235 Activities for Fun and Learning

1. Pull out the photo albums or scrapbooks to look at.
2. Paint rocks.
3. Make a placemat by gluing pictures on a piece a paper and covering it with contact paper.  Makes a great gift.
4. Paint and color with brown
5. Gather some big boxes (appliance boxes are wonderful) and allow the child to decorate and play inside.
6. Make Silly Putty
7. Play I Spy
8. Cut pictures out of magazines or papers of ideas the child wants for Christmas or birthday. Glue on a piece of paper.
9. Glue an old picture, poster, magazine ad, or drawing done by the child onto cardboard.  Cut into puzzle shapes to make a homemade puzzle.
10. Paint with a paint brush using paint or water
    
    
11. Practice making small dots of glue
12. Have a "snowball" fight with rolled up socks
13.  Make Homemade Play dough
14. Watch home videos
15. Give the child a paintbrush and small container of water to paint things outside
16. Make a cereal necklace using cheerios, fruit loops or other circular cereal.
17. Have fun with a paper plate and a spatula.  Have races and flip the plate.
18. Play Red Light-Green Light around the house, outside, or on the trampoline
19. Using pillows, create mountains to climb, jump, and crawl over
20. Make a placemat by gluing pictures on a piece a paper and covering it with contact paper.  Makes a fun gift.
     
21. Put on a CD or the radio and dance
22. Read a book
23. Play Number Bingo
24. Make breakfast food for supper
25. Make today "Green Day" - wear, play, eat green things
26. Make a noodle necklace - string macaroni or other noodle onto a string and paint the noodles. 
27. Make a placemat by drawing a picture and covering it with contact paper. Make a great gift
28. While preparing a meal, blindfold the child and let them guess what you are doing by making different sounds in the kitchen.
29. Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe, decorate cookies with a paint brush and food coloring
30. Throw rolled up socks into a box or laundry basket
    
    
31. Create a tent using a card table and blankets
32. Give the child stickers from junk mail to decorate on paper
33. Give the child paper and a hole punch
34. Collect things in a box that are similar - ie in color, size, shape, beginning consonant
35. Gather some big boxes (appliance boxes are wonderful) and allow the child to decorate and play inside. 
36. While preparing a meal, blindfold the child and let them guess what you are doing by making different sounds in the kitchen.
37. Paint and color with green
38. Play Red Light-Green Light around the living room, outside, or on the trampoline
39. Throw rolled up socks into a box or laundry basket
40. Paint with q-tips

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41. Give the child a paintbrush and small container of water to paint things outside
42. Have the child count various things around the house - doorknobs, doors, windows, etc.
43. Make a cereal necklace using cheerios, fruit loops or other circular cereal.
44. Make today "Blue Day" - wear, play, eat blue things
45. Paint and color with black
46. Hide something in your home and have your child find it - Easter eggs, letters, numbers, toy 
47. Have the child go and find something that is the shape of a circle or square, etc.
48. Call a friend, relative, or neighbor on the phone
49. Count ceiling fans in your home
50. Have something in the house and have your child find it - Easter eggs, letters, numbers, toy
    
    
51. Transfer water from bucket to another with a sponge or eye dropper or turkey baster
52. Give the child a cookie sheet and magnets to play with (this activity works great in a car)
53. Play post office - create letters to different people in the house and leave them in a box to distribute
54. Go into a closet or dark place with a flashlight.
55. Using playing cards, create patterns
56. Lay in the grass and watch the clouds.  Draw the different shapes you see.
57. Give the child golf tees, styrofoam, and a toy hammer to play with (Education.com)
58. Make Homemade Ice cream
59. Place 3 letters or numbers on the table.  Let your child look at them.  With their eyes closed, remove one.  Figure out which one is missing.
60. Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe, decorate cookies with a paint brush and food coloring
    
    
61. Have the child go and find something that begins with the letter "___" or the sound /___/
62. Give the child a pile of paper clips and show them how to connect them to create a bracelet or necklace
63. Hide a clicking time in the house and have the child try and find it before it goes off
64. Make a collage of items that are rectangular in shape.
65. Go for a walk and collect leaves
66. Play music and dance around the room
67. Put on your swimming suit and go swimming in the bathtub
68. Watch a short children's video like Boz the Bear or Veggie Tales
69. Make a domino train
70. Play Letter Bingo 
    
