Screen-free play, crafts and printables for little ones

Low-prep play for the hours between breakfast and bedtime.

Screen-free activities, crafts and printables for ages 1 to 8, each with prep time, mess level, supplies and safety notes listed up front.

Try this one first

What are we playing today?

New here? Start with these

Toddler proof Christmas tree inside a play yard fence in a living room

Toddler Activities

How to Toddler Proof a Christmas Tree: 12 Fixes That Work

9 min read

$Christmas math activities for preschool laid out on a playroom table: clothespin counting cards, paper stockings in graduated sizes, a paper chain pattern and playdough cookies with a dice$

Preschool Activities

Christmas Math Activities for Preschool: Counting, Sorting, Patterns

7 min read

Valentine sensory bin ideas: a clear bin of pink rice with red felt hearts, wooden scoops and a pink bowl on a splat mat

Sensory Play

12 Valentine Sensory Bin Ideas for Toddlers, Sorted by Age

9 min read

Toddler Activities

See all

Toddler Activities

How to Toddler Proof a Christmas Tree: 12 Fixes That Work

9 min read

Screen free activities for toddlers indoors laid out on a living room floor: a tray, play silks, soft balls and tape roads, with a small hand at the right edge

Toddler Activities

Screen Free Activities for Toddlers Indoors: A Time-of-Day Plan

8 min read

Christmas activities for 1 year olds on a living room floor: a box of torn wrapping paper, a bow sticky wall, a sealed sensory bottle and a footprint card

Toddler Activities

12 Christmas Activities for 1 Year Olds (Safe, Low-Prep)

11 min read

Safe 1 year old play items on a rug: stacking cups, a board book, a soft fabric ball, a wooden spoon and a pot

Toddler Activities

Activities for 1 Year Olds at Home: A Mouthing-Stage Guide

9 min read

Preschool Activities

See all

$Christmas math activities for preschool laid out on a playroom table: clothespin counting cards, paper stockings in graduated sizes, a paper chain pattern and playdough cookies with a dice$

Preschool Activities

Christmas Math Activities for Preschool: Counting, Sorting, Patterns

7 min read

Christmas large group activities for preschool set up on a blue classroom rug: colored carpet squares in a circle around a small Christmas tree, a folded rainbow play parachute, a Christmas picture book, red bean bags and a jingle bell wrist band, seen from above

Preschool Activities

How to Run Christmas Large Group Activities for Preschool

8 min read

Scavenger hunt for preschoolers seen from above: a clipboard with six hand-drawn picture clue cards (a red mitten, a pinecone, a blue cup, a teddy bear, a spoon, a sock) on a light wood table, small hands placing a sticker on one card

Preschool Activities

How to Make a Scavenger Hunt for Preschoolers Who Cannot Read Yet

8 min read

Preschool Activities

40 Preschool Activities at Home (Printable and Hands On)

14 min read

Sensory Play

See all

Sensory Play

12 Valentine Sensory Bin Ideas for Toddlers, Sorted by Age

9 min read

Sensory Play

How to Start Sensory Play With Babies (6 Months and Up)

8 min read

Sensory activities for toddlers laid out on a wood floor: a contact paper sticky sheet, a squish bag, bubble wrap, foil and a tray of cups

Sensory Play

21 Sensory Activities for Toddlers (No Bin Needed)

9 min read

Christmas playdough ideas on a wood table: a tray with a green playdough tree, a snowman, a candy cane twist and Christmas cookie cutters

Sensory Play

Christmas Playdough Ideas: Easy Tray Set-Up for Toddlers

9 min read

Kids Crafts

See all

Christmas cards kids can make on a craft table: a fan of six handmade cards with sponge-stamped trees, torn paper trees, a pop-up tree, paint and envelopes

Kids Crafts

Christmas Cards Kids Can Make: 6 Easy Ways by Age

6 min read

Painting ideas for toddlers: a zip bag of red, yellow and blue paint taped flat to a baking tray with a chunky brush and a damp cloth

Kids Crafts

How to Paint With Toddlers Without the Mess (8 Setups)

8 min read

Easy crafts for kids made from things already at home on a wood table: a paper plate rainbow, a toilet roll binocular pair, an egg carton caterpillar and a torn paper mosaic

Kids Crafts

31 Easy Crafts for Kids With Things You Already Have

14 min read

Winter crafts for kids on a wood table: a paper plate snowman, a decorated paper mitten, a cotton swab snowflake and a paper plate penguin

Kids Crafts

27 Winter Crafts for Kids (Snowmen, Mittens and More)

11 min read

Fresh from the playroom

Noon years eve party for kids at home: a paper plate clock craft on a wooden table with gold and blue paper party hats, paper streamers, a bowl of grapes, crackers and cheese, and juice cups, with children's hands reaching in at the edge

Holiday Crafts

Noon Years Eve Party for Kids at Home: Games, Crafts by Age

11 min read

Elf on the shelf goodbye letter on a linen table: a handwritten-style note on aged paper beside a red envelope with a wax seal, a candy cane, a mug of cocoa and a generic scout elf prop

Holiday Crafts

Elf on the Shelf Goodbye Letter: 8 Free Notes to Copy, by Age

10 min read

Why do salt dough ornaments crack: salt dough ornaments in star, tree, heart and circle shapes cooling on a wire rack on a wooden counter

Holiday Crafts

Why Do Salt Dough Ornaments Crack or Puff Up? 9 Causes and Fixes

6 min read

Christmas dramatic play ideas at home: a cardboard Santa's workshop table with gift boxes, a felt elf hat, a shoebox mailbox and play cookies on a rug

Holiday Crafts

Christmas Dramatic Play Ideas: 9 Setups at Home for Ages 2 to 5

9 min read

Bored jar ideas for kids: a glass jar of folded red, yellow and green paper strips on a coffee table beside a small Christmas tree

Printables

Bored Jar Ideas for Kids: 50 Christmas Break Cards by Energy Level

10 min read

Toddler Activities

How to Toddler Proof a Christmas Tree: 12 Fixes That Work

9 min read