Hands-on playtime is an important way for parents to bond with their children from a young age. Engaging in creative activities will help your kiddos develop their fine motor skills, imagination and curiosity. And for parents, you’ll get to enjoy precious memories with your little ones. Here are 10 creative hobbies to enjoy with your preschoolers at home.

1.   Finger Painting

Finger painting will keep your kid entertained while engaging their creative mind. Use a theme like cars, flowers, animals, and landscapes. Let them explore and watch them use their imagination to paint colorful images.

What you’ll need:

• Watercolor
• Sheet of paper or canvas
• Paint palette

How to do it:

• Lay some newspaper on a table or the floor before starting.
• Add all the colors they want and let them make objects, shapes, and patterns independently. You can also let them copy pre-drawn images.

2.   Making Paper Chains

Making paper chains is a great way to bond while doing crafts. You and your child can play with your creations right after, which makes this activity much more fun and satisfying.

What you’ll need:

• Sheets of colorful paper
• Glue
• Colored pens or pencils
• Googly eyes (optional)

How to do it:

• Cut strips from different colors of paper.
• Glue the ends of the strips together to make a chain.
• Let your kid decorate the paper chains and create patterns of their own.
• Add googly eyes if you have them.

3.   Ice Cube Excavating

This fun sensory activity is good for passing the time at home. Experiment with different contents for the ice cubes.

What you’ll need:

• Ice tray
• Small objects like miniature toys, marbles, seeds, flowers, and plastic gems
• Spoons or spreading knives to break or chip the ice with

How to do it:

• Fill an ice tray with different objects to create a variety of ice blocks.
• Fill the tray with water and freeze.
• Lay the ice blocks on a plate or tray and watch your kid melt or chip away at the ice.

4.   Making Popsicle Stick Animals

Here’s a quick and fun craft idea for you and your child to try. Popsicle stick animals are easy and can help your little one play around with different inspirations.

What you’ll need:

• Popsicle sticks
• Colored pens or pencils
• Glue
• Scissors
• Buttons, beads, and felt paper if available
• Googly eyes (optional)

How to do it:

• Give your child popsicle sticks.
• Place the other materials like buttons, beads, felt paper, and glue on the table.
• Watch your child make various animals using the materials provided.
• Add details using colored pens and googly eyes for finishing touches.

5.   Playdough Modeling

Letting your child use playdough for fun activities engages their creativity and sensory perception. It’s an excellent toy for children to explore their creativity and imagination.

What you’ll need:

• Playdough
• Different cutters and mold shapes
• Playdough mat

How to do it:

• Place all materials on a mat.
• Give your child different colors of playdough.
• Encourage them to create different shapes by rolling, pounding, and molding the playdough.
• Let them explore using the other cutters and mold shapes as you play.

6.   Start a Garden

If your kids are constantly digging in the dirt, why not make it a productive and educational activity? Gardening can be a fun way to get kids to engage with nature and learn a little science before they start school. You can start simple by growing plants inside, where your kids can watch them grow through each stage. 

What you’ll need: 

• Seeds of your choice (herbs are often easy to grow indoors)
• Pots with drainage holes
• A watering can
• A small, kid-friendly shovel

How to do it: 

• Before you start, decide what plants you want to grow and research the light and humidity levels they need to thrive indoors. 
• Put a towel down on the floor before bringing out the dirt. 
• Help your child fill pots with dirt, then plant the seeds and water them. 
• Place the pots by a window, and watch with your child each week to see the growth process. 

7.   Bring Me Games

This is an excellent activity to exercise your child’s memory and ability to recall things. You can create different themes around this game and involve items familiar to your kid, like their toys, school materials, and everyday items inside the house.

What you’ll need:

• Toys, school materials, household items, and other objects familiar to your child
• Treats like cupcakes, a ribbon, or homemade medal

How to do it:

• Encourage your child to be mindful of their surroundings.
• Give out clues about where to find the objects.
• Watch and encourage your child to look for items in the house.
• Hold an awarding ceremony where you share treats and give rewards for finding the items.

8.   Drawing and Coloring

Shapes, colors, and patterns add to your kid’s creativity and growth. Let them explore different ideas by joining them at the drawing table.

What you’ll need:

• Sheets of paper
• Colored pens and pencils
• Watercolor or pastels
• Patterns or stencils

How to do it:

• Place the materials on the table in front of your child.
• Ask them to choose their favorite colors and writing materials.
• Encourage them to add the colors they want.
• Let them try different stencils or patterns.

9.   Making Masks

Crafts will always be a favorite activity for kids and their parents. Sharing fun moments while designing masks will surely be a memorable experience for both parties.

What you’ll need:

• Scissors
• Glue
• Pencils or pens
• Rubber bands
• Watercolors
• Paper plates

How to do it:

• Place the materials on a table in front of your child.
• Let them experiment with different cutouts for the mask’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
• Encourage them to use colors in his mask.
• Tie rubber bands on both ends of the mask and let them wear it.

10.       Slime Time

Making slime is a good sensory experience for kids and teaches them to follow steps.

What you’ll need:

• Cornstarch
• 2 cups of shampoo
• ¼ cup of water

How to do it:

• Mix cornstarch and shampoo in a mixing bowl.
• Add two tablespoons of water to bind the ingredients together.
• Add more water as necessary until you get the desired consistency.
• Watch your child play with the slime or join in on the fun.

Let Kids Enjoy Meaningful Play

Preschool is a tender age for children. It’s where they develop motor skills, discover new things about themselves, and learn about other children their age. Being there for them will make those experiences much more enjoyable and meaningful.

What are some fun activities you play with your children?