We all get stuck on what we're going to do next week for the kids. It's hard to stay original and avoid being repetitive. That's alright; that's why we're here to cover you. Here are 100 OSHC Activities for your service. Some might surprise you and we've gone over a little bit ;). Please feel free to copy our descriptions to make your programming much easier.
Physical Activities
Obstacle Course
Set up an exciting obstacle course using cones, ropes, and hula hoops. Create a path where children have to jump, crawl, and balance to reach the finish line. Add some fun challenges like tossing a bean bag through a hoop or doing a silly dance at certain points.
Relay Races
Divide the children into teams and create a racecourse with clear start and finish lines. Each team member must run, skip, or hop to a designated point and back, passing a baton (or any object) to the next teammate. Spice it up with challenges like hopping on one foot or balancing a book on their head!
Jump Rope
Provide each child with a jump rope and teach them some fun tricks like criss-cross or double jump. Set up a “jump rope marathon” where they see how long they can keep jumping without stopping. For a group challenge, have two children swing a long rope while others try to jump in sync.
Tag Games
Classic tag never gets old! Create a large play area and designate one child as "It." To make it more fun, introduce variations like freeze tag, where tagged children must freeze in place until a friend unfreezes them by crawling through their legs.
Soccer
Set up goals using cones or any markers and divide the children into two teams. Provide a soccer ball and encourage them to score as many goals as possible. Keep it light and fun by rewarding creative goals or teamwork over strict rules.
Arts and Crafts
Finger Painting
Lay out large sheets of paper or canvas and provide washable paints in bright colors. Encourage the children to use their fingers to create colorful designs, patterns, or even whole scenes. To add a twist, have them paint to the rhythm of music or create a group mural.
Collage Making
Collect old magazines, newspapers, and scrap paper, and provide scissors, glue, and cardboard bases. Let the children cut out interesting pictures, patterns, or words to create a collage that tells a story or represents something they love. Encourage them to add personal touches with drawings or other materials like buttons or glitter.
Clay Modeling
Provide soft, colorful clay or playdough and let the children mold it into their favorite animals, food, or imaginative creatures. Offer small tools like plastic knives or rolling pins to help them shape their creations. Display their masterpieces on a “clay gallery” table for everyone to admire.
Origami
Set up a crafting table with colored paper squares and simple origami instructions. Start with easy designs like paper boats or cranes and guide the children through each fold. Challenge them to create a whole fleet of boats or a zoo of paper animals!
Paper Mâché
Inflate balloons and mix up some flour and water paste for a sticky but fun experience. Show the children how to dip strips of newspaper in the paste and layer them over the balloons to create a sturdy base. Once dried, they can pop the balloons and paint their creations, turning them into bowls, masks, or even piñatas.
Science and Exploration
Volcano Eruption Experiment
Create a mini-volcano using a small plastic bottle as the core and mold it with clay or playdough to look like a mountain. Fill the bottle with baking soda and a bit of dish soap, then let the children pour in vinegar to see the "lava" bubble over. For extra excitement, add red food coloring to the vinegar!
Planting Seeds
Provide small pots, soil, and a variety of seeds like beans or flowers. Teach the children how to plant the seeds and water them, then place the pots on a sunny windowsill. Have them check daily for sprouting and keep a growth journal with drawings of the plants as they grow.
Bug Hunt
Arm the children with magnifying glasses and small containers and take them on an outdoor adventure around the schoolyard. Encourage them to search for insects like ants, beetles, and butterflies, observing their behavior and habitat. Afterward, have a discussion about the different bugs they found and their role in the ecosystem.
Making Slime
Set up a slime station with glue, baking soda, and contact lens solution, along with fun add-ins like glitter or food coloring. Guide the children through the process of mixing the ingredients to create their own stretchy, gooey slime. Let them experiment with different textures and colors, then take their creations home in sealed bags.
