6 Ideas to Try Right Now
❓
#1·10–15 min
20 Questions (Car Edition)
🛒Materials: None
- 1One person thinks of something (animal, place, food).
- 2Others ask yes/no questions to guess what it is.
- 3Maximum 20 questions — then they must guess!
💡
Start with easy categories for younger kids: 'I'm thinking of an animal.'
📖
#2·10–20 min
Story Round-Robin
🛒Materials: None
- 1First person says one sentence to start a story.
- 2Each person adds exactly one sentence.
- 3Try to include the craziest plot twists possible.
💡
Record it on your phone — you'll want to replay these stories later.
🎯
#3·30+ min
Travel Bingo
🛒Materials: Paper, pencil (or just call out items verbally)
- 1Before driving, write a 3×3 grid of things to spot: red car, bridge, cow, truck, etc.
- 2Cross off each item when you spot it from the window.
- 3First to get 3 in a row shouts 'BINGO!'
🍋
#4·30 min
Design a Business: Lemonade Stand Plan
🛒Materials: Paper, pencil
- 1Name your business and design a logo.
- 2List your product, price, and costs.
- 3Calculate: how many cups to sell to make a £5 profit?
💡
Real maths with a purpose — far more engaging than worksheets.
🎬
#5·30–45 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.
📕
#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.
💡
Ask: 'What's the twist at the end?' — 7–8 year olds love a plot twist.
