Activities for Kids Under Five

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Keeping kids under five entertained can be tricky and sometimes expensive. Also, with screens being a large part of kids' lives now, it is important to allow them time away from tablets and phones. Here are suggestions on how to create valuable playtime for kids under five years of age without breaking your budget.

SENSORY PLAY

Playdough
This is not an expensive product to buy, or you can make your own, see recipe below. This activity encourages creativity, is educational and helps with fine motor skills. Placing plastic on the table or floor makes it easier to clean up afterward. If you have them, use some baking cut-out shapes and talk about what the shapes are and what they are useful for.

Playdough Recipe
I cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup water
In a bowl, add flour and salt. Mix. Then slowly add water and mix until a rubbery consistency. If the mixture is too dry, slowly add extra water. When all mixed, knead it with your hands. You may want to add some flour to your hands so it doesn't stick. You can use the dough as is or add food colouring if you wish.

Water Play
During summer, it is fun to set up a sprinkler, and kids can run in and out of the spray. To make this type of play more educational, set up a tub with water and water toys. Show kids how to fill toy buckets and pour water back in the tub. Or for even more fun, buy some sand and create a sandbox. Have the kids make shapes out of wet sand and help them make a sandcastle.

Combine the playdough shapes into this sandbox and create a story with the sandcastle, keeping kids even more entertained.

IMAGINATIVE PLAY

Build an Indoor Tent
This is a fun activity for a rainy day. Use blankets, pillows, and furniture to build a tent or cubby house. Use your imagination and allow the kids to play house with toys, teddies and dolls. This can encourage storytelling and being social. Set up in a safe area and leave it up for as long as the kids are enjoying it.

Play Dress-Ups
Choose items from your wardrobe for kids to use as costumes and include suitable accessories if you have them. Scarves, socks, costume jewellery, and don't forget Dad's shirts, these oversized items can be a lot of fun for littlies to wear. It's a fun activity and helps with role-playing.

ARTS and CRAFTS


Drawing, Painting and Tracing
This was an activity my kids enjoyed when they were young. We had a small balcony where we kept an easel for drawing and painting activities. I also bought a large roll of butcher paper so one child could use the easel and the other could design on butcher paper. We had a large bucket full of crayons, markers, tracing items and paints. Allowing them to draw on the concrete floor of the balcony was a special treat.

GAMES

Puzzles
We all know video games have taken over from board games and puzzles, but kids aged five and under still enjoy the simple pleasures of large piece puzzles with shapes, colours, animals and simple nature scenes. Spread out on the floor or a table and enjoy seeing the images form.

Matching Game
A spin-off of puzzles is a matching game. By using shapes of different sizes and colours, ask the kids to match them. This may be challenging for them, but don't be too harsh about the rules. It is a way of teaching colour and size awareness.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Reading Nook
Make a reading nook and use it to read aloud from children's books. If you still have the tent up from a previous activity, you can use this. Kids will be enthralled with picture books and listening to you narrating and bringing characters to life.

Sock Puppets
Make sock puppets from old socks and create characters kids will love. Allow kids to help you by passing buttons and accessories as you sew. When the sock puppets are complete, allow the kids to make up stories using the sock puppets.

Music
Play music, sing and dance. You can include chairs and play 'musical chairs' or ask the kids to create their own dance moves. If you have a toy microphone and speaker, this makes it even more fun.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Enjoy a Park
When the weather permits, taking children under five to a park is a great activity. Let them play on the swings, slides and climbing equipment and watch them explore. This is great for them to learn to share and play nicely with other kids who may be at the same park.


Collect Shells
Another weather-permitting activity is going to a local beach and collecting seashells. This was an activity my daughter loved as a kid, and she used them in craft activities, and placed them in plant pots or the garden. Apart from travelling costs, collecting shells is free.

Nature Walks
Explore your local area and do short walks while foraging for leaves, rocks, twigs or flowers. Bring them home and use them in craft activities.


Activities for kids under five don't have to cost much, and many are free. You don't have to move far from your home either, check out walks around your area. Use your imagination when it comes to activities for this age group and allow kids to get dirty while using and improving their imaginative playing skills.

Always be aware of choking hazards in this age group. Ensure items used are an appropriate size and use safety scissors for cutting. An adult must be around at all times during these activities.

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