6 Ideas to Try Right Now
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#1·15–20 min
Indoor Obstacle Course
🛒Materials: Pillows, chairs, tape, blankets
- 1Line up pillows to jump between.
- 2Set chairs as 'tunnels' to crawl under.
- 3Use tape as a balance beam.
- 4Time each run through the course!
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#2·20 min setup + hours of play
Blanket Fort HQ
🛒Materials: Blankets, chairs, clips/pegs
- 1Drape blankets over chairs to make walls.
- 2Use pegs or clips to secure corners.
- 3Add pillows, books, and a torch inside.
💡
A fort instantly becomes a base for pretend play.
✈️
#3·15–20 min
Paper Airplane Olympics
🛒Materials: Paper
- 1Fold 3 different types of paper airplanes.
- 2Mark a launch line with tape.
- 3Judge on: distance, accuracy, and style.
♟️
#4·25–30 min
Strategy Board Game: DIY Checkers
🛒Materials: Paper, pencil, 12 coins of 2 types (or bottle caps)
- 1Draw an 8x8 grid on paper and shade alternate squares.
- 2Each player gets 12 pieces arranged on their 3 rows.
- 3Play standard checkers rules: diagonal moves, jump to capture.
🧫
#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
Write and Illustrate a Mini Book
🛒Materials: 5 sheets of paper, stapler or string, pencils
- 1Fold 5 sheets of paper in half and staple along the fold.
- 2Page 1: title and author's name (them!).
- 3Write and illustrate one scene per page — 4 pages of story.
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Ask: 'What's the twist at the end?' — 7–8 year olds love a plot twist.
