noticed that my boys fight. A lot. An AWFUL lot. Like constantly. One out of the three (usually poor Twin Two) is always crying because someone (usually shitbag Twin One) has hit/punched/kicked/scratched/pushed/bitten him. 

So I’m in need of some activities for preschoolers to try and get them into. Which doesn’t involve bashing the living hell out of each other.

Clearly I have no clue, so have asked my fellow bloggers (who are obviously way better at this type of shizzle than I am) for some ideas. Don’t thank me, thank them. 

Activities for preschoolers and primary aged children to do at home

  • Mini family sports/obstacle course around the garden or house, act out favourite stories/puppet shows, make a photo diary for photography skills, cutting skills, writing and sticking. From Anna at Twins and Travels.
painting branches with brightly coloured paints
  • Growing your own flowers, fruits and veg. Use plastic fruit containers to create little propagators and grow them from seeds, bulbs and tubers. Talk about how they grow, need sun etc, depending on age. Our playgroup used a caterpillar to butterfly kit last year so might try that at home. Twinkl parents are also offering a free month of educational resources. Our school and playgroup use them so we will definitely be taking advantage of them too. From Lynne at New Mummy Blog.
  • A science lesson for you with stuff you’ve probably already got in the house. For example ‘Can You Make An Egg Bounce’ from Beth at Twinderelmo.
can you make an egg bounce science activity
  • Create a water compass. It’s pretty simple to gather supplies, all you need is a shallow dish filled with water, a paper clip, a leaf and magnet. It was a great excuse to get outside and the children had fun looking for colourful leaves. From Jenny at The Gingerbread House.
how to make a water compass
  • Use Duplo and do counting and sorting into colours and simple maths. They can also use it to create ball run games and mazes. From Faith at Me Be Geek.
simple maths activities with toys
  • We’re on day two of self-isolation and today we’ve used Wii Sports for PE. It turns out I’m quite good at boxing! From Erica at The Incidental Parent.
how to make your own play dough in five minutes
  • Make a dinosaur sensory activity box using green slime-coloured Gelli Baff. My son loves dinosaurs so it’s a really good way of stretching his imagination by creating a habitat for his dinosaurs. For me it’s a good way of expanding his vocabulary and exploring new ways to describe things. From Jane at Hodge Podge Days.
dinosaur activity tray
making leaf prints during coronavirus schools closures

Making hand washing fun by making your own squishy dough soap. By Play and Learn Every Day.

So there you have it, a few ideas to start you off if you’re stuck at home for whatever reason. During the first Covid 19 lockdown, there are loads doing the rounds on Facebook, and online. Such as this one. Although I have to admit I don’t even know what some of these things are!

100 indoor activities to do during coronavirus school closures

Stay safe people! And sane if at all possible…

PIN image for 15 simple activities for preschoolers to do at home with two boys at a kitchen table playing with play doh
Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday

How did I do?

If you liked this post, why not read Top Websites and Learning Resources for Homeschooling or Keeping Toddlers Entertained At Home? Or have a read of The Best Homeschooling Resources by Children of Wanderlust. And how about you hang around and check out some of my usual tongue-in-cheek type of posts in the Mum Life section. There’s all sorts in there from my take on potty training, the lies we tell our kids, the best and worst things about having twins, whether you’re a yummy or slummy mummy, and all the stupid things I feel mum guilt over.

If you like a bit of social media madness, pop over to my Facebook page where you’ll be able to have a laugh at what ridiculousness goes on in my house with three very small boys on a daily basis. Warning – there is often sarcasm, and usually swearing. There are also great travel reviews and some AWESOME giveaways. Feel free to join my Twins, Tantrums and Cold Coffee – Shits and Giggles Parenting Group too, where everyone shares their hilarious stories.

And if you want to work with me, feel free to give me a shout here or at helen@twinstantrumsandcoldcoffee.com and I’ll get back to you.

