As an educator or homeschool parent, it’s up to you to come up with a variety of fun and educational indoor activities for the students in your charge. But it’s not always easy, and sometimes Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate when you’d rather take your learning endeavours outdoors. Today’s post shares a few activities that will educate, entertain, and enlighten the most curious of minds.
Schedule a drumming incursion.
While you can’t always predict the weather days or weeks in advance, if you know you’re coming into the rainy or hot season, plan at least one indoor early childhood drumming incursion. Drumming is not only fun, but Frederick Little Fox also teaches children how to coexist with one another through the power of music.
Create a custom trivia game.
Everybody loves trivia, and there are a limitless number of questions you might ask preschool-age students. Your questions can even tie into what you are learning. If you’re working on math, for example, create a trivia question about the height of characters or celebrities (choose someone universally loved, such as Yoda, to appeal to everyone). Not sure how tall the tiny Jedi is – there is a website for that.
Tie-dye T-shirts.
Tie dying is one of the most iconic forms of garment decoration out there, and it’s easier (and less messy) than you think. To get started, choose a T-shirt. Instructables recommends 100% cotton or other natural fibres since the dye only bonds to these and not synthetics. Let the kids put their rubber bands anywhere they want on the shirt, or follow the instructions linked above to create the rainbow pattern that’s long been associated with tie-dyed T-shirts.
Recreate famous artworks.
There are many famous artworks that have lots of history and stories behind them. The Mona Lisa, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and Starry Night by da Vinci, Vermeer, and van Gogh, respectively, top the list. A few canvases and some acrylic paint are all you need to re-create these famous works of art.
Prepare lunch together.
Even if you don’t have access to a kitchen (or if children are not allowed around knives and an oven), there are many ways that you can use the process of cooking to strengthen math, English, and problem-solving skills. Illustrative Mathematics shows how measuring cups can be used creatively for a lesson on fractions that even young children will understand.
Tips for Work at Home and Homeschool Parents
- Plan your schoolwork and activities at least a week ahead of time. If something comes up with work and you can’t be present, make sure that you have a backup plan in the form of curriculum-related videos or activities that your children can complete independently until you’re available.
- When the kids need your full attention, put your phone and email on auto-response, and plan to get started earlier in the day so that you can work in the later afternoon and into the evening.
- Get together with other parents and students at least weekly. It’s easy to get into the habit of staying home, but a bad weather day is the perfect excuse to host a playdate or meet up with friends at your local library and create indoor activities that are fun and exciting.
In the end, even on rainy days, the goal is to provide kids with memorable educational experiences. Whether it’s a drumming activity or a simple game like guessing Yoda’s height, today’s indoor activities offer something for everyone. These ideas work well for both teachers and homeschooling parents working from home. Rainy-day activities create a chance for learning through play, turning indoor spaces into creative hubs. With a variety of indoor entertainment for kids, even on gloomy days, kids can have fun while learning. Whether it’s crafting, experimenting, or playing imaginative games, making the most of indoor time leads to enjoyable learning moments for educators and young learners alike.
To schedule a drumming incursion for your classroom, visit our Little Fox Drumming booking page today.