Shadow Tracing
On a sunny day, take the children outside with large sheets of paper and crayons. Have them stand still while a partner traces their shadow on the paper. They can then color in their shadow outlines, adding clothes, accessories, or even turning them into superheroes!
Literacy and Drama
Storytime
Gather the children in a cozy reading nook with cushions and a selection of books. Read a story aloud, using different voices and expressions to bring the characters to life. After the story, ask the children to draw their favorite part or act it out in a mini-play.
Puppet Show
Provide materials like socks, paper bags, and craft supplies for the children to create their own puppets. Once their puppets are ready, set up a simple stage with a curtain (a table with a cloth works great) and let them perform short skits or retell a favorite story. Encourage creativity and collaboration by having them work in pairs or small groups.
Acting Out a Story
Choose a well-known fairy tale or short story and assign roles to the children. Provide simple props and costumes (like crowns, capes, or masks) to help them get into character. Let them rehearse briefly, then perform the story for the class, adding their own twists or silly interpretations.
Book Club
Select a short book or a series of picture books that the children can read together. After reading, have a group discussion about the characters, plot, and what they liked or didn’t like. Encourage them to draw scenes from the book or write their own alternative ending.
Writing Poetry
Introduce different types of poems, like haikus or acrostics, and provide examples to inspire the children. Give them time to write their own poems, encouraging them to play with words, rhyme, and rhythm. Display their poems on a classroom “Poetry Wall” or compile them into a class poetry book.
Basketball
Set up a basketball hoop in the playground or gym and provide balls for practice. Organize shooting drills, passing exercises, and mini-games where teams compete to score the most baskets. To make it more engaging, introduce challenges like shooting with one hand or from a distance.
Dodgeball
Use soft foam balls and create two teams in a large play area. The objective is to hit players on the opposing team with the ball while avoiding being hit yourself. To keep it fun and safe, remind children to aim for below the shoulders and to play with good sportsmanship.
Kickball
Mark bases on the field and divide the children into two teams. One team kicks the ball and tries to run to each base without being tagged, while the other team tries to catch the ball and tag the runners. Add excitement by introducing “home run” rules or special bases that give extra points.
Hopscotch
Draw a hopscotch grid on the pavement with chalk, numbering each square. Provide small stones or bean bags for children to toss onto the grid. They hop on one foot through the grid, avoiding the square with the stone, and pick it up on the way back – all without losing balance!
Tug of War
Use a sturdy rope and divide the children into two equal teams. Each team grabs one end of the rope and pulls as hard as they can to bring the other team across a line marked on the ground. To add fun, declare a “rematch” with different rules, like pulling with one hand or while sitting down.
Capture the Flag
Set up two zones on the playground with flags (or any visible marker) placed in each zone. Split the children into two teams, and the goal is to capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to your zone without getting tagged. Make it more exciting by adding “safe zones” or hiding the flags.
Simon Says
Stand in front of the children and give commands starting with “Simon says” for them to follow, like “Simon says touch your toes.” If you don’t say “Simon says,” and they still follow the command, they’re out! Mix up the actions quickly to keep them on their toes and add silly commands for laughs.
Yoga for Kids
Set up mats and lead the children through simple yoga poses like “Tree Pose” or “Downward Dog.” Focus on breathing exercises and stretches that help them relax and have fun. To make it playful, introduce animal names for poses or tell a story that flows through different poses.
Parachute Games
Provide a large parachute and have the children hold the edges while standing in a circle. Play games like “Popcorn” by tossing small balls onto the parachute and shaking it to keep the balls bouncing. For more fun, try “Mushroom” where they lift the parachute up high and then quickly sit under it to create a tent.
Hula Hooping
Give each child a hula hoop and have them practice spinning it around their waist, arms, or legs. Organize a contest to see who can keep the hoop spinning the longest. For variety, introduce hula hoop relays where they have to pass the hoop to the next person without dropping it.