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19 comments

The best homeschooling resources and ideas for younger children during the Coronavirus lock-down – Children of Wanderlust 16/11/2020 - 9:02 am

[…] Coronavirus school closure activities […]

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#KCACOLS – 24th January 2021 • A Moment With Franca 23/01/2021 - 10:31 pm

[…] handle (@twinstantrums) to your tweets as well as mine. Finally, she has a guest co-host post, Activities For Preschoolers – Ideas To Keep Young Children Entertained At Home linked up too. Please if you could go there and add a comment it would […]

Reply
Sarah-Marie 23/01/2021 - 11:30 pm

Making bouncy eggs is one of my boys’ favourite activities. It’s always ‘fun’ to see how much you can bounce it before it pops!!! #kcacols

Reply
Priyam 24/01/2021 - 7:47 am

I have to try that bouncy egg again. We tried once before and we weren’t successful #KCACOLS

Reply
Karen, the next best thing to mummy 24/01/2021 - 9:56 am

As a former early years practitioner, I love all of the above, #kcacols@_karendennis

Reply
Ella @ Typical Mummy 24/01/2021 - 8:30 pm

All great ideas! I’ve just requested to join your Facebook group too!! #KCACOLS

Reply
Twins, Tantrums and Cold Coffee 24/01/2021 - 9:28 pm

Oh great! I’ve just approved it 🙂

Reply
Jade Page 27/01/2021 - 11:56 am

Brilliant loads of great ideas, I need to try making our own playdoh might do it today! #KCACOLS

Reply
Twins, Tantrums and Cold Coffee 27/01/2021 - 5:41 pm

Good luck!

Reply
Shelley Whittaker 27/01/2021 - 8:20 pm

Ohhh lots of good ideas which will inevitably come in handy over the next month or two. I hadn’t thought to collect items outside to paint with but I think my daughter would enjoy that. I’ve also seen a few people putting things they have collected into containers with water and freezing them to make some form of outside decoration. Good luck keeping the boys entertained! #KCACOLS

Reply
Katrina | ChatterFox 30/01/2021 - 4:53 pm

I’m saving this for if we ever have to isolate for a period of time, we’ve been so lucky not to have to yet but I’m dreading the day we can’t take our daily sanity stroll. These activities my just save us from madness!

Katrina x
#KCACOLS

Reply
Twins, Tantrums and Cold Coffee 30/01/2021 - 5:06 pm

Oh me too. I’m dreading it!

Reply
Staying Positive Through The Pandemic And Quarantine - My Ultimate Guide ⋆ A Rose Tinted World 01/02/2021 - 11:57 am

[…] Other activities for children during the lockdown. […]

Reply
100+ FREE educational home learning resources for kids at home! 01/02/2021 - 3:23 pm

[…] preschoolers busy can be hard, here are some great ideas to help […]

Reply
The Magic of 'Rest Time' - I'm With Holly 01/02/2021 - 9:26 pm

[…] My kids are usually energized after Rest Time. It’s a great opportunity to do a simple, but engaging activity. Check out these super simple preschool activities! […]

Reply
Home Play Ideas For 2-Year-Olds – Emma Reed 04/02/2021 - 10:54 am

[…] times but you really can’t go out every single day and it is good for children to learn that home can be a fun place too, it is good to allow them to learn and play on their own and it is important for you to be at home […]

Reply
Crummy Mummy 06/02/2021 - 11:27 am

Thankfully our nursery is still open so for me that’s one less pre schooler to think about so we can concentrate on home schooling! #KCACOLS

Reply
Care Bears - Huggable plush toy review - Three Little Z’s 07/02/2021 - 4:13 pm

[…] would make wonderful Christmas or birthday gifts for little ones. They are so soft and cuddly and ours are already loved so much by the girls. They have been taking […]

Reply
Coronavirus Second Wave: Surviving Lockdown 2.0 - The Sickly Mama 08/02/2021 - 6:11 pm

[…] for keeping young children occupied with home play activities and this article specifically on activities for preschoolers. It’s also worth looking for play activities that are also educational – that way you […]

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