Do you need to keep kids of different ages occupied? Are you looking for an activity that will work for the toddler, the preschooler and the school kids?
Here are 20 activities for multi-age groups.
An open-ended activity like art journaling means everyone can join in at their own pace and with their own style.
Simple science works well with different age groups. Try this simple ‘fizzy drips‘ activity to combine science and play. From Toddler Approved.
Or try this activity where you use science to tye die! From Kids Activities Blog.
You are never too young or too old for imaginative play. Make a pond pretend play scene with these printable floating accessories. From Be a Fun Mum.
Or print some of our imaginative play mats.
Bigger kids can make these fabric beads while smaller ones thread them. From Babble Dabble Do.
Get everyone working together with this collaborative doodle drawing activity.
Make a pet rock! From Kid Stuff World.
Sensory play is always popular, try this clean mud for Frozen fans. From Happy Hooligans.
Or how about some homemade slime? The big kids can make it themselves. Fun At Home With Kids shares the ultimate guide to slime with so many recipe options.
Velcro dot craft sticks are easy enough for little hands to use but bigger kids will enjoy building complex creations. From Powerful Mothering.
Make fizzy sherbet, simple enough for little hands and cool enough for big kids! From Laughing Kids Learn.
Everyone in our house, from age 3 to 41 loved making these simple contact paper mandalas.
How about putting on a puppet show and making you own puppet theatre? From My Little Bookcase.
Create your own personal postcards with our draw your own postcard printable.
When everyone gets to do their own part of a bigger project like in this kid made bunting activity, it’s easy for everyone to join in at their own level.
Try some sticker drawings, because everyone loves stickers! From Childhood101.
Play dough might seem a little ‘baby-ish’ but making art with play dough is a great challenge for big kids and little ones. From Creative Play Central.
More stickers, these symmetrical sticker pictures are fun and packed with learning opportunities for a variety of ages and stages. From You Clever Monkey.
Collage is a great open-ended activity that works for different ages, try some crazy photo collage, we even give you a free printable to get started.
The trick to managing play with multiple ages is to find something that is easy enough for the youngest to join in, but interesting enough to capture the older kids too. Pick open ended activities, and hang around to support younger kids or challenge older ones and everyone will be happy. For more tips on how to manage play with different age groups check out this post I wrote for Childhood101.
Do you have a range of ages at your house?
What activities work best for your multi age groups?
Kelly says
Love this Kate. Thanks for including one of mine.
Nichole {youclevermonkey} says
Such a useful post for families Kate and some great ideas – we’ve tried many of these! Thanks for including our symmetrical sticker pictures too xx
diana says
Great ideas :D
Alisha says
Thank you so much for the awesome list! I can’t wait to try some with my kiddos and niece and nephew!
Jacoline says
My little boy will love these, thank you! I would never have thought to create some of these