    
71. Swing
72. Do a crayon rubbing by laying paper over various items and coloring to see the various textures.  
73. Paint on a role of butcher paper to create wonderful wrapping paper 
74. Build a tower with blocks
75. Create a Memory Obstacle Course
76. Act out a Bible Story
77. Play Go Fish
78. Draw with sidewalk chalk
79. Color in a coloring book
80. Look at various things through a magnifying glass

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81. With a deck of playing cards, separate the colors, numbers from face, suits, etc.
82. Make new crayons out of old ones
83. Do a crayon rubbing by laying paper over various items and coloring to see various textures. 
84. Write on a piece of paper with a white crayon.  Paint over the secret code with paint to reveal the picture or message.
85. Play in a sand or dirt pile
86. Blow bubbles
87. Make Goop
88. Try to keep a balloon in the air by hitting or kicking it 
89. Make Pictures Soap  The Preschooler's Busy Book pg 254
90. Paint on a role of butcher paper to create wonderful wrapping paper
    
    
91. Make snowflakes by folding paper and cutting
92. Paint and color with red
93. Give the child a magnifying glass (make sure that they are mature enough to not drop it)
94. Draw a picture of your family
95. Make a collage of items that are triangular in shape.
96. Write a secret message using a white crayon.  Paint over with watercolors to reveal the surprise.
97. Play leap frog.
98. On a black sheet of paper, color with a white crayon.
99. Roll a ball back and forth
100. Type a letter to a friend on the computer (it doesn't have to really say anything)
     
     
101. Pretend to be various animals.  Guess which animal each person is.
102. Using Legos or blocks, create a simple object.  Have your child reproduce it.
103. Paint and color with orange
104. Write a letter to an elderly neighbor or relative
105. Cut toast or pancake into various shapes.
106. Play with play dough
107. Make today "Yellow Day" - wear, play, eat yellow things
108. With a deck of playing cards, sort by colors, numbers, faces, or suits.
109. Trace around cookie cutters using a pencil or crayons.  Then color the shapes.
110. Have a Pajama Day - Wear Pj's all day
     
     
111. Cut old Valentine's cards into puzzle shapes or create a collage using several cards.
112. Wash rocks
113. Use a scarf or handkerchief and dance
114. Hide Easter eggs filled with pieces of paper with numbers, letters, shapes, or colors written on them. Find the egg and read the item on the paper.
115. Have your child go and find something that is the shape of a circle or square, etc.
116. Make today "Orange Day" - wear, play, eat orange things
117. Create your name in play dough using cookie cutters or plastic knives
118. Make graham cracker and frosting sandwiches for snacks.  Add food coloring to the frosting.
119. Count how many windows you have in your house
120. Clean out the toy box or toy closet and donate toys no longer needed to other families or charities

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121. Paint and color with purple
122. Play catch.
123. Using number shapes or flashcards, arrange the numbers in order from 1-20
124. Make today "White Day" - wear, play, eat white things
125. Use a cookie cutter or bread to make fun sandwiches
126. Help with laundry by matching socks
127. Play Memory
128. Hide a clicking timer in the house and have the child try and find it before it goes off
129. Color a picture, cut it into puzzle pieces, and put it together
130. Play with Legos, trains or dolls
     
     
131. Create a pretend meal using real or toy kitchen items.
132. Make cookies to give to another family
133. Play a game in a small place - tent, closet, on a bunk bed, etc.
134. Make an AB pattern with snack food (raisins and cheerios).
135. Using a spray bottle of water, spray inside the shower
136. Make a collage of items that are square in shape.
137. Put a few small items (M&M's or beans) into a glass container.  Guess how many there are before counting.
138. Have a family "show and tell" time
139. Make a collage of items that are circular in shape.
140. Sit in a tent and read a book
     
     
141. Play "doctor"
142. Make today "Brown Day" - wear, play, eat brown things
143. Play kickball
144. Draw a picture of your family
145. Play catch with a balloon
146. Visit a local park
147. Have a tea party
148. Make a house using Legos or blocks
149. Practice saying your address and phone number.
150. Play a game on the internet
     
     
151. Fly paper airplanes
152. Play baseball outside or inside with a balloon.
153. Using a bag of various beans for soup, let the child sort them into a muffin tin
154. Make cookies
155. Draw a picture of your house
156. Cut out pictures from a magazine
157. Write a letter to an elderly neighbor or relative
158. Count to 100 while you put away dishes or drive in the car
159. Go for a walk and count how many yellow flowers you see in bloom
160. Say, not sing, the ABC's

