Note: last year, I was planning to post a short series of kids’ craft projects, but didn’t quite get there. Now seems like a good time to get started on that! So, here you go: my first list of kid activities . . .

In our area, it seems like most kids are in a preschool or day care.

We’ve chosen to do things differently so far. I mean, we play toys at home, or play outside, paint, read, and do other ‘preschool’ activities . . . I just don’t drive the kids to a preschool or daycare every day.

At the same time, I think it’s important for everyone to have friends and hang out with other people. Preschool programs offer one way to do that.

In our situation, though, we’ve found other ways to connect other families and children around my kids’ ages. We’ve also found a variety of activities that we can use to structure our day and create a flexible routine.

Have you been struggling to figure out what to do all day? Here are some suggestions for easy preschool and kindergarten activities!

Activities for going out:

1. Visit your library for story times. Find when the libraries in your area have their story times. If you live in a metro area and your kids enjoy story times, you can visit several libraries each week!

2. Explore a local nature center or state park. We live in an area with several smaller nature organizations, including a state park about 5 minutes away. This park hosts a regularly nature walk, and I know that other nature centers in the area have similar programs.

3. Join MOPS or another local parent group. I haven’t tried this one myself, but some of my friends attend regularly and recommend it. Some of these groups offer childcare during their meetings.

4. Find a class at a community center. We’ve done parent & child art classes and music classes. Our community center also offers toddler gymnastics and dance exercise. These classes can be cheaper than private classes as well.

5. Find a playground and figure out when other kids will be there.

6. Create your own playgroup. If you are having trouble finding a playgroup, you can invite a few local moms to start regular play dates. This can be as simple as meeting up at a playground weekly. Or, if you want a more structured play date, you can include arts & crafts activities for the kids.

Ideas for staying home:

1. Talk a lot and read a lot. We read stacks of library books every week, and then we talk about them through the day. If we read about trees, we’ll look for those trees on our next walk. If we read a silly story, we add silliness to our own play.

2. When your kid asks why, turn it into a science project. Some questions just need a quick answer. If your kid is really curious, though, encourage them to think about their question. What would they need to know to answer that question? How can they find that information?

3. Play in the water occasionally. My kids love splashing around in water, so we try to find extra opportunities for them to play. This can mean moving baths to the morning and turning it into playtime. We also visit splash pads, our local swimming pool, or riverside parks. During the summer, I set up tubs of water on the porch. And sometimes, when it rains, my kids will splash around in puddles or find rivulets to turn into mini ponds.

4. Plan messy times. I save these for times when the house needs to be cleaned already. That way, we can wipe up the rest of the mess at the same time. If you need ideas to get started, check out my blog post about using flour to create a sensory playtime.

Other thoughts:

This list reflects the area where I live. We do have a lot of resources around us. You will find a different range of options available in your own area. Rural areas may not have as many options, or you may drive further to find activities.

I still encourage you to research the resources for your own location. Some people can connect to other families on social media, or you can ask around to find connections.

Even if it’s harder to find a play group, you can still encourage your kids to try messy art projects. Or, you can take time to explore nature anywhere–even when it’s a weed poking through the sidewalk!

Be sure to check my other posts too for more activities and for picture book recommendations!