Trying to homeschool can feel like a huge chore when you have littles on your hands. Day after day, you’re left wondering how you can easily keep little kids busy.
The secret is, give them your attention first. Before you ever begin to homeschool, do an activity to keep little kids busy and they’ll be much better behaved throughout the day. After one subject, do another activity with a little kid. Keep repeating until the homeschool day has come to an end!
But, how on earth will you ever come up with enough activities to keep little kids busy? After all, they’re always so full of energy! No problem! We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite little kid activities to help you out!

25+ Activities to Keep Little Kids Busy
Balloon Volleyball
Play a fun game of balloon volleyball. The kids can hit the ball back and forth without worrying about breaking a window in the process. It’s a fun game that can quickly get competitive!
Bouncy houses
Kids are just crazy about bouncy houses. They are both entertaining and support physical activity. Having a bouncy house or any other custom-made inflatable products in your garden or yard will keep them busy and provide their joyful moments. They can be matched to your garden or your children’s preferences. Other inflatable products like tossing games, water slides and etc. will surely be loved by your kids.
Puzzles
You can never go wrong with a few good puzzles. Be sure to choose puzzles with the right amount of pieces to make it a bit of a challenge without making it too hard for your children. A minimum of 24 pieces and up to 100 pieces is best for elementary-aged children.
The Matching Game
Play the matching game with the kids. It strengthens their memory skills and can easily pass the time. There are lots of different versions of this game!
Color by Number
Coloring by number is always fun. Let your children use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to color beautiful images while following the directions!
Paint by Number
Not only is coloring by number fun, but so is painting by number. If you believe your children can do this with no problem, set them up with the paint and several coloring pages.
Free Learning Printables
Look online for some fun, free learning printables. If you print them from your computer, you can use them to help educate your children while keeping them entertained and engaged in the lesson.
Grab over 100 free printables in our exclusive subscriber library!
Play-Doh
Always have some Play-Doh available for the kids to use. They can mold it into different shapes and use cookie cutters to create even more with their dough.
Sticker Painting
If you have a lot of stickers, let your children go to town with the sticker painting. It’s a fun way to make a creative picture without making a mess.
Canvas Painting
Do you have some black canvases at home? If so, let the kids paint images on them using any paint that you have at home. You can supply the kids with brushes, sponges, and other items to use with the paint.
Jump Rope
Encourage your children to get active by supplying them with a jump rope. See who can jump the most rope in a specific period.
Board Games
Pull out the board games to keep the kids entertained. You may have some at home already, such as Clue, Monopoly, and even Candyland.
Hula Hooping
Teach your children how to use a hula hoop and then have a hula hooping competition. It’s a fun exercise! Don’t be surprised if you lose track of the time while having fun with the hula hoop.
Card Games
Have some fun with card games. You might already have a few of these games at home, such as Go Fish!
Sensory Bucket
Create a sensory bucket using sand, plastic dinosaurs, and other items. Let the kids dig through the sensory bucket to see what they can find. It’s good for their fine motor skills.
Homemade Obstacle Course
Make an obstacle course at home using different items, such as plastic rings, pool noodles, and more. The children will love it.
Hide and Seek
Enjoy a fun game of hide and seek. Take turns to determine who will hide and who will seek.
Bicycle Riding
Go for bike rides! It’s a great way to get some exercise on a beautiful day when the weather permits. Be sure to figure out where to ride the bikes before you head out on the journey.
Nature Walk
Take the children out for a nature walk. Look for different trails in your area that are worth hiking on to see what you can find.
Rock Painting
Grab some rocks and let the kids cover them with different colors. They can use their creative side to add images and special designs to the rocks to make them look even better.
Trip to the Playground
Head over to the playground for some fun. Let the kids swing, go down the slide, climb, and let loose! It’s a great way for them to wear themselves out.
Make Paper Dolls
Get crafty and make paper dolls! You can draw them beforehand to trace the shape of the doll before you cut it out.
Plant Flowers
Have the kids lend a helping hand in the garden by planting different flowers. They can dig in the soil, plant seeds, and keep an eye on it as it grows.
Puppet Show
Encourage the children to put on a fun puppet show. It’s a fun way to spend the day inside when it’s raining outside.
Listen to an Audio Book
Put on a relaxing audiobook for the kids to listen to. Make sure you’re choosing a good book that will keep them engaged.
Dance to Music
Get ready to dance to music. Put on Kidz Bop or any of your favorite songs and encourage everyone to have a good time. You can teach your kids some dance moves and vice versa.
Bake Something
Get the kids to help you bake something! It all depends on what you want to make, such as cookies, cupcakes, or a delicious cake.
Finding activities to keep little kids busy can be exhausting but hopefully these ideas can help!
