The Ultimate Guide to Fun Activities for Kids

Keeping kids engaged with fun and creative activities isn’t just about passing the time – it is an important part of their emotional and physical development. Having a backlog of activities ready to go is especially important during school holidays when routines are relaxed and extra stimulation is often required. 

Whether embarking upon outdoor adventures, creative crafts, or collaborative games, staying active helps children build confidence, improve coordination, and develop social skills. Keeping young minds learning outside the classroom helps to burn off excess energy (hello, better sleep!) and provides valuable opportunities for family bonding time. 

In this ultimate guide, we’ll explore exciting, age-appropriate activities that make keeping kids entertained both rewarding and fun.

1. Outdoor Activities to Reduce Screen Time

Getting kids outside and away from their screens can be challenging, but there are many exciting alternatives to mindlessly scrolling on tablets and phones. Regular physical activity is essential for the overall healthy development of children.

Did you know? NHS guidelines recommend that children aged 5–18 get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily.

The best physical activities for kids are those tailored to their age, interests, and abilities – whether it’s dancing and animal games for toddlers, obstacle courses and yoga for primary-aged children, or jump rope and bowling for older kids.

Top tip for parents: Check out our range of exciting outdoor toys to inspire movement and exploration.

Connect with Nature Through Outdoor Exploration

Nature activities for kids offer valuable opportunities to reduce screen time, boost creativity, and support healthy development through hands-on, sensory experiences. From texture trails and messy mud play to listening for birdsong and exploring natural smells, these outdoor adventures enhance children’s connection with nature and encourage mindfulness. 

Top tip for parents: Explore more calming activities to create safe spaces and help kids regulate their emotions.

Older children can enjoy more advanced outdoor challenges like fort building and geocaching, which promote teamwork and problem-solving. By exploring the outdoors in playful and educational ways, families can nurture curiosity, imagination, and a lasting love for nature in children of all ages.

Indoor Activities Teens Will Enjoy

Teenagers can be the hardest to convince to put down their devices – their favourite indoor activity is probably scrolling TikTok or Instagram! While mindful and intentional screen time can be helpful for teens when it comes to communicating and studying, there are plenty of other indoor activities that can help them build valuable skills and talents.

Think:

• Cooking and baking
• Learning an instrument
• Upcycling craft projects
• Brain-boosting games and puzzles

Physical activities like home workouts and yoga can help keep teens healthy, while mindfulness practices such as guided meditation and journaling can support their mental health.

Explore more in our guide to indoor activities for teenagers, which includes ideas on reducing screen time, teaching responsibility, and promoting a healthy lifestyle. We also have a range of toys for older kids to entertain them on rainy days.

2. Activities for Fun, Family Bonding Time

Why not involve the whole family and create treasured memories that will last a lifetime? Bike rides, hiking and swimming are great ways for families to stay active together. 

By making movement fun and varied, kids are more likely to remain engaged, healthy, and happy all year round. Setting aside time for fun family activities is essential for building strong bonds and lasting memories. 

Whether enjoying indoor games, movie nights, or baking together, families can connect and grow closer through shared experiences at home. Outdoor adventures like nature walks, zoo visits, and backyard camping offer exciting ways to explore and learn together.

3. Keeping Kids Busy During the School Holidays

When summer approaches and the long school holidays are just around the corner, parents can feel the overwhelming pressure to plan fun summer activities to keep kids busy and learning. However, with a mix of creativity, exploration, and realistic expectations, the holidays can become a time of growth and enjoyment for the whole family. Whether it’s family activities like nature walks, bike rides, and geocaching, or cooling off with water play, there are plenty of ways to keep kids engaged and active throughout the summer.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Learning can continue outside the classroom through educational toys, STEM projects at home and library visits. Educational activities for kids should aim to inspire creativity and support children’s development beyond the classroom. 

Hands-on science experiments, language and reading games, educational arts and crafts, and interactive screen time promote continued learning, helping develop essential skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving.

Rainy Day Activities

Those inevitable rainy days can still be made the most of with creative ideas ranging from finger painting and colouring to DIY puppets and educational STEM-based art. There is a huge variety of simple, mess-free activities using arts and crafts supplies suitable for different age ranges and skill levels. 

Take a look at our other top five indoor activities for kids, which boost creativity, support problem-solving, promote physical health and academic growth. By tailoring activities to your child’s interests and age, summer becomes an exciting opportunity for connection, development, and lasting memories.

Cool Winter Activities

As the weather cools down and the days become shorter, it can be harder to think of fun activities to keep children busy and tire them out. However, there are plenty of winter activities for kids that can keep them engaged, such as indoor crafts, baking, and festive games. 

If you are lucky enough to have a sprinkling of snow over the winter, kids will also love outdoor activities such as snowman building, sledging and winter scavenger hunts.

4. Building Essential Skills for Kids

Engaging in group activities with friends and family helps kids develop team-building skills. Charades and storytelling can help build good communication skills, while collaborative games like tower-building challenges and joint art projects promote trust and cooperation. 

Critical thinking can be encouraged through team-based puzzles, role-playing, and STEM challenges, with older children benefiting from group debates and discussions. Problem-solving activities for kids can include:

• Puzzles
• Strategic board games
• Critical thinking challenges
• STEM-focused experiments like coding and construction projects

These activities can be adapted to suit various ages and even involve parents or caregivers!

Communication Activities for Toddlers

Communication activities explicitly tailored for toddlers are creative approaches that can support healthy language development every day. Practical strategies, like narrating daily routines, interactive storytime with puppets, songs and rhymes, and role-play, help build toddlers’ verbal and social skills. 

Top tip for parents: Using visual aids can also support nonverbal or late-developing toddlers.

5. Creating Birthday Magic with Fun Party Activities

Fun activities also play a crucial role in making kids’ parties and birthdays memorable. Kids’ party activities should include games and interactive experiences that keep children entertained and encourage creativity, physical movement, and social interaction. 

There’s something for every child, from classic games to arts and crafts. Think: 

• Musical chairs
• Musical statues
• Pass the parcel 
• Cupcake or cookie decorating 
• DIY crafts and collaborative art projects

Carnival-style games like ring toss and obstacle courses can also inject energy into the party. Importantly, designated chill-out zones can help kids unwind and avoid overstimulation.

Beyond traditional parties, meaningful birthday celebrations can take many forms and create lasting memories, inspiring imaginative and emotional connections. Birthday activities for kids could include quality one-on-one experiences such as mini golf outings, picnics, movie nights, and heartwarming DIY projects like scrapbooking or crafting birthday decorations together. Affordable and thoughtful, these suggestions help make birthdays truly special, offering both fun and significance in equal measure.

Final Thoughts

Keeping children entertained doesn’t have to be a challenge – with the right mix of creativity, movement, learning, and play, every day can be an opportunity for growth, connection, and joy. Whether you’re looking to reduce screen time, plan enriching school holiday activities, support skill development, or create unforgettable birthday moments, the ideas in this guide are designed to inspire and empower.

Remember, the best activities are those that meet your child where they are – age-appropriate, interest-led, and full of opportunities to connect as a family. From toddlers to teens, there’s something here to spark curiosity, encourage exploration, and build meaningful memories.

Bookmark this guide, share it with friends, and keep it handy as your go-to resource for every season and stage of your child’s development! 

Looking for more activity inspiration? Shop our range of toys by age – you’re sure to find something your child will love here!

Read our disclaimers.