8 hands-on activities guaranteed to keep the kids happy during lockdown

A Liverpool primary school teacher shares eight creative ideas which are sure to keep little hands and minds busy during the coronavirus lockdown. 

1. Oobleck Slime

You will need: water, cornflour, food colouring (optional)

Oobleck slime gets its name from the Dr.Seuss book ‘Bartholomew and the Oobleck’ in which a gloopy green substance falls from the sky and causes mayhem.

This classic experiment, which is sure to entertain both adult and kids, creates a special slime known as a ‘non-Newtonian’ fluid that has properties of both a liquid and a solid.

Mix one part water to two parts cornflour, then add a few drops of food colouring. Have fun getting messy by squeezing, shaking, rolling and writing in this fascinatingly gooey mixture!

2. Lava Lamp

You will need: clear plastic bottle, water, oil (cooking or baby), food colouring, Alka-Seltzer tablets (or salt/ baking soda), torch

For kids who love all things science, a DIY lava lamp provides the perfect way to get experimental and older ones can even take it one step further and explore the science behind what they see.

Begin by filling the bottle one-quarter full with water, then tilt it and fill to the top with oil. Add a few drops of food colouring and finally the Alka-Seltzer tablets or alternative. Dim the lights and shine a torch through the bottle for a groovy ’60s experience! Add further tablets for even more fun!

3. Treasure Hunt

You will need: paper, pens, objects to be found, prizes

Easily adaptable for any age group, treasure hunts can be fun at any time, not just on Easter Sunday!

For early readers, give your child a slip of paper with a simple word on it, such as ‘chair’. They will go to where the word tells them, find the next word and so on until they find the treasure. Alternatively, hide letters of the alphabet around the house and cross them off your list as they’re found.

Finally, for older children, challenge them to create a map of your home and leave clues where X marks the spot!

4. Hallway Bowling

You will need: plastic bottles, water or sand, ball, markers

Perfect for the whole family, get active with a game of bowling using empty bottles filled with a little water or sand. Number the ‘pins’, arrange in a triangular formation, and off you go!

There are endless opportunities to encourage learning in this game. Younger children can simply count or identify the numbers on the pins knocked down, whilst older children can keep score using tally charts or create a table of results just like at the bowling alley!

5. Musical Instruments

You will need: toilet roll tubes, empty cans, elastic bands, sticky tape, glue, rice, stickers and pens for decoration

Let your living room become your stage and have a good old sing-song together by creating DIY musical instruments using recycled objects from around the house.

Get creative and put those toilet roll tubes to good use by filling with rice, covering the ends with card and decorating with whatever you can get your hands on for your very own musical shakers.

Fashion your own drum kit using empty cans covered with balloons (experiment with a variety of materials for different sounds) or wrap elastic bands around a tissue box for a makeshift guitar. The possibilities are endless!

6. Invisible Ink

You will need: paper, lemon juice, cotton buds, lamp or light bulb

A great way to encourage children to write, these invisible messages reveal themselves only when exposed to heat. Dip a cotton bud into lemon juice and write a message on a piece of paper.

Let the paper dry and the words will disappear. With the help of an adult, hold the paper near a heat source such as a bulb or lamp (alternatively an adult can iron the paper) to reveal the hidden message.

Another variation is to write the message using a mixture of water and baking powder, then reveal the note once dry by painting over the paper with a dark fruit juice such as red grape or cranberry.

7. Salt Dough Creations

You will need: 2 cups plain flour, 1 cup salt, 1 cup cold water, food colouring or paint (optional)

Using just kitchen cupboard staples, salt dough is a quick and simple modelling medium to use with kids of all ages.

Mix together the flour and salt, then slowly add in the water. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, then rest for 20 minutes. Mould into the desired shape then bake in the oven for about 2 hours until dry and hard.

Try fashioning the dough into jewellery pendants or beads by decorating and threading through string or creating tealight holders, egg cups or pen pots.

You can even plait and swirl to make pretend bread for the play kitchen or make handprint keepsakes – the list goes on!

8. Yoghurt Bark

You will need: baking paper, yoghurt, honey, fruit, nuts, shredded coconut, crispy cereal etc

Keep rumbling tummies at bay with this healthy snack that’s quick and easy but tastes delicious! This recipe for edible yoghurt bark is perfect for teething toddlers and fussy teenagers alike.

Line a tray with baking paper and use a spatula to spread across the yoghurt, about half an inch thick. Then get creative! Sprinkle over fruits, nuts, a drizzle of honey – whatever you can find!

Stick in the freezer for 2-4 hours until frozen. Peel off the paper, break with your hands and enjoy right away!

Have fun!

If you try one these activities, take a picture and tag us on Instagram!