Easy Last Minute Activities

The end of the school year and the summer months can be a little crazy. Schedules are very different, there are all kinds of field trips and gatherings, and holidays can really throw everything off. These are the months when it’s especially helpful to have activities in your back pocket that you can pull out without any kind of prep work. Here are some of my favorite activities to lean into for those moments when I really need something to keep the children engaged.

Bubbles – Taking preschoolers outside and letting them loose with bubbles is ALWAYS a hit. It doesn’t matter what kind of mood your kids are in, bubbles will immediately create laughs and smiles.

Movement games – Sometimes we just need to move our bodies, and for little ones, it can be a way to release a lot of tension. Literally shaking the sillies out truly works. I have a set of fun movement games in my TPT store that can be cut out once and used over and over again. Click here for that resource.

Sidewalk chalk – Art is another amazing release, and if you can soak up some sun while doing it then I’m all in. There’s something about sidewalk chalk, and the experience of drawing on a surface that isn’t completely smooth, that adds a different sensory experience. It can be almost meditative!

Singing Songs – Singing is a wonderful way to practice a wide variety of verbal and linguistic skills. For very young children, they have to really focus on making their mouths and voices form all of the words at a certain pace. Older children know the songs by heart and can sing them without placing all of the focus on the actual song, which gives them some time for mindfulness. Here are the lyrics to all of my favorite preschool songs if you need some inspiration!

Outdoor games – Playing structured games on the playground with my friends is a core memory, and I’ve been shocked to find out that a lot of kids now don’t know these games that were so common for us. Teaching these games to a new generation makes me so happy! This blog freebie is a set of cards with the name of common games (Simon Says, Mother May I, Red Light Green Light, Freeze Tag, etc.) so that children can pick a card when they aren’t sure what to play outside.