Hello parents looking for brilliant ideas to keep the kids busy without breaking the bank! Today, I'm sharing my best finds for free printable activities to do at home. With my two little tornadoes, ages 5 and 8, I've had to be extra creative to keep them entertained and engaged (and without hearing "Mommy, I'm bored!"). So, ready to fill your printer and watch their eyes light up? Let's go!
Printable coloring pages: a timeless classic
When it comes to printable activities, coloring is the obvious choice! Honestly, there's nothing better to keep kids busy while boosting their imagination and fine motor skills. At my house, everyone has their favorites: my youngest is currently obsessed with dinosaurs (I already have a collection of colorful T-Rexes on the fridge), while my eldest loves unicorns and fairytale characters.
There is no shortage of themes:
- Animals cats, dogs, rabbits, and even exotic animals like giraffes or koalas.
- Favorite heroes Superheroes, princesses, knights...
- Dinosaurs : a must-have for young prehistory enthusiasts.
- Special coloring pages for the holidays Pumpkins and bats for Halloween, Christmas trees and snowmen for Christmas, pretty eggs for Easter... Enough to give a festive air to each season!
Quick tip: if you have a laminator, consider laminating some pages to turn them into reusable coloring pages with erasable markers. Magic!
Printable crafts and DIY activities
Let's move on to the creative workshop! I love offering my children simple craft activities that only require a pair of scissors and a little glue. Here are some super fun ideas that you can print in a snap:
- Garlands of bats For Halloween: simply print, color, cut out and glue onto a string! Guaranteed effect for a spooky home decoration.
- Masks to decorate Perfect for Carnival or a fancy dress day. