52 Fun Activities for Kids

Looking for engaging ways to keep your child learning and entertained? Our curated list of kids' activities covers creative writing, imaginative play, social emotional development, hands on projects, and even music. These activities encourage literacy, creativity, critical thinking, and wellbeing while keeping learning fun for the whole family.

Writing & Storytelling Skills

1. Creative Writing Time Capsule - Have your child write daily reflections and store them in a sealed container to open later. Write one sentence each day and decorate your container together.

Prompt ideas:

• “Today I felt…”
• “My favorite thing that happened was…”
• “A funny thing I saw.”

2. Mad Libs - Create a story with blanks, and get your child to come up with words to fill in those blanks based on grammatical word types (noun, verb, adjective, etc.) without knowing the context of the story.

3. Letters to Characters - Write to favorite book or movie characters. Example: “Dear Harry Potter, what’s your favorite spell?”

4. Story Quest - Use story prompts to create your own adventure. Example: Start with “You discover a secret door in your school…”

5. Story Cards - Cards with characters, settings, or actions inspire stories. Example: Draw a card that says “A dragon in the library” and make up a story around it.

6. Story Map - Plan characters, plot, and settings with printable templates. Example: Map out the journey of a lost kitten finding its way home.

7. Picture Writing Prompts - Use images to spark storytelling and descriptive writing. Example: Show an image of a beach and ask your child to create a story about finding hidden treasure in the sand.

8. Unscramble Sentences - Rearrange words to form correct sentences. Example: “dog / The / barked / loudly” → “The dog barked loudly.”

9. Write to a Pen Pal - Exchange letters or write to their future self. Example: “Dear Future Me, what’s your favorite memory of this year?”

10. Write a Song - Explore music and words together. Example: Create a song about a day at the park using simple rhymes and a catchy tune.

11. Make Your Own Comic Book - Combine illustrations with storytelling. Example: Draw a superhero saving a cat from a tree and write speech bubbles for dialogue.

Creative & Imaginative Play

12. Spelling Obstacle Course - Combine physical activity with spelling practice. Example: Jump over pillows while spelling “elephant.”

13. Imagination Trail - Create a pretend play path and use it to create a story. Example: pretend stops on the path are a jungle, the moon, or a candy kingdom.

14. Writing Chairs - Combine musical chairs with writing challenges. Example: When the music stops, write a short story in 30 seconds about the object nearest you.

15. Book Charades - Act out books and have your child guess the book. Example: Pretend to be Little Red Riding Hood.

16. Puzzle Plot Creations - Assemble cards with story prompts and put them together to create a story. Example: Use plot ideas like “finds a treasure” + “meets a dragon” + “loses a map.”

17. Story Seekers - Combine a scavenger hunt with story building, where each found item must be part of a story. Example: Set the object to find as a feather, and then create a story such as “it belongs to a magical bird.”

18. Book Review Rally - Share opinions on books. Example: “I liked this book because the main character was brave.”

19. Hopscotch Spelling Challenge - Combine hopscotch with spelling. Example: Jump on H-O-P-S-C-O-T-C-H squares while spelling “butterfly.”

Social, Emotional & Wellbeing Activities

20. Journaling - Track thoughts and emotions. Example: Write “One thing that made me smile today.”

21. Spend Time Outdoors - Adventure in nature, and create mini-challenges based on what you see. Example: Nature walk to spot five types of birds.

22. Move! - Have some fun with physical activity. Example: Dance to a favorite song for 10 minutes.

23. Words of Affirmation - Use kind words to boost self confidence. Example: “I am kind, I am smart, I am brave.”

24. Art Class - Encourage self-expression using colorful materials. Example: Paint feelings with colors and shapes.

25. Get Cooking! - Get busy in the kitchen to make a tasty treat! Example: Make pizza together, choosing toppings and reading the recipe.

26. Mood Tracker - Use colors or stickers to track emotions. Example: Yellow = happy, blue = calm, red = excited.

27. Fun Yoga - Stretch using playful poses. Example: “Cat-Cow,” “Downward Dog,” or “Butterfly Pose.”

28. Read Together - Immerse yourself in an exciting book and discuss. Example: Read a chapter aloud and discuss favorite parts.

29. Share Positivity - Set a goal to share kindness and empathy with others. Example: Compliment a sibling or friend each day.

30. Random Acts of Kindness - Practice thoughtfulness and brighten someone's day. Example: Draw a picture for a neighbor or friend.

31. Clear Room, Clear Mind - Declutter a room while encouraging discussion. Example: Organize bookshelves while discussing favorite stories.

32. Write a Letter - Connect with friends or family. Example: Send a thank you note to a relative.

33. Discuss Feelings Openly - Speak about emotions and experiences. Example: “What made you happy today?”

34. Daily Dinner Round Up - Share daily highlights over a meal. Example: Everyone shares one fun or interesting thing from their day.

35. Plant Something - Grow a fruit, vegetable, or flower from scratch. Example: Plant seeds and track their growth each week.

36. Try a New Extra Curricular Activity - Explore new interests and skills. Example: Join a coding, dance, or drama class.

37. Music & Rhythm Play - Explore sound and creativity. Example: Make a homemade drum or shaker and create a rhythm together, or learn a simple song on a keyboard or xylophone.

Creative Activities

38. DIY Crafts - Hands on projects to encourage creativity. Example: Make paper lanterns or friendship bracelets.

39. Illustrate a Written Piece - Draw scenes or characters. Example: Illustrate a scene from “Alice in Wonderland.”

40. Create a Game - Come up with a new TV Game Show or Board Game. Example: Make a trivia game about favorite books or animals.

41. Create Your Own Book Club - Discuss stories on a weekly basis. Example: Share favorite characters and rate the story.

42. Go to the Library - Explore books, storytimes, and activities. Example: Attend a children’s workshop on storytelling.

43. Start a Blog or Diary - Share daily experiences in a notepad or online. Example: Post photos, drawings, or short stories to preserve memories.

44. Write & Illustrate Your Own Book - Blend writing and art to create a novel. Example: Create a mini book about a superhero adventure.

45. Visit a Museum - Inspire creativity by exploring exhibitions. Example: Explore a science exhibit and discuss discoveries.

46. Outdoor Portraits - Draw or paint nature inspired art. Example: Sketch a tree or flower in your garden.

47. Family Game Night - Build teamwork and critical thinking by engaging in board games. Example: Scrabble, Pictionary, or Uno.

48. Summer Arts & Crafts - Express creativity to celebrate the season. Example: Make sun catchers with colored paper and glue.

49. Day Trip to the Zoo - Learn about animals and habitats. Example: Observe animals and write short fact cards about each species.

50. Write in Sand or on Sidewalk - Encourage outdoor writing practice. Example: Use chalk to write spelling words or create short stories.

51. Attend Community & Social Events - Visit events to create new friends and learn new things. Example: Participate in local storytimes or fairs.

52. Try Night Zookeeper - Online creative program for writing and imagination.

Our program is packed with thousands of writing games, challenges, and competitions that have inspired millions of children around the world to fall in love with writing! With Night Zookeeper, your child will create their own unique characters and power through fun games, interactive lessons, and exciting writing prompts. As they progress, they’ll build their own Night Zoo and unlock new areas of the map, making every writing milestone a new adventure!

Your child can get started with a 7 day FREE trial:

Your child can get started with a 7 day FREE trial:

If you have any questions feel free to email us at [email protected].