5 English Activities to Entertain Your Stir-Crazy Kids

Ever since I left California and moved to Europe, I have found small side jobs teaching English – whether I was nannying in Vienna while studying at university, leading summer camps in Bolzano, or teaching at the Waldschule (forest school) on the Ritten plateau. Along the way, I've compiled some fun English activities, and I thought I would share them with you. But first, I want to start by giving a huge shoutout to anyone raising kids during these wild and crazy times. I have a hard enough time trying to entertain myself during the lockdown; I can't even begin to imagine what it's like for young families.

So here they are: 5 English Activities to Entertain Your Stir-Crazy Kids. And don't worry, no watermelons, laundry baskets, or skateboards are involved, I just liked the picture.

Activity #1

Make a Mini-Book

Recommended age: 8+

Time: 1 hour, not including baking time

This little activity is a BIG hit. I chose to make a mini recipe book featuring chocolate chip cookies because what better way to learn English than by baking cookies?

Mini-Book

What you need: paper, scissors, markers or colored pencils

Step 1:

Watch this video to learn how to cut and fold a mini-book.

Step 2:

Write the various steps in the recipe book, include drawings, and color the book.

Chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients:

100g brown sugar

125g butter, softened

1 egg

1 packet vanilla sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

225g flour

200g chocolate

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 °C.

2. Put softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix well.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla sugar and mix again.

4. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to mixture and combine well.

5. Cut chocolate into small pieces. Mix chocolate pieces into dough.

6. Roll dough into small balls and place on a baking tray with baking parchment. Be careful not to put the cookies too close together.

7. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes.

8. Enjoy!

Activity #2

Learn about the Color Wheel, Georges Seurat, and Pointillism

Recommended age: 6+

Time: 1 hour

My grandma always said you should learn something new every day. What better way to embrace her philosophy than by learning about the famous French artist Georges Seurat?

Check out this short presentation to learn more about Georges Seurat and Pointillism.

After learning about Mr. Seurat, you can teach your child the names of colors and what happens when you use the point technique to create the color wheel. Download the color wheel worksheet below and give it a go!

Added fun: Make the most out of "iPad-time" and show them this video about Georges Seurat or have them paint a self-portrait using the point technique.

Activity #3

Word Art

Recommended age: 6+

Time: 1 hour

This activity is a great way to learn new vocabulary. Simply choose a word and make it look like what it is! Bada-bing, bada-boom!

Here are some words you can print out. Feel free to create your own!

Activity #4

Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Recommended age: 6+

Time: 2 hours

This is a perfect activity for English beginners, it focuses on just a few words, and you can repeat them as you go!

Step 1:

Before you go on the scavenger hunt, have your child color the worksheet below, and help them get familiar with the words and their meaning. Add some additional things to find on the extra piece of paper. Ideas: lizard, "y" shaped stick, trash (then pick it up), caterpillar, waterfall

Step 2 :

Put the worksheet on a clipboard or tape it to a piece of cardboard for the kids to feel extra official as they go on their scavenger hunt.

Step 3:

Head outside and explore! Have your kids check off the items on the list.

Useful phrases:

What did you find? What are you looking for? What do you still need to find? Where did you find the ...?

I am looking for... I can't find ...

Added fun: Bring along binoculars, a magnifying glass, and some snacks (perhaps those chocolate chip cookies)!

Download worksheet:

Activity #5

Silly Faces

Recommended age: 6+

Time: 1 hour

This is a creative activity for learning about parts of the face in English.

Teach your kids vocabulary while they cut out various eyes, ears, noses, and mouths!

What you need:

White paper, black marker, several magazines, glue

Step 1:

Cut out the various parts of the face

Step 2:

With a black marker, draw the body and head without any facial features.

Step 3:

Let the fun begin. Glue the mouth, nose, ears, and eyes onto the paper in any which way! Be creative!

Useful vocabulary:

eyes, ears, nose, mouth, neck, shoulders, head, woman, man, person

BONUS ACTIVITY:

Slider Dice

Recommended age: 12+

This is a game I made up during the last lockdown. It was inspired by shuffleboard.

Keep score in English and have fun!

That's all for now. I hope I could help you entertain your kids, even if just for an hour.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write below! I'd love to hear from you.

Pfiati! Ciao! Bye-bye!

Alexis