Here you can find a range of play and early learning activities to try at home with your children. Each activity has a suggested age range.
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Young children don’t need lots of expensive toys to play and learn. The most important gift parents, carers, grandparents and other family members can give is their time and attention.
Singing songs, playing games and telling stories are the building blocks to your child’s learning and development. Through play, children develop their bodies, learn to talk and communicate, how to take turns and share, start to be able to write, understand early maths through counting games, learn about the world we live in and lots more.
The resources here will help you with some fun play ideas and early learning ideas to try at home. Under each heading you’ll find a list of activities with a suggested age range. The Seasonal section is changed throughout the year, so do keep coming back for new ideas.
You can also find lots of low cost, no cost activity ideas from our Family Hubs in the Play at home booklet (PDF) (opens in new tab)
Outdoor fun
Fun activities you can try at home in the garden or out and about:
Out and About Bear Hunt AGES 12 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Toddler yoga, AGES 18 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Play park woodland activities AGES 12 months+[PDF] (opens in new tab)
Outdoor paper plates and nature walk, AGES 18 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Fun with mud and sticks, AGES 2 to 5 years [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Nature ice AGES 0+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Make and build, AGES 3 to 8 years [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Natural objects, AGES 3 to 8 years [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Forest School mud dough, AGES 6 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Build a bug house, AGES 18 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Make and do
Things you can make and do at home:
Threading activity with pasta, AGES 2 years + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Stacking and knocking, AGES 7 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Sock bowling AGES 18 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Let's make Pizzas, AGES 2 years + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Play dough (cooked) AGES 12 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Baking jam tarts, AGES 2 years + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Sensory shell mobile, AGES 2 to 7 years [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Painting leaves, AGES 12 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Creative sound shakers, AGES 6 Months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Decorate a butterfly, AGES 6 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Messy play
Messy play activities to try at home:
Cornflour gloop, AGES 18 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Bath-time fun, AGES birth+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Edible paints, AGES 6 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Potato masher caterpillars, AGES 2 to 7 years [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Frozen painting, AGES 18 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Painting leaves AGES 1 years onwards [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Secret letters, AGES 2+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Rangoli patterns, AGES 12 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Secret letters, AGES 2+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Stories, songs and rhymes
Activities to get you signing and reading with your child:
Mrs Browning has a box, AGES 2+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Peekaboo, AGES Birth+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Wordless books, AGES Birth+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Musical pans, AGES 12-18month + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Incy Wincy spider, AGES Birth +[PDF] (opens in new tab)
Old McDonald song and signs, AGES Birth+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Singing and dancing, AGES Birth+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, AGES Birth+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Singing and reading, AGES Pre-birth + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Pregnancy
Try these activities whilst you are expecting:
Partners communicating with bump [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Safe exercise during pregnancy [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Smoothies during pregnancy [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Celebrations
Celebrating some key events throughout the year:
Chinese New Year activity, AGES 18 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Easter activities, AGES 18 months+[PDF] (opens in new tab)
Father's Day, AGES Birth+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Pancake day, AGES 2+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Ramadan cooking roti, AGES 2.5+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
St Patrick's Day, AGES 12 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Valentine's Day activities, AGES 18 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Valentines themed sensory bottle, AGES 0+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Hannukah activity, AGES 2 years onwards [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Christmas play dough, AGES 18 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Seasonal activities
This Season
Minibeasts, AGES 2 years+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Threading with pasta, AGES 2 years + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Scavenger hunt, AGES 2 years + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Boat race, AGES 2 year + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Bug hotel, AGES 18 Months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Muddy activities, AGES 2 years+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Physical outdoor play, AGES 18 Months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Sunshine paper plate, AGES 2 to 3 years + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Fun with sounds, AGES 9 Months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Science and water fun AGES 9 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Next Season
Christmas Activity Wreath AGES 18 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Christmas Make a Mini Grotto AGES 1 year+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Christmas Playdough AGES 18 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Christmas Sensory Board AGES Birth + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Christmas Poem and Activities AGES Birth + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Colour Match AGES 2 years + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Counting Activities AGES 18 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Snow Activities AGES 12 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Den Building AGES 12 months + [PDF] (opens in new tab)
Winter Sensory Bins AGES 12 months+ [PDF] (opens in new tab)