1. Building Adventures
Spaghetti & Marshmallow Towers – Challenge them to build the tallest tower using only dry spaghetti and marshmallows.
Cereal Box City – Save up some empty cereal boxes and other cardboard items, and let your child create their own city by stacking and decorating the boxes. They can use Matchbox cars and small figurines to make it come alive!
Cup Tower Knockdown – Give your little one a stack of plastic or paper cups and let them build a tower as tall as they can. Once it’s standing, hand them a soft ball (or have them roll a stuffed animal) to knock it down.
Play-Dough Construction Zone – Use play-dough to build anything from simple shapes to complex towers and sculptures. Set up a “construction site” with little toy figures and vehicles to make it even more fun.
The 100-Piece Challenge: Give them 100 of something—Legos, blocks, stickers, etc.—and set a challenge to help with their problem-solving skills.
“Build the tallest tower.”
“Create a picture using only these stickers.”
“Sort them by size, color, or shape.”
2. Indoor and Outdoor Scavenger Hunts
Indoor: Give them a list of things to find around the house, for example:
Something round
Something soft
Something that starts with the letter “B”
Something that smells good
Outdoor: Instead of collecting things, let kids burn off energy with these fun movement challenges:
Balance on one foot for 10 seconds
Find a rock to paint on later
Crawl like a bug for 10 seconds
Jump over a stick like a superhero
3. Cardboard Box Magic
What will an empty cardboard box transform into? The possibilities are endless! Is it a spaceship? A puppet theater? A pet hotel? Hand them crayons and stickers, and watch creativity go wild!
4. The Dice Roll & Play Challenge
Give your child a die and have them match their roll to a fun challenge:
1: Do five jumping jacks
2: Draw a picture of an animal
3: Hop on one foot for 10 seconds
4: Have a short dance party
5: Sing the ABCs
6: Spin in a circle three times
Customize the challenges to your child’s age.
5. Creative Play Ideas
Life-Size Self-Portrait Challenge – Roll out a long sheet of wrapping paper (white side up) and have your child lie down while you trace their outline. Then, hand over markers, crayons, or paint and let them bring their portrait to life—adding their face, hair, favorite outfit, and even fun accessories! Bonus points for silly details like superhero capes or rainbow-colored hair!
Blindfolded Taste Test – Let them guess different foods with their eyes closed (fun + snack time = win).
Secret Hideout Mission – Give your child some blankets, pillows, and chairs, and challenge them to build their own secret hideout or fort. Once it’s built, give them a fun “mission” to complete inside—like reading a book by flashlight, creating a secret handshake, or guarding their fort from imaginary intruders.
So, the next time your little one says, “I’m bored!”, resist the urge to grab the tablet—try one of these activities instead. Who knows? You might just spark their next big adventure.
About the Author:
Heather Sakai has been a member of the Bright Beginnings team since early 2022, serving as the Social Media Engagement Coordinator. She holds a Master of Science in Social Service Administration and a Master of Arts in Contemporary Dance from Case Western Reserve University. Heather brings experience in social work and mood disorders research, marketing and social media, as well as dance instruction for children and adults in both the United States and abroad. Passionate about connecting people through social media, Heather strives to make it a safe space to ask questions, be vulnerable, and share successes and struggles. She is also the administrator of Cuyahoga Parents Connect and warmly invites you to join if you are a parent or caregiver of a child from birth to kindergarten, or if you are expecting a child.