5 year old kids activities


101 awesome activities for kids ages 5 to 8

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These activities for 5-year-olds and older are perfect for staving off boredom.

Do you struggle with thinking of fun activities to keep your child entertained on the weekends and after school? You’re not alone! It can certainly be difficult to come up with unique activities for kids. And although it might be easy to just pop in a movie or allow your little one to play games on the tablet, psychologist and play expert Dr. Jacqueline Chinappi, of South University in Savannah, Georgia, urges you to remember that too much screen time can contribute to behavioral problems, obesity and attention issues.

In today’s digital world, this is a growing concern. In fact, according to Dr. Anne Fishel, of the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, children around 8 years old at times have up to 11 hours of screen time per day.

Help your little one exercise their mind and body by trying out these 101 fun activities for 5- to 8-year-olds.

  1. Make a batch of homemade play dough.
  2. Go on a nature walk and collect leaves or rocks.
  3. Move the furniture around so your little gymnast can practice their tumbles.
  4. Play “Go Fish.”
  5. Make a fort out of blankets and pillows.
  6. Plant flowers in the garden.
  7. Camp out in the backyard.
  8. Read a classic children’s book out loud together.
  1. Learn to ride a bike.
  2. Go berry picking.
  3. Bake a pie using your freshly picked berries.
  4. Grab some binoculars and go birdwatching.
  5. Learn how to play the recorder.
  6. Make sock puppets.
  7. Press flowers and put them in a scrapbook.
  8. Build a model airplane.
  1. Learn how to knit.
  2. Visit your local zoo.
  3. Visit a farmers’ market.
  4. Play dress-up.
  5. Learn how to braid hair.
  6. Grab some chalk and decorate the sidewalk.
  7. Have an outdoor picnic.
  8. Observe insects through a magnifying glass.
  1. Is it raining? Have a picnic indoors instead!
  2. Visit animals at a pet store. (Just try not to bring them all home!)
  3. Make a map of your house or apartment.
  4. Learn how to jump rope.
  5. Make a guitar out of a box and rubber bands.
  6. Visit your neighbors.
  7. Bake brownies.
  8. Pop some popcorn, and snuggle up to watch some home movies.
  1. Plant a vegetable garden.
  2. Build a snowman.
  3. Have a snowball fight.
  4. Make a pizza with all your favorite toppings.
  5. Visit a pumpkin patch.
  6. Make friendship bracelets.
  7. Turn a pine cone into a bird feeder by adding some peanut butter and birdseed.
  8. Learn a magic trick.
  1. Cut out homemade paper dolls.
  2. Play freeze tag.
  3. Play “Simon Says.”
  4. Interview a grandparent.
  5. Get out a bag of hair ties and create some fun hairdos.
  6. Go to the library.
  7. Go on a hike.
  8. Build a sandcastle.
  1. Have a tea party with real tea and snacks.
  2. Cut out pictures from magazines to make a collage.
  3. Play “Red Light/Green Light.”
  4. Color!
  5. Write an original song.
  6. Take turns drawing each other’s portraits.
  7. Paint each other’s fingernails.
  8. Play “Hide-and-Seek.”
  1. Teach your dog or cat how to do some tricks.
  2. Make your own bubble solution.
  3. Lay out an ice cream sundae bar.
  4. Play “Follow the Leader.”
  5. Tie-dye T-shirts.
  6. Have a fashion show.
  7. Feed ducks at a local pond or lake.
  8. Make shadow puppets on the wall.
  1. Play a board game.
  2. Turn craft foam into bath floats.
  3. Make pinch pots out of air-dry clay.
  4. Slice apples and turn them into paint stamps.
  5. Turn your living room into a winter wonderland with toilet paper, cotton balls and pillows.
  6. Break out your makeup and let your child give you a new look.
  7. Put on a play.
  8. Do a word search.
  9. Visit a local farm.
  10. Run through a sprinkler.
  1. Make nature crafts.
  2. Learn how to hula hoop.
  3. Make muffin tin crayons.
  4. Cut snowflakes out of paper.
  5. Play mini golf.
  6. Make hot chocolate.
  7. Lie down in your backyard, and talk about the shapes you see in the clouds.
  8. Create a secret handshake.
  9. Go fishing.
  10. Put together a puzzle.
  1. Play musical chairs.
  2. Learn how to do a cartwheel.
  3. Make rainbow foam.
  4. Create a paper chain with colorful construction paper.
  5. Learn how to play checkers.
  6. Make a drum out of an oatmeal container.
  7. Visit a science museum.
  8. Learn a new language.
  9. Make leaf and tree rubbings with paper and crayons.
  10. Catch fireflies.
  1. Go for a drive with no destination.
  2. Make a sundial out of paper plates.
  3. Play “Duck, Duck, Goose.”
  4. Build a dream house out of Legos.
  5. Have your child write a letter to her favorite book character.
  6. Do a crossword puzzle.
  7. Find rocks outside and paint them.

