School might be out for the day, but most kids probably still have a lot of energy left to burn, making the hours between school and dinnertime challenging—unless you have a few fun ideas up your sleeve. After school, some children are raring to go and looking for high-energy activities, while others need something more calming that will help them unwind after a busy day.
While lots of kids will be happy to zone out on a screen, this activity lacks physical or mental exercise. It’s ideal for children to get at least one hour of playtime after school, regardless of their age. And by playtime we mean “real” playtime, not sitting on the computer, playing video games or staring at the TV.
Whether kids are looking to explore their artistic side or expend some energy playing a more physical game, after-school creative activities can be the perfect way to end the afternoon. And, yes, you just might want to join in on the fun, too!
Here are 25 unique and fun activities for kids after school.
Art activities
If you have a budding Picasso on your hands, these art activities will keep them entertained and stimulate their creative side at the same time.
1. Paint objects from nature
Have kids go outside and gather different objects to paint and create with. The more often they do this, the more creative they will get with their choices, as they learn how different objects create different effects.
Who is it good for? This painted pine cone flower activity from Manda Panda Projects is a great activity for preschool- to primary school-aged kids.
2. Use shaving cream to create a marbled masterpiece
Kids can create beautiful works of art just by mixing some food colouring into shaving cream. Using a toothpick and paintbrushes, have them swirl the shaving cream until they create a pattern they love.
Who is it good for? This DIY art project from Meaningful Mama will be a winner with little ones, who will love the tactile fun of this sensory activity, as well as older kids, who will take pride in their beautiful creations.
3. Get your hands into some rainbow foam—and make it from scratch!
All you need is a little soap, water, a mixer, and some food colouring to create this sensory activity from Fun at Home With Kids. Change it up by picking up some unusual food colouring hues at a local craft supplies shop.
Who is it good for? This rainbow soap foam activity is tons of fun for kids from preschool to primary school age, but you should keep an eye on younger children who might accidentally get soap in their eyes.
4. Make sensory containers
Relaxation jars, calming jars, sensory containers—call them what you want, but these creations are as useful as they are lovely. Easy and fun to put together, sensory containers are a unique way to teach children how to self-regulate their emotions by looking at their jar when they feel overwhelmed.
Who is it good for? Depending on how elaborate you want to get, sensory activities can be good for kids from the preschool age and up. In fact, you may even want one for yourself!
5. Try the 3 Marker Challenge
Most kids are familiar with a lot of art challenges found on YouTube, and this one has taken off with kids of all ages. You’ll just need some markers and a few colouring sheets. Have kids close their eyes and then choose 3 markers at random from a pile. No matter which ones they picked, they now have to colour one of the sheets in completely. Children will have fun doing it on their own, but it’s more fun as a competition with a sibling, friend, or you.
Who is it good for? The 3 Marker Challenge is a great art activity for primary school to secondary school-aged kids.
Writing and theatre activities
These creative activities will thrill any kid who loves to entertain others and express themselves through the creative arts.
6. Dress up and put on a short play
Give the kids a theme, such as a summertime picnic or a winter kingdom, and ask them to put together a short play to present to you later. It should have a beginning, a middle, and an end, but the rest is up to them. Encourage them to get into it by using whatever they can find to dress up as characters.
Who is it good for? This imaginative activity for kids is best for those in primary school or older, who are already able to dress themselves and work together to come up with a basic story structure.
7. Create your own movie
Yes, older kids can create their own movie! These days, kids are more adept at using phones and tablets than most adults, and free editing software is the perfect way to put together their own short movies. Depending on the software, they can create a movie using pictures, their own footage, or cartoons. Try the Vimeo Create video making app or iMovie.
Who is it good for? Movie-making is a fun activity for kids ages 10 and up who are proficient with tablets, computers, or smartphones.
8. Tell me a story
Put together a collection of storytelling prompts in a jar and have kids choose one to work with to create their story. Encourage them to use as much detail as possible, and maybe even create a picture to go along with it as the story’s cover.
Who is it good for? This storytelling activity from Kitchen Counter Chronicles is an excellent activity for pre-schoolers and primary school-aged children. While the older children might enjoy writing out their tales and eventually creating a book of their own short stories, younger children can simply tell you the story out loud.
9. Make a rainbow poem
This activity uses the colours of a rainbow to help teach kids how to create a poem. Have kids choose the colours of their rainbow, and then come up with descriptions of each colour. After all the descriptions are completed, they can line them up in a rainbow to create their own poem.
Who is it good for? This creative activity from Small World at Home is great for primary school-aged children, but it can work for younger children with a parent or guardian’s help.
10. Make your own puppets and put on a show
Help children put together simple puppets using paper bags, and then encourage them to come up with their own puppet show for you to watch.
Who is it good for? Best for primary school-aged children, this puppet activity from I Heart Crafty Things would also work with some older siblings who can help them out.
Cooking and food activities
These food activities are sure to be a hit with kids who love to bake, cook, or just get messy with food.
11. Make ice cream in a bag
Have kids make their own ice cream in a bag in only five minutes. Using ice cubes, half and half cream, sugar, and flavourings of their choice, this one is as delicious as it is fun. The best part? Eating the ice cream straight out of the bag!
Who is it good for? This food activity from More Momma requires some supervision in the beginning for younger children, but it’s a winner with kids of any age who like ice cream. (That includes you!)
