sticky

Come on!

We can be FUN once a week! Who’s in?

• Once a week, do something fun with your kids
• Gather all the materials a week in advance so you are ready

A school year is about 180 days long. If we plan to be fun once a week, we only need 25 great ideas!

Here are 35 great Homeschool Fun Friday Ideas to get you started

1. Watch a movie together day! You decide if it’s kid choice, or mom suggestion! You can even make it a learning activity later if you dare, by having them complete a movie response page. I recommend doing that piece on a different day!

2. Visit a museum! Most towns have small little museums nearby. Don’t neglect those tiny little gems! Historical homes, interesting places, and even oddities make GREAT excursions! No museums at all near by? Go virtual!

3. Paint together! Don’t overcomplicate it! Some simple watercolors, watercolor paper, a good guide book and 15 minutes is all it takes!

4. Doodle together!! When you sign up, you will have access to:

• 12 Monthly Doodle Challenge Prompts
• 12 Mini Activity Books for Adults & Kids
• Coloring Pages
• Activity Pages
• Sticker Pages

Doodling is incredible powerful for learning!

5. Explore the neighborhood together! Make it fun by completing a scavenger hunt too!

Road Trip Teacher has all sorts of them to read to print!

6. Plan and prepare a meal. But let your kids choose! Pick the food, prepare a grocery list, estimate a budget, go shopping, check to see how close their estimate was for that meal, then get to work cooking!

Teaching kids to plan and prepare meals is an essential life skill and if done correctly is a fun educational activity!

7. Make HUGE Bubbles!

Making a giant bubble wand is the easiest thing in the world, and all you really need are a few sticks and some string!

These kid-made tri-string wands make the biggest bubbles I’ve ever seen – the kids won’t be able to resist playing with these all day long…

Read on to find out how they can make their very own giant bubble wands, with our totally home-made and plastic-free tutorial!

Forest School Tutorial by Rhubarb and Wren

8. Definitely do outside! Messy science = AWESOME

Transform an ordinary day into an extraordinary one by combining Diet Coke and Mentos to create a spectacular soda fountain. Kids love watching (and doing) this fun, easy chemical reaction that combines two delicious ingredients to create a geyser of carbon dioxide bubbles.

Scholastic Parents

Looking for more mess? We have you covered.

9. So something with glitter outside! How about a glitter sensory bottle?

TIPS for cleaning up

10. Make Ice Cream in a bag! Yes!

This is where science meets taste buds and your kids will be overjoyed!

11. Play a board game! Don’t overthink this one either. Any game will do!

Board games have incredible benefits for learning, building confidence and strengthening relationships!

I share about our favorites games here:

• Taboo
• Speed Cups
• Settlers of Catan
• Uno
• Yahtzee and Monopoly
• Ticket to Ride
• Sequence
  

12. Build an Epic Fort

Living room forts are NOT just for little kids!! Call all the kids and announce you have a plan that requires zip ties, boxes, blankets, and food. Then watch their faces.

Your big kids may look at you funny. That’s ok. If you dangle the correct snack, they’ll jump on board too.

Once the BIG kids get on board, prepare yourself for some EPIC fort building!

Let’s do it.

13. Go on a hike, or long walk.

Make Ketchup cookies to bring along:).

14. Build a cup tower together. As a TEAM.

It’s a great lesson in self-control and teamwork.

15. Watch a local play or musical production. Check with your local school and news and mark your calendar.

16. Cloud watch!

You can even create a FREE cloud identifier and learn about the types of clouds. Want to add a pinch of academics? Have your kids graph the weather for a month.

17. Play Basketball

Basketball doesn’t have to be a sweaty, competitive game of five-on-five. Maybe there are only three children playing, or the game is being dominated by more athletic children, leaving others without the opportunity to play. Either way, there are numerous games played with a ball and basket that youngsters of all skill levels will enjoy.

Here are plenty of H-O-R-S-E alternatives kids can play with just a basketball and a hoop.

ActiveKids.com

18. Sidewalk chalk!

Yes, kids can simply draw. But my kids play longer if I can stir up their creativity a little.