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25 Engaging Activities For 5-Year-Olds

When I think about five-year-olds, I think about the world of imagination and endlessly learning possibilities- where the impossible is possible, and there are no limits and boundaries. Five-year-olds are eager to learn, help, and do. They are on the go from morning till night, so they need plenty of short activities to keep them entertained. We’ve compiled a list of 25 engaging activities, so dive right in and remember to have fun!

1. Play With Your Food

Kids are always told, “Don’t play with your food.” Well, in this activity, we are going to do just that! Ever heard of Rainbow Toast?  Children will have edible paint and some toast and can let their imaginations go wild as they paint a rainbow. Afterward, they can enjoy an edible treat! 

Learn More: Holley Grainger

2. Cookie Merger

Hundreds of years ago, Othello was first played with black and white stones in Japan. The game’s object is to enclose the opposite color so it can be flipped over. This time we are using black and white sandwich cookies in a fast-paced game with a twist.

Learn More: Kids Activities Blog

3. Got Cups?

Plastic cups can be so much fun if you know what to do with them. Cup activities go far beyond just stacking them up. From bowling, ping pong, sorting, or drawing, plastic cup activities win hands down. Kids have big red plastic cups and small squares of construction paper, and the aim is to try and build the tallest tower. 

Learn More: Pickle Bums

4. Egg Carton Planting

Little ones like the experience and idea of gardening, but many do not like all the hassle it entails. Children can have lots of fun in the classroom with egg carton plants. They can simply fill a carton with soil, plant the seed, water it, and watch it grow. 

Learn More: Revolution Foods

5. Ants Go Marching

Ants are so interesting to learn about, and with this fantastic craft, children can make their own red and black ants out of spoons! Connect assorted spoons and paint them red or black. Glue on some googly eyes and pipe cleaner legs, and your ants are ready for marching! 

Learn More: Danielle’s Place

6. Junk In Your Trunk

This game takes a little bit of investment, but it is well worth it. All you need is some tissue boxes, ping pong balls, and a few other odds and ends. The game’s objective is to get all the balls out of the tissue box as fast as possible. Shake, jiggle and move to get your “junk out of your trunk.”

Learn More: JCTV Family Vlog

7. Shhh, It’s Quiet Time

Children need downtime, and to create the best chill time for your kindergartener, you need to create the right atmosphere. Healthy music, low lights or soft lighting, crayons and paper, soft toys, and comfortable seating do wonder! 

Learn More: Families In Schools

8. Bean Bag Fun 

Bean bags are so easy to make, and they are essential in child development. Practice the art of balancing by getting your little ones to balance bean bags on different body parts. There are so many games that can be played with bean bags; whether it’s a tossing or spatial activity, your learners are sure to have a good time! 

Learn More: Empowered Parents

9. Inventive Activity Cards 

Five-year-olds are full of imagination, and we have to help nurture their literary skills and public speaking. One great idea to help you do this is picture cards that can be bought or made. Children lay a few of the cards on the table and then tell us a simple story step by step. 

Learn More: Tinker Lab

10. Scavenger Hunt For Beginner Readers

Using cards with simple instructions and some picture cards, pupils can work together and solve the puzzles to discover the treasure. Hide items in the playground or classroom for learners to search for. 

Learn More: The Spruce

11. Lego Charades 

This is a fantastic game! Each child gets a picture to recreate using Lego blocks. The other children will guess what they are building as they create. It seems complicated, but it works really well, and your little ones will love the interactive guessing part! 

Learn More: Big Family Blessings

12. Musical Moves

This is an adorable, kid-friendly YouTube exercise video with easy exercise moves. All your little ones need to do is listen to the instructions and follow along. Exercise is important for everyone’s health; if you start young, your students will have good habits!

Learn More: Monica Flores Fitness

13. Paper Plate Snowman

Snowmen crafts are fantastic Winter makes! Make a paper plate snowman using paper plates, glue, and googly eyes. Print out the body parts before cutting them out and assembling the body. 