Bean Bag Toss
Set up targets at different distances using buckets or rings on the ground. Give each child a few bean bags and challenge them to toss them into the targets, with points awarded for accuracy. Add a twist by having them toss with their non-dominant hand or while balancing on one foot.
Frisbee Games
Provide frisbees and teach the children how to throw and catch them properly. Set up goals or targets and have them play a simplified version of Ultimate Frisbee or frisbee golf. For a creative twist, organize a “frisbee art” session where they dip the frisbee in paint and spin it on paper to create patterns.
Dance Party
Play upbeat music and encourage the children to dance freely or follow simple choreography. Introduce fun dance games like “Freeze Dance,” where they have to stop dancing when the music stops. To add more excitement, let them take turns being the DJ or create a dance-off.
Musical Chairs
Arrange chairs in a circle with one fewer chair than the number of children. Play music and have the children walk around the chairs until the music stops, then they must quickly find a seat. Remove a chair each round until only one child remains seated – the winner!
Balloon Volleyball
Inflate a balloon and set up a “net” using a rope or string at about waist height. Divide the children into two teams and have them hit the balloon over the net, trying to keep it off the ground. To make it more fun, introduce “crazy rules” like using only their heads or elbows to hit the balloon.
Arts and Crafts
Handprint Art
Provide paint in various colors and large sheets of paper. Have the children dip their hands in the paint and press them onto the paper to create handprint designs. Encourage them to turn their handprints into animals, trees, or abstract art by adding details with brushes or markers.
Classroom Mural
Cover a large wall or board with paper and divide the mural into sections. Assign different themes or ideas to each section, and let the children paint or draw their part of the mural. When it’s finished, they can enjoy seeing how their individual pieces come together as a whole.
Making Greeting Cards
Provide blank cards, markers, stickers, and other decorative materials. Let the children create personalized greeting cards for holidays, birthdays, or just to say “thank you.” They can add drawings, write messages, and even include small pop-up elements inside the cards.
Tissue Paper Flowers
Supply tissue paper in various colors, pipe cleaners, and scissors. Show the children how to layer and fold the tissue paper, then twist a pipe cleaner around the center to create a flower. Let them make a bouquet or decorate the classroom with their colorful flowers.
Tie-Dye T-Shirts
Provide plain white T-shirts and tie-dye kits with different colors. Show the children how to twist and tie the shirts with rubber bands to create patterns, then let them apply the dye. After the shirts dry, they’ll have a unique piece of wearable art to take home.
Building with Popsicle Sticks
Provide popsicle sticks, glue, and other craft materials. Challenge the children to build structures like bridges, towers, or small houses using the sticks. They can decorate their creations with paint or markers once they’re assembled.
Decorating Bookmarks
Give each child a blank bookmark made from cardstock or heavy paper. Provide art supplies like markers, stickers, and ribbons, and let them decorate their bookmarks with designs, quotes, or characters they love. Laminate the bookmarks for durability and use them in their favorite books.
Scrapbooking
Provide each child with a scrapbook and a variety of decorative materials like stickers, patterned paper, and markers. Let them create pages that capture memories, such as a recent field trip or a special event at school. Encourage them to add photos, drawings, and captions to make each page unique.
Bead Crafts
Provide beads in different colors, shapes, and sizes along with string or wire. Let the children create necklaces, bracelets, or keychains by stringing the beads in patterns or designs they like. For an added challenge, have them spell out their names or make a pattern based on their favorite colors.
Design Your Own Superhero Cape
Provide large sheets of fabric, fabric markers, and decorative materials like sequins or felt. Let the children design their own superhero capes by drawing symbols, initials, or patterns that represent their superhero alter ego. Once the capes are complete, they can wear them and participate in superhero-themed games.
Science and Exploration
Water Cycle in a Bag
Provide ziplock bags, water, and blue food coloring. Have the children pour a small amount of colored water into the bag and tape it to a sunny window. Over time, they’ll observe the water evaporating and condensing inside the bag, mimicking the water cycle.