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161. Make today "Blue Day" - wear, play, eat blue things
162. Give everyone a dust rag and dust furniture
163. Paint and color with yellow
164. Play hopscotch 
165. Go for a walk and count how many birds you see
166. Clean the bathtub with an old toothbrush
167. Play post office - create letters to different people in the house and leave them in a box to distribute. 
168. Help the child look up their phone number and address in a phone book
169. Name all of the colors on your cereal box
170. Ride bikes
     
     
171. Help sort laundry
172. Go outside and create a stick pile
173. Find six different shapes in your house.
174. Draw a picture of your pet or your favorite animal
175. Color a picture and mail it to a friend or relative.  Have the child put it in the mailbox.
176. Sing "Jesus Loves Me"
177. Create an in-house bowling alley using a couple of tall containers or empty 2 liter pop bottles with a ball.
178. Give the child a pile of paper clips and show them how to connect them together to create a bracelet or necklace
179. Sit outside under a tree and read a book 
180. Give your child a bag full of clothes pins to clip together and make different letters, numbers, shapes, or objects
     
     
181. Do a Dot-to-Dot Worksheet
182. Using Alphabet Cereal – sort the letters
183. Make crayon rubbings - using the sandpaper letters and numbers, place a piece of paper over the sandpaper and have the child color.  
184. Do a Maze Worksheet
185. Match various lids with pots, pans, and dishes
186. Count stairs as you go up or down.
187. Make a quick bread - zucchini, pumpkin, banana - to give to another family
188. Look at a map to see where you live compared to other friends and relatives
189. Paint with ice cubes
190. Draw ¾ of a shape and have the child finish the shape
     
     
191. Have a pillow fight
192. Using letter shapes or flashcards, arrange the letters in order from A-Z
193. Lay a blue blanket or sheet on the floor to pretend it is the ocean - dive in
194. Using a spoon, transfer beans or M&M's one at a time from one dish to another - counting each piece
195. Cut out shapes.
196. Using the letters in the child's name, create a name poster from letters cut out from a magazine or newspaper.  
197. Play catch with a mini-football.
198. Dress up using adult or pretend-play clothes.
199. Create a collage using stickers
200. Fingerpaint

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201. Make new crayons out of old ones 
202. Finger paint in a jelly roll pan with shaving cream 
203. Have sword fights with empty paper towel or wrapping paper rolls
204. Have a picnic - inside or outside
205. Play with magnetic toys on the refrigerator or a cookie sheet
206. Sing the fingerplay "Where is Thumpkin"
207. Make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches together
208. Use a towel or piece of material to create a cape for your child to wear and play "hero"
209. Give the child a cookie sheet and magnets to play with (this activity works great in a car) 
210. Play a card game like Old Maids
     
     
211. Draw silhouettes outside with sidewalk chalk or inside on butcher block paper
212. Make today "Purple Day" - wear, play, eat purple things
213. Make a domino train
214. Make today "Black Day" - wear, play, eat black things
215. Put a puzzle together
216. Make an AB pattern with blocks or beads
217. Make today "Red Day" - wear, play, eat red things
218. Have an "Opposite Day" - do things opposite of how you would normally
219. Play hide-and-seek
220. Create a Leaf Rubbing
     
     
221. Hit a ball back and forth with tennis or racquetball racket
222. Count how many doors you have in your house
223. Build a road with blocks and drive cars or tractors on it
224. Look at family photos or albums
225. Make a collage of items that are diamond in shape.
226. Cut letters out from the newspaper and glue them on paper to create a collage or words
227. Make pancakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse, hearts, or bears
228. Have the child go and find something that begins with the letter "___" or the sound /__/
229. Use toilet paper rolls and make binoculars or a spyglass
230. Paint and color with blue
     
     
231. Make a ramp to race matchbox cars
232. Use a hole punch to create a pattern around a picture on heavy paper.  Thread string through the holes.
233. Paint using a piece of string.
234. Transfer water from one container to another with a sponge, eye dropper, turkey baster
235. Cut up old Christmas cards in puzzle shapes or create a collage using several cards.

Unless noted these activities are ones that I have come up with to do with my kiddos.  Of course most of these are not new, but have been passed down through the generations.