Easy Kids Activities with Supplies You Already Have

Looking for simple activities to keep kids busy? They will LOVE these awesome boredom busters, and you probably have these supplies on hand already!

Whether it’s a rainy day, a sick day, or just a day where you need to get things done in peace, these activities will fit the bill. All of these kids activities are things that we have personally tried and found to be fun and engaging!

EASY KIDS ACTIVITIES FOR AGES 3 – 8

First, let’s start with crafts and play ideas for preschoolers up through age 8.

Grab a poster board and turn it into a Poster Board Play Mat for Toy Cars! Why buy a play mat when you can make your own? Draw some roads, draw parking spaces, and add places to go. My preschoolers have loved coloring their city and then driving the cars around, and it leads to days of fun. When you’re done, just recycle it!

Make some Cardboard Roads and a Parking Garage for Toy Cars. Super fun idea to make with shipping boxes you have on hand and a few toilet paper rolls.

Use an empty tissue box to make the coolest Tissue Box Catapult. You can launch pom pom balls or small balls or something similar.

Make a Cardboard Box Pizza Oven complete with cardboard pizzas to bake! This is SO FUN for pretend play, and don’t miss the tip about making a “scissors salad.” Hours of entertainment here, y’all.

If you have a large cardboard box, make an Epic Marble Run. This will keep everyone busy for days, and it’s another project that you can just toss in the recycling bin once it’s all torn up.

Here are 10 Indoor Ball Games to Play! We used a bag of those colorful ball pit balls. These active games are perfect for bad weather days when the kids can’t get outside.

Create your own zoo with these Toilet Paper Roll Animals. Make lions, a monkey, an elephant, and an alligator.

Silly Monsters Play Dough is always a big hit! Just add googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and straw segments to the play dough you have. Or make your own play dough!

EASY KIDS ACTIVITIES FOR AGE 8 & UP

This next set of activities is perfect age 8 and up!

Make your own Shrinky Dinks. Yes! The classic 80’s craft! You just need a plastic container with #6 on it (the recycling code), some Sharpie markers, and your oven. SO COOL.

Set up a LEGO Scavenger Hunt! Just print the clue cards (they work for any home) and then add LEGO minifigures that you already have.

Challenge the kids to build Index Card Castles. Just index cards, scissors, and tape. You’ll be amazed at what can be done with these simple supplies.

Clean Pennies with Salt and Vinegar. The transformation is amazing! This will only work on copper pennies and not other coins.

These Animal Photo Cards are lots of fun. Print the cards, or let the kids view them on a phone or tablet. Kids can use these animal cards as drawing inspiration, they can organize or line up the cards, or they can build the animals with LEGO bricks or any other building toy you have.

Set up an Indoor Spy Obstacle Course with things from around the house. In addition to being a fun boredom buster, this is also a great birthday party activity.

Make Drinking Straw Rockets that really blast off! You just need straws, craft foam, scissors, and tape.

Grab a cardboard box and make a Marble Run with Straws. This is a cool engineering challenge!