12. Make bread in a bag
Continuing with the bag theme, this activity is a good one for the colder months when you’re stuck inside. Kids can make their own mini loaf of bread by tossing the ingredients into a plastic bag and kneading it before baking. It’s yummy fun that is also a great tactile activity for kids.
Who is it good for? Bread-making is a good activity for pre-schoolers up to secondary school-aged kids, but all younger children should be working with a parent on this one.
13. Bake something together
Children love baking with grownups, and they certainly love eating the final product. If you have the time to spend, come up with a treat the kids can help you bake for everyone. Cookies, for example, can be an easy and interactive baking project.
Who is it good for? This is an activity for kids of all ages who love baking with an adult, and for older kids who might be able to take on the bulk of the work themselves.
14. Create snack art
When it’s snack time, put out some ingredients that the kids can use to make their own art creation. Using tortillas, toast, or whole-grain crackers as a base, kids can use fruits, vegetables, cheese, and more to create funny faces.
Who is it good for? This activity is best for younger children, from toddlers up to primary school kids.
15. Make rainbow toast
Let kids play with their food to express their artistic sides by painting their own toast. All you need for this activity is bread, sweetened condensed milk, and food colouring.
Who is it good for? Rainbow toast is a sweet food activity for kids of all ages, though younger children should be supervised by an adult.
Science and STEM activities
Let kiddos explore their analytical side with these unique and brain-building STEM activities.
16. Try the cabbage colouring experiment
Perfect for little scientists, this STEM activity is a fun way for kids to learn about how plants absorb water. All you need is some cabbage leaves, water, food colouring, and a few jars.
Who is it good for? The cabbage colouring experiment from Paging Fun Mums is ideal for primary school-aged children who are likely also beginning to learn about plants in school.
17. Make cloud dough
Using only 3 ingredients, creating cloud dough is a sensory activity that kids will absolutely love. Change up the colours or use glitter to make this activity one you can come back to over and over.
Who is it good for? Kids right through primary school will love to create cloud dough, but it’s an especially fun activity for pre-schoolers.
18. Create a toothpick tower earthquake
This minimal-ingredient STEM activity encourages problem-solving, as children try to keep their structures from collapsing. When the structures fail to hold, the real learning begins.
Who is it good for? This building activity from Teachers Are Terrific would likely be too frustrating for very young children, so it’s best suited for kids in primary school.
19. Make sequin slime
Is there a child alive who doesn’t love making slime? There are a million slime recipes on the internet, ranging from super simple to somewhat complicated, but creating slime is fun and educational for kids, as they learn the basics of chemistry while combining ingredients to create a new substance.
Who is it good for? This slime-making activity from I Can Teach My Child is good for primary school-aged kids (with supervision) and older.
20. Create lemon volcanoes
This STEM activity is full of frothy fun, and it smells good, too! Children will learn how the chemical reaction created by mixing citric acid and baking soda results in a bubbly volcano that they can create on their own.
Who is it good for? This science experiment from Babble Dabble Do is a ton of fun for primary school-aged kids.
Movement games and activities
When children need to burn off some steam after school, these high-energy activities for kids will do the trick.
21. Play the Movement Chain game
You’ll need at least two players for this game. The first person begins by performing a movement (jumping on the spot, doing a TikTok dance move, or anything else they come up with). The next person has to perform that movement and add on one of their own, forming the movement chain. The next person must do the two original movements and add on one of their own. You continue this until the movement chain is broken (someone forgets a move) and that person is out. The last person standing wins!
Who is it good for? This energetic activity is best for primary school-aged children.
22. Go on a Lego hunt
You’ll need four pieces of paper and an assortment of Lego blocks that match in colour for this activity. Start by laying out the four pieces of paper and hiding the Lego blocks somewhere in your home. The kids then have to go find the Lego pieces and place them on the matching coloured piece of paper until all of the pieces have been found. Keep track of how long it takes them and then challenge them to beat their own score.
Who is it good for? Going on a Lego hunt is a great energy-burning activity for pre-schoolers and primary school-aged children.
23. Have a dance party
What better way to get rid of excess energy than by having a dance party? Simply turn on some music for the kids and let them dance it out. Have them show off their new moves or switch it up by playing a game where everyone has to freeze when the music stops. Bonus points if you join in, as well!
Who is it good for? Dancing is a solid activity for kids of all ages. 24. Go on a scavenger hunt
Kids have been going on scavenger hunts forever, and with good reason—they’re fun! Give kids a list of objects that they have to find to complete the hunt, and let them know which areas are OK to search in. To kick it up a notch, use a treasure map to create an outdoor scavenger hunt where they can search for their own treasure.
Who is it good for? Scavenger hunts are fun activities for kids of all ages. Simply adjust the objects and hunting areas based on what they can handle. High school-aged kids can also create their own hunts for younger siblings.
25. Create an obstacle course
Another oldie but goody, obstacle courses are challenges that kids love conquering. You can make the course as simple or as complicated as you like, and some kids even enjoy creating their own. Use pillows, baskets, and furniture for an indoor course, or go all-out and put together a Ninja Warrior-style course for the kids outside.
Who is it good for? Kids of all ages love running through an obstacle course, but you should adjust the course to be age-appropriate.