Sink or Float Experiment
Fill a large container with water and gather a variety of small objects (e.g., coins, corks, plastic toys). Have the children predict whether each object will sink or float, then test their predictions by placing the objects in the water. Discuss why some objects sink while others float, relating it to density and buoyancy.
Magnifying Glass Exploration
Provide magnifying glasses and take the children on an exploration around the school. Encourage them to look closely at leaves, insects, and other small objects to observe details they wouldn’t normally see. Back in the classroom, have them draw or write about what they discovered.
Classroom Pet Observation
If your classroom has a pet (like a hamster, fish, or lizard), create an observation station where the children can take turns watching and recording the pet’s behavior. Provide clipboards, paper, and pencils for them to jot down notes or draw pictures of the pet. Use their observations as a starting point for discussions about animal care and behavior.
Weather Charting
Set up a weather station in the classroom with a thermometer, barometer, and rain gauge (or simpler tools like a wind sock and a rain jar). Assign daily weather duties to the children, where they record temperature, precipitation, and cloud cover. Over time, create a chart or graph to track changes in the weather.
Building a Solar Oven
Provide materials like a pizza box, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and black construction paper. Guide the children in constructing a simple solar oven by lining the inside of the box with foil and placing a black paper “tray” inside. Test the oven by trying to melt chocolate or toast a marshmallow using only sunlight!
Simple Circuits
Provide basic circuit materials like batteries, wires, light bulbs, and switches. Show the children how to connect the components to create a simple circuit that lights up a bulb. Encourage them to experiment with different configurations, like adding more bulbs or creating a switch.
Making a Sundial
Use a paper plate, a straw, and markers to create a simple sundial. Take the children outside and place the sundial in a sunny spot, marking the shadow of the straw every hour to track the time. Discuss how ancient civilizations used sundials to tell time and compare it to modern clocks.
Paper Airplane Contest
Provide sheets of paper and teach the children how to fold different types of paper airplanes. Once they’ve made their planes, hold a contest to see whose plane can fly the farthest, stay in the air the longest, or perform the most flips. Encourage them to experiment with different designs and decorations.
Balloon Rocket
Provide balloons, string, and straws for this fun physics experiment. Thread a piece of string through a straw and tape a balloon to the straw. When the balloon is inflated and released, it will zoom along the string like a rocket – a great way to introduce the concept of propulsion.
Building Towers with Blocks
Provide wooden or plastic blocks and challenge the children to build the tallest tower they can. Encourage them to think about balance and stability as they stack the blocks higher and higher. Add a competitive element by seeing who can build the tallest tower in a set time or with a limited number of blocks.
Magnet Exploration
Provide various magnets and a collection of objects made from different materials (metal, plastic, wood, etc.). Let the children experiment with the magnets to discover which objects are attracted to them. Discuss why some materials are magnetic and others aren’t, and challenge them to find the strongest magnet.
Bubble Science
Set up a bubble-making station with bubble solution and different tools like straws, strings, and bubble wands. Have the children experiment with creating bubbles of different sizes and shapes, observing how they float and pop. Introduce challenges like trying to catch a bubble on a wand or make the biggest bubble.
Dinosaur Dig (Sand and Fossils)
Create a “dinosaur dig” site using a sandbox or a large container filled with sand. Bury small plastic dinosaur bones or fossil replicas in the sand and provide brushes and tools for the children to excavate them. Once they’ve uncovered the “fossils,” they can assemble the bones into a dinosaur model or display them in a “museum” area.
Mixing Colors with Water and Food Dye
Provide clear cups of water, food dye in primary colors (red, yellow, blue), and droppers. Let the children experiment with mixing different combinations of dyes to see what colors they can create. They can record their results and even try to create a color chart by mixing different ratios of the dyes.