Make and takes has 10 great ideas to get your kids chalking. Would you be stunned that #8 was my boys’ favorite?

19. Ride bikes together.

TOGETHER.

Nuff said! Except you may need to hunt for hero dirt!

20. Build Legos Together. But then let them stay out for an extra bit of time and see what happens.

At first, all you might see is chaos.

But maybe, just maybe, you will see order coming through...

21. Play Dress Up together. This delightful season of make-believe is short, so have fun, dress up, and pretend!

Great Role Play Ideas

• Ice Cream Shop Dramatic Play Printables + Play Ice Cream
• Pretend Restaurant
• Menus for play
• Doctor Office
• Play school
• Sandwich shop
• Vet’s office
• Post office
• Hair Salon
• Dentist Office
• Flower Shop
• Zoo
• Superhero FUN
• Pizza Shop
• Airport
• Midwife
• Hospital

Have FUN!!

22. Have kids do a fashion show. If you’re brave, give them access to your clothes.

23. CARDBOARD DAY!!

Combat the “she loved the box more than the gift” blues. 

• Do not use banned gift words: educational, learning, smart, prepare you for life, helpful
• Use kid approved words: FUN, exciting, dangerous, popular, phantasmagoric!
• Be prepared with a list of challenges so you can get educational value out of that box if the gift itself backfires:)

Get your cardboard idea kit here!!

24. Go Geocaching!

Geocaching is the real-world adventure that’s happening right now, all around you. Watch this video to learn more about what geocaching is, how it works and how you can become a part of it.

Ready? Get started here.

25. Visit a water feature near you. Lakes, rivers, brooks, ocean, or even waterfalls!

Do a quick google search to find the nearest wonder near you. Water is calming.

Calm = Good.

*Practice water safety! Supervise kids closely around water.

26. Go fishing!

Or create a fishing day right at home!

Materials needed:

• Fishing pole
• weight/clay
• Paint
• Paint brush
• Small snack like golf fish crackers
• Tie a weight to the line.
• Set up targets in the yard
• Have kids try to land the weight in the target.

Directions

27. Paint with Pudding!!

28. Make pretzels!

This is a great fine motor activity, but also delicious cooking fun!

These homemade pretzels never last long around our house. My kids love to make them…and eat them! I serve them to company with a variety of dips, such as pizza sauce, ranch dressing, spinach dip or hot mustard.

Elvira Martens, Aldergrove, British Columbia

Recipe to print

29. Create with Fimo Clay

FIMO kids is an oven-hardening modelling clay. Unlike conventional modelling clay, FIMO kids can be used to shape figures and objects for lasting playtime fun due to the fact that, once modelled, items can be oven-baked to harden. All that needs to be done is place the FIMO kids clay in an oven for 30 minutes at 110°C. Once cool, the material is hard and solid.

Staedtler

30. Learn to Crochet!

I began teaching my son to crochet at 4-years old, because he was driving his older brothers crazy during reading time. Let him teach your kids how to crochet too!

PS- You can view and of the “preview” lessons for free!

31. Learn some new songs! How about songs about the 50 states?!?!

The State Songs of the 50 U.S. States online course is the perfect course to do with any state study! Listen to the state’s official –and unofficial –songs as you learn about each state. Videos of the songs, as well as links to lyrics and sheet music are included.

Music In Our Homeschool

32. Yes day.

For the bravest and coolest of parents. Only one day a year, purpose to simply say YES to everything within reason your kids ask.

Tell them in advance is you are SUPERHERO brave.

33. Kids give mom directions.

Get in the car and start driving. At each stop sign or light ask the kids, “left or right”?

Do this 10-24 times and see where you end up!

34. Curl up and read.

Never underestimate the POWER of an extended reading day. Jammies, popcorn, goodies, and great books.

Not your cup of tea? Let someone read aloud for you!

35. Blow eggs and paint. But don’t hurt your cheeks!

Use a baby snot sucker (also known as an infant bulb syringe).

Fun craft to do with kids, or when they are are all busy. Yes, that means it’s a great mom craft too!

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