Not every holiday day needs an outing. Some of the best memories come from ordinary days at home, when there's time to try something new, finish a project or simply potter. The trick is having a few ideas ready before anyone says I'm bored. Most of the activities below use things you already have in the house, and many work for a wide age range with small tweaks.
Brainy activities
These ideas sneak in thinking, problem solving and a bit of maths or literacy without feeling like homework.
- 1. Set up a maths treasure hunt with clues that need solving to find the next location.
- 2. Hold a family quiz night with categories chosen by each person.
- 3. Run a times tables dice race and keep a leaderboard on the fridge.
- 4. Build a giant jigsaw puzzle on a spare table and leave it out all week.
- 5. Teach a younger sibling a card game and explain the rules and strategy.
- 6. Research an animal, country or invention and present five surprising facts at dinner.
Creative activities
Creative play builds imagination, fine motor skills and confidence. Keep a box of craft supplies, scrap paper and recycled packaging handy.
- 7. Draw a comic strip story about a family pet with superpowers.
- 8. Roll story dice and write or tell an adventure using every picture.
- 9. Build a cardboard box city, castle or spaceship.
- 10. Make a short stop-motion animation using toys and a phone or tablet.
- 11. Write and perform a puppet show with sock or paper bag puppets.
- 12. Create a family recipe book with drawings and favourite dishes.
Active activities
Moving their bodies helps children sleep better, burns off energy and lifts everyone's mood. Many of these work in a backyard, a hallway or a local park.
- 13. Set up a backyard or living room obstacle course and time each run.
- 14. Go on a nature scavenger hunt in the garden or local park.
- 15. Hold a paper plane test lab and measure which design flies furthest.
- 16. Have a dance party with each person choosing a song.
- 17. Play a classic game like hopscotch, elastics or four square.
- 18. Try a family fitness challenge, such as star jumps, skipping or balancing.
Helpful and life skills activities
Holidays are a great time to build independence. Children often feel proud when they're trusted with real responsibilities.
- 19. Plan, shop for and cook one family meal, with an adult helping as needed.
- 20. Take on the supermarket budget challenge and compare prices per kilogram.
- 21. Plant seeds or herbs and keep a growth diary.
- 22. Learn a practical skill like sewing a button, folding washing or packing a lunch.
- 23. Sort and donate toys, clothes or books they've outgrown.
- 24. Plan a family day out on a budget, including travel times and costs.
Calm activities
Quiet time is just as important as busy time. These ideas help children rest, reset and enjoy their own company.
- 25. Build a reading fort and spend an afternoon with books and cushions.
- 26. Keep a weather watch diary, recording the sky, temperature and rainfall each day.
- 27. Try colouring, drawing or painting with music playing softly.
- 28. Write a letter or postcard to a grandparent, friend or cousin.
- 29. Listen to an audiobook or podcast together.
- 30. Lie on a blanket outside and look for shapes in the clouds or stars at night.
Hide clues around the house that can only be unlocked by solving a maths problem. Each answer points to the next hiding spot.
Plan, draw and write a six-panel comic with a beginning, a problem and a satisfying ending.
Explore your backyard or local park to find, sort and sketch living things — no collecting required.
Fold three paper plane designs, run fair tests and find out which flies furthest — and why.
How to plan a week at home
A little structure helps the days flow without turning the holidays into a timetable. Try this simple approach:
- Sit down together at the start of the week. Ask everyone to choose one or two activities they'd really like to do.
- Give each day a loose theme. For example, Make-it Monday, Thinking Tuesday, Wild Wednesday, Helpful Thursday and Free-choice Friday.
- Plan one bigger thing per day. That might be a baking project, a box city build or a trip to the park. The rest of the day can be free play.
- Mix the types. Aim for something active and something calm every day, with brainy, creative and helpful activities spread across the week.
- Leave gaps. Unscheduled time lets children follow their own ideas, which is where a lot of the best play happens.
- Review at the end of the week. Ask what they enjoyed most and use that to plan next week.
Adapting for different ages
Younger children usually need more adult involvement and shorter activities, so pick simple versions and be ready to join in. Older children and teenagers often prefer more independence and bigger challenges, such as cooking a whole meal, planning a budget day out or creating a short film. Letting them take the lead, and even teach younger siblings, builds confidence and responsibility.
Keeping costs down
Almost everything on this list can be done for little or nothing. Recycled boxes, scrap paper, kitchen ingredients, the local library and the backyard are all you really need. If you do buy something, choose open-ended items like paper, tape, chalk or a pack of cards that can be used in many different ways.
Most of all, remember that the holidays don't need to be perfect or packed. A few planned activities, plenty of free play and some time together is a wonderful mix.
Common questions
What can kids do at home during the school holidays?
Try a mix of brainy, creative, active, helpful and calm activities, such as a treasure hunt, comic strip, obstacle course, cooking a meal and building a reading fort. Rotating types keeps the days varied.
How do I stop my kids getting bored at home?
Have a list of ideas ready, give each day a loose theme, and use an idea jar so children can choose for themselves. Leaving some unstructured time also encourages them to invent their own play.
Do I need to plan every day of the holidays?
No. One planned activity per day plus plenty of free time is usually enough. Too much structure can feel like school, while a little planning helps avoid restless afternoons.
What are good free holiday activities at home?
Nature scavenger hunts, paper plane experiments, story writing, card games, reading forts, cloud watching and backyard obstacle courses all cost little or nothing.
How can older kids help plan holiday activities?
Ask them to plan a day, cook a meal, organise a family quiz or plan a budget day out. Giving teenagers ownership makes them more invested and builds useful life skills.