Literacy and Drama
Creative Writing Prompts
Provide the children with a variety of creative writing prompts, such as “What would you do if you found a dragon in your backyard?” or “Write a story about a day when everything you touched turned to gold.” Encourage them to let their imaginations run wild as they write their stories. Afterward, they can share their stories with the class or create illustrations to accompany their writing.
Reading Buddies
Pair older children with younger ones to form reading buddies. The older children read stories to their younger buddies and help them with difficult words. This activity fosters a love of reading while also building confidence and mentoring skills.
Drama Games
Introduce the children to fun drama games like “Mirrors,” where they mimic the movements of a partner, or “Zip Zap Zop,” a fast-paced game of passing energy around a circle. These games help build confidence, communication skills, and teamwork. For added fun, let the children create their own drama games.
Story Writing
Give the children a theme or a set of characters and let them write their own stories. They can work individually or in small groups, and once the stories are complete, they can share them with the class. Encourage them to add illustrations or even act out their stories.
Making a Class Book
Choose a theme for a class book, such as “My Dream Job” or “The Best Day Ever.” Each child contributes a page with their writing and an illustration. Compile the pages into a book and make copies for everyone to take home, or keep the original in the classroom library.
Creating Comic Strips
Provide templates with blank comic strip panels and let the children create their own comics. They can invent characters, write dialogue, and draw scenes to tell a story in comic form. Afterward, the comics can be displayed on a bulletin board or compiled into a class comic book.
Poetry Recital
Organize a poetry recital where each child selects a poem to recite in front of the class. Encourage them to practice expressive reading, using their voices and gestures to bring the poem to life. For added fun, they can create simple props or costumes related to their poem.
Reading Relay
Set up a relay race where the children take turns reading a passage from a book. Each child runs to a designated spot, reads aloud, and then runs back to tag the next reader. This activity combines physical exercise with literacy skills and adds an element of excitement to reading.
Character Dress-Up Day
Choose a day where the children can dress up as their favorite characters from books or stories. Encourage them to bring a copy of the book or share a brief description of their character with the class. They can also participate in themed activities, like acting out scenes from their books or writing new adventures for their characters.
Group Story Creation
Start with a simple story prompt and have the children take turns adding a sentence to the story. As each child contributes, the story will take unexpected twists and turns. Once the story is complete, read it aloud to see how it turned out – it’s sure to be full of surprises and laughter!
Designing Book Covers
Provide plain paper or cardstock and let the children design new covers for their favorite books. They can include the title, author’s name, and an illustration that represents the story. Display the covers in the classroom or use them as a project for the school’s book fair.
Author Visit (Virtual or In-Person)
Arrange for an author to visit the classroom, either in person or through a virtual session. The author can read from their books, talk about their writing process, and answer the children’s questions. This activity inspires young readers and writers by giving them insight into the world of publishing.
Silent Reading Time
Create a cozy reading corner with cushions, bean bags, and a selection of books. Set aside time each day for silent reading, where the children can choose a book and read quietly. Encourage them to write a short summary or draw a picture of what they read afterward.
Spelling Bee
Organize a classroom spelling bee where the children take turns spelling words aloud. Start with simple words and gradually increase the difficulty. This activity helps improve spelling skills and builds confidence in public speaking.
Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
Puzzle Stations
Set up different stations around the classroom, each with a different type of puzzle (jigsaw puzzles, word searches, number puzzles, etc.). The children rotate through the stations, working in pairs or small groups to complete each puzzle. This activity encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and persistence.
Brain Teasers
Provide a collection of brain teasers and riddles for the children to solve. They can work individually or in small groups to figure out the answers. For added fun, they can create their own brain teasers to challenge their classmates.
Lego Building Challenges
Provide Legos and challenge the children to build specific structures, such as a bridge that can hold weight, a tall tower, or a house with a roof. Give them a time limit to complete each challenge, and then let them explain their designs to the class. This activity promotes creativity, engineering skills, and problem-solving.