Learn More: Simple Everyday Mom

14. Learn With The Gruffalo 

To teach reading, kids need to know how to decipher rhyme. The Gruffalo is a funny tale to help with rhyming, and children can then invent their own crazy animals like a COG or a SNOG! 

Learn More: Deanna Jump

15. STEM Paper Airplanes

Paper Airplanes can be challenging to make, but with the right instructions, you have a great educational STEM project! All your learners need is some paper, crayons to decorate their finished product and a whole lot of patience! 

Learn More: Engineering Emily

16. BIG or PIG 

5-Year-olds are at the age where they are beginning to read. This website is great for practicing blending words and developing pre-reading skills that will improve your child’s phonological awareness. 

Learn More: Education.com

17. Bed Of Roses

Make a beautiful bouquet of roses using play dough! They are truly beautiful and easy to make. Start with a few small pieces of playdough or clay – rolling them into small balls and then into oval shapes before pressing the pieces together and forming flowers. 

Learn More: Krokotak

18. Twister

There is something exciting about being entangled with your friends! Time to take off your shoes and stretch a little. Challenge your learners to keep their balance as you spin the instruction wheel and have your students follow the prompts by placing their body parts on the mat. 

Learn More: Little Learning Corner

19. Obstacle Course

Use some yarn and other household items you have lying around the house to create an awesome obstacle course. Get your little ones involved in designing and setting up their very own obstacle course before maneuvering through it for hours! 

Learn More: Life Family Fun

20. Cotton Ball Balancing 

This is an awesome activity to practice balance if you have a few teaspoons and cotton balls lying around. Place a cotton ball on the spoon and have your learners race from one end of the classroom to the other without dropping their cotton balls.

Learn More: A Mom’s Take

21. Full Of Beans

Set up a sensory bin using assorted beans. Kids will love the sensation of running their fingers through the beans and enjoying the texture. They can use containers to pour the beans from one box into another or even practice their math skills by counting out a given number. 

Learn More: Bounce Back Parenting

22. Hot Potato Balloon Game

Hot potato entails moving extremely fast. Blow up a balloon and have your learners stand in a circle. The object of the game is to keep the balloon in the air and not hold onto it for too long. 

Learn More: Empowered Parents

23. Simon Says

Simon says is an awesome opportunity to practice listening skills. Learners can play by following the instructions called out by “Simon.” If an instruction is given without the words “Simon says…”, the learners who complete the action are out. 

Learn More: Patty Shukla Kids TV – Children’s songs

24. Dice Game

Moo like a cow, jump like a rabbit, sing like a bird- all of these options and more can be played in an animal activity dice game. Roll the die and follow the instructions written on a piece of paper. Make sure your learners have plenty of space to move around in.

Learn More: Twitchetts

25. Horse 

Using smaller basketball nets and softballs, children can play this great classic game. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into the basket from different positions.  If you miss after three tries, you get an H, and so on. Once you have the word HORSE spelled out in full, you’re eliminated from play. 

Learn More: Rookie Road

Related posts:

Activities for 5 and 6 year olds

We offer activities and games for boys and girls from 5 to 6 years old. Propose an exercise appropriate for the age of the child - this is the key to success. On the one hand, the child will develop the skills needed to complete the task without making it difficult or too easy, which would lead to frustration or boredom. And it's about avoiding both.

All the games we offer you are suitable for children from 5 to 6 years old, and some can be adapted for younger children by slightly changing their difficulty . The most important thing is that you stay attentive and see which one naturally arouses the child's attention and explore that area more.

Index

  • 1 Extra-curricular activities from 5 years old
  • 2 Educational games for children 5-6 years old
  • 3 Activities for the development of children's memory

Extra-curricular activities from 5 years old

2

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Most schools already offer extra-curricular activities adapted to the age of the children. But if you want to have an orientation and expand on what they offer, we give you the following ideas:

  • Team sports. At this age children are already cooperating. They like to play with others, they like to win, and they are looking for the best way to achieve this. Therefore, any team activity is ideal, we are talking about rugby, football or basketball.
  • Actividades artisticas . We include in this music, theater, rhythmic gymnastics or any dance, for both boys and girls. This will allow them to develop knowledge about the body, rhythm and movement.
  • Las martial arts such as taekwondo, karate or kung fu provide health and mental development. This is the perfect age to start understanding it as a game. Help develop concentration, endurance, strength and flexibility ,y they teach values.

These are just a few ideas, but talk to your son and daughter about what they would like to do. Offer various visits to sports and arts centers, and participate in open days .

Educational games for children 5-6 years old

Learning to read and write will be easier for a child who has already had the opportunity to perform certain activities. These essential skills to learn can be trained by playing . You can play weaving dolls, making friends, or even weaving a necklace out of wool. This is how you develop fine motor skills.

A very suitable game for these ages is Spot the difference game , or put pairs of equals together. For both activities, the same principle is used - to fix the attention of the child. In this way, they develop the necessary skills to recognize letters and numbers. Sudoku with animals or figures adapted to this age, they can play for hours.

You can learn left and right by playing bowling, for example. First with one hand, then with the other. Together you can see which hand you win the most points with. This game helps hand-eye coordination, just like writing. And you just have to remember which hand you're the best with. You can help him by putting a bracelet on his dominant hand.

Activities for the development of children's memory

At home or on the street, with the whole family you can play hide object . The child will need to ask where he is, if below, above, on the side, behind ... Let him or she also hide something (I think about the Easter egg) and participate.

card games tend to improve memory . At this age, they are very funny and serve to expand their vocabulary. Cards can be made at home so that the child knows that in addition to toys, he can make and imagine his own games. You must line up the cards, let the child look at them for a few seconds, and turn them face down. Now let's remember what was on each card and in what order.

to train auditory memory, actions based on listening, memorization and repetition they are useful. Do you know the parrot game? To do this, he must say three words and ask the child to repeat them in the same order. Each time you will have to add a new word. When a child makes a mistake, it's your turn, someone else. You can only use the names of animals, fruits, etc.


Where to go with a child in Moscow - Afisha-Kids

Where to go with a child in Moscow - Afisha-Kids

April

August

September

October

November

December

January

February 9000 Theater of satire. Children's stage

From 1000 ₽

Captain's daughter

April 9 at 12:00, CDL

From 500 ₽

Theo - theater captain

April 29 at 12:00, impromptu

Buy tickets

Multimedia Entertainment Center Soyuzmultpark

to April 30, Soyuzmultpark at VDNH 9000 ₽

Circus Princess

Classic operetta with

March - June, Moscow Theater

From 1550 ₽

Miyazaki's dreams. High Time Orchestra. Concert in the greenhouse

April 22 at 17:00, Pavilion №14 "Azerbaijan"

Buy tickets

Cheburashka

The first feature film about Cheburashka 9Ol000 musical theater

Classical operetta with circus performances

From 300 ₽

Mira Prokofiev

March 16 at 19:00, Mosconcert

Classics

Tickets

Multimedia entertainment center Soyuzmultpark

until April 30, Soyuzmultpark on VDNH

Poster Daily

Films

Tickets

Tsarevna and mysterious guest

cartoons

00

Bleeters

Cartoles

Cartoles Cartoon

Tickets

Knight of Shadows

Action

Chinese Gogol starring Jackie Chan

Performances

From 700 ₽

The Mystery of the Old Wardrobe

April 2 at 12:00, Theater on Bronnaya

Children's

Performance with transformations based on The Chronicles of Narnia

From 1000 ₽

Run, Alice 1902 April 90, run : 00, Theater on Taganka

Dramatic

Spectacular attraction for Vysotsky

of 1950 ₽

Ministry of Magic

March - May, Saltykov -Digtovaya estate

Children's

of 1000 ₽

Onegin

14 and 15, April 15, Theater for theater for the theater for the theater for Taganka

Musical

Exhibitions

Terracotta Army. Immortal Warriors of China

until March 26, Pavilion No. 21 “Gas Industry”

Historical

Excellers

until May 21, Museum of Russian Impressionism

Painting

Cosmonautics and Aviation

Permanent Exposition, Cosmos Pavilion

Natural science

Very detailed exhibition with cinema

Tickets

Husky ride ticket

Until March 19, Husky Land

Full schedule of events: films, exhibitions, performances, concerts

Posters selections

performances and special events at the 10th Golden Mask Children's Weekend

Preparing for USE: 3 types of graduates

performances for children about gifts

March: 10 places and events in St. Petersburg, where mothers will be interested and children will not be bored.

Events

Create a unique page for your event on Afisha

This is an opportunity to tell about it a multimillion -dollar audience and increase the attendance of