It is a sorry sight nowadays to see children spending more time on the smartphones, tablets, and television when they have nothing else to do – especially on a school break. While the shows and games can be beneficial in certain ways, a child’s development is also very much dependent on the amount of time and interaction they spent with their parents or caregivers. However, there is no denying that it is difficult to come up with new and fun activities to do with your child that can compete with what is on YouTube, social media, or the television.
Here to help you kickstart some ideas on what to do with your kids during the holidays, these are 11 DIY activities (for all ages) that you can work on together with your children. They are not only educational but also fun and useful!
1. Playdough Set @ Playdough In A Jar
The best age to introduce playdough to your child is when they are 2 years old and above and it’s a great activity for kids up to 6 years old. Playdough is very useful in helping toddlers develop physical strength in their hands when they poke, roll, and squish the playdough. It will also help in improving their dexterity and when they get older, playdough can be used to help spark your child’s imagination and creativity. The Playdough set offered by Playdough In A Jar contains colourful playdough along with a rolling pin and different shape cutters that will allow a child to explore and play to their heart’s content.
2. Chirpy Starter Kit @ ChirpyKids™️
Suitable for children aged 4 and above, this activity will definitely get your kids excited. After all, they get to decorate these adorable cookies and eat them too! Cookie decorating may look and sound easy, but it is not as simple as it looks. However, with Chirpy Kid’s Starter Kit that has everything you need to get started – cookies, piping bag, sprinkles, activity mat, etc. – parents do not need to worry about preparing anything but a table to do this on. The kit even comes with a free apron and badge button! FYI the cookies are halal and delicious as they are produced by a homegrown company. This is one great activity to build creativity, improve motor skill, and foster bonding!
3. TOI Mini Garden @ Monkey Kiddo
Teaching your child how to take care of a living thing can be difficult because the concept can be difficult to grasp especially at a young age. With the TOI Mini Garden, not only can your children grow their own mini garden, but they will also have to build the 3D wood puzzle that houses the garden. A fun activity that you can do with your child, it will help to teach them responsibility from caring for the plants, patience in waiting for them to sprout and understanding of what plants need to grow – all through a tiny garden!
4. Personalized Paint-By-Numbers Portrait Kit @ Bla Bla Blank Space
Bla Bla Blank Space specialises in creating personalised paint-by-numbers portrait kit where you send in a picture of your choice, and they turn it into a simple portrait that you can paint just by following the numbers. This is usually done on canvas, but they have also the option of the painting being done on a tote bag. This is a fun activity that you can do with an older child where they can choose a picture of their liking to put on the tote bag. And when they’re done – voilà – they have a tote bag of their own!
5. Tie Dye Set @ Misz Art
Another arts and craft activity that you can do with your child, this tie-dye set will help to expand your child’s creativity while creating something that they can use or in this case, wear. Tie-dyeing is a pretty simple process and a child as young as 5 or 6 years old would be able to help out with dyeing the shirt. The parent or adult needs to help out with tying the rubber bands around the shirt but beyond that, the child needs only to be supervised as they experiment with different colours to design their own shirt.
6. PikaBot – Maker UNO Smart Car Kit @ Cytron
Build a smart car with your child with this PikaBot Smart Car Kit! Robotics are the future, so getting your kids started on this is a brilliant way to introduce them to the world of robots, electronics, and coding. It’s okay if you are new to this, the kit comes with a very useful booklet that contains all the hands-on lessons you need to get started. Each step is explained clearly with the help of images and any common issues are addressed in the booklet. And don’t worry, no soldering is involved in the building of this smart car so that young makers can take part and join in the fun!
7. DIY Baking Kit for Kids @ Fika DIY
Want to take one step further than just decorating cookies? Well, you can with this hassle-free baking kit that is suitable for 3- to 12-year-olds. All the ingredients are pre-measured and a step-by-step video along with a recipe card is included to make this baking activity an enjoyable (most importantly, stress-free) time with your kids! Even you as a parent do not need to have much knowledge in baking to do this with your child. You can choose from matcha green tea cookies, lamingtons, chocolate truffles and there’s even CNY Fivebulous Icebox cookies that you can bake for the upcoming CNY.
8. Project RBT STEM DIY Kids Science Education Set @ Malaysia Clay Art
A wonderful way to get your kids interested in science and technology without boring them, this Project RBT STEM DIY Kids Science Education Set will definitely get their brain juice flowing as they attempt to fix various robots and items that can be used in real life. There are a lot of styles to choose from – solar electric car (as pictured), Bluetooth speaker, drawing robot and more! You can also check out other DIY projects on the website – there is bound to be something that would interest your child there.
9. Fruit DNA Extraction Kit @ Plantzania
More suitable to children aged 9 years and above, this fruit DNA extraction kit will fascinate and intrigue their minds. Using a hands-on activity such as this kit, you can use it to explain DNA to kids and help them develop a better understanding of through the process of DNA extraction. The kit comes with an experiment guide with step-by-step instructions along with explanations for your child to follow and learn. Be advised that adult supervision is required as there is a need to handle flammable liquid for this activity.
10. A River for My Family @ Atom & The Dot
Teach your kids about pollution and river care through this interactive and fun activity box where they will learn about Popi the dragonfly who had to leave its home due to river pollution. The activity box comes with A River for My Family book as well as materials and instructions for three different activities to do with your child. Suitable for ages 4 and above, it is never too early to educate your children on the importance of taking care of the nature and animals around us.
11. Spark Storybook With STEM Kit – A Camping Misadventure With Mr. Slime @ Alfa and Friends
Alfa and Friends is a leading provider of STEM-focused preschool education programs, so it’s no surprise to see many fun and interactive kits on their website that you can get to play and learn with your kids. There are various STEM and exploration kits that includes many types of experiments and activities to ensure that children are inspired and empowered to love learning. You can also opt for their subscription service where a STEM or exploration kit will be sent to your home on a monthly basis. This way, you will never run out of activities to do with your kids!
Got any ideas from these DIY activities? You may like this as well:
 that are not only educational but also fun and useful!){kind=link}