Math Games
Introduce fun math games like “Math Bingo,” “Number Line Races,” or “Math Jeopardy.” These games reinforce math skills in an engaging and interactive way. For variety, let the children create their own math games and teach them to their classmates.
Sudoku for Kids
Provide simplified Sudoku puzzles with smaller grids and numbers. Teach the children the rules and let them work through the puzzles at their own pace. Sudoku helps develop logical thinking and number recognition skills.
Jigsaw Puzzles
Provide jigsaw puzzles of varying difficulty levels and let the children work on them individually or in small groups. This activity helps with spatial awareness, problem-solving, and patience. Once completed, the puzzles can be displayed or taken apart to try again later.
Memory Matching Games
Create a set of memory cards with pairs of matching images or words. Lay the cards face down and have the children take turns flipping two at a time, trying to find a match. This game improves memory, concentration, and visual recognition.
Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt with a list of items or clues that lead to hidden objects around the school or classroom. Divide the children into teams and let them work together to find everything on the list. To make it more challenging, add riddles or puzzles they need to solve to find the next clue.
Crossword Puzzles
Provide crossword puzzles that are appropriate for the children’s age and skill level. They can work on the puzzles individually or in pairs, using clues to fill in the words. Crossword puzzles help with vocabulary, spelling, and critical thinking.
Building Structures with Marshmallows and Toothpicks
Provide toothpicks and mini marshmallows, and challenge the children to build the tallest or strongest structure they can. They’ll need to think about stability, balance, and design as they construct their creations. For added fun, have a competition to see whose structure can hold the most weight.
Pattern Recognition Games
Create a series of pattern puzzles using shapes, colors, or numbers, and challenge the children to identify the pattern and continue it. They can work individually or in pairs to solve the puzzles. Pattern recognition helps with math skills and logical thinking.
Treasure Hunt
Hide “treasures” (small toys, stickers, or treats) around the classroom or playground and provide a map or clues to help the children find them. Divide them into teams and let them work together to follow the clues and find the hidden items. This activity promotes teamwork, problem-solving, and excitement.
Board Games
Provide a selection of classic board games like “Chess,” “Checkers,” “Monopoly,” or “Clue.” The children can choose their favorite game and play with a partner or in small groups. Board games are great for teaching strategy, decision-making, and patience.
Maze Challenges
Create or provide maze puzzles for the children to solve. Start with simple mazes and gradually introduce more complex ones. For a twist, let them design their own mazes and challenge their classmates to solve them.
Group Problem-Solving Activities
Present the children with a problem or scenario, such as “How can we build a bridge across this imaginary river using only these materials?” and let them work together to find a solution. Encourage creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. This activity fosters teamwork, communication, and critical thinking.
Making Mazes with Blocks
Provide blocks or other building materials and let the children create their own mazes. Once the mazes are built, they can challenge their classmates to navigate through them with a small toy or ball. This activity encourages spatial reasoning, creativity, and problem-solving.
Logic Puzzles
Provide a variety of logic puzzles, such as “Sudoku,” “KenKen,” or “Logic Grid Puzzles.” The children can work on these puzzles individually or in pairs, developing their critical thinking and reasoning skills. For added fun, let them create their own logic puzzles for others to solve.
Riddle Time
Present a series of riddles to the class and have the children work together to solve them. Riddles are a fun way to develop lateral thinking and problem-solving skills. For a challenge, let the children create their own riddles to stump their classmates.
Chess for Beginners
Introduce the children to the basic rules of chess and let them practice with a partner. Chess teaches strategy, patience, and foresight. As they become more confident, they can participate in friendly chess tournaments.
Escape Room (Classroom Version)
Create a series of puzzles and challenges that the children must solve to “escape” the classroom. They can work in teams to find clues, solve riddles, and unlock hidden codes. This activity encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking in a fun and immersive way.
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