6 Ideas to Try Right Now
📖
#1·Any
Audiobook + Drawing
🛒Materials: Phone/tablet (audio only), paper, crayons
- 1Put on a children's audiobook.
- 2Give your child paper and crayons.
- 3Ask them to draw what they hear.
🧱
#2·30+ min
Building Block Free Play
🛒Materials: Lego, Duplo, or any blocks
- 1Set out a bucket of blocks.
- 2No instructions — free build.
- 3Only rule: must name what they built when done.
📚
#3·20+ min
Book Club for One
🛒Materials: Books
- 1Let your child pick 3 books.
- 2They read (or look at pictures) independently.
- 3Later, ask them: 'Which was your favourite and why?'
🌀
#4·30 min
DIY Maze Game
🛒Materials: Cardboard box lid, straws, glue, marble
- 1Glue plastic straws inside a box lid to create paths.
- 2Leave openings to form a maze.
- 3Place a marble at the start and tilt the lid to navigate it to the end.
🧫
#5·20 min
Kitchen Chemistry: Slime
🛒Materials: PVA glue, baking soda, contact lens solution
- 1Pour a full bottle of PVA glue into a bowl.
- 2Mix in 1 tsp baking soda.
- 3Add contact lens solution 1 tbsp at a time, kneading until it comes together.
🎬
#6·30–45 min
Stop-Motion Animation
🛒Materials: Phone/tablet, small toys or playdough figures
- 1Set up figures on a flat surface with consistent lighting.
- 2Move figures a tiny bit, take a photo. Repeat 20–30 times.
- 3Use a free stop-motion app (or just flick through the photos fast).
💡
Even 20 photos makes a surprisingly good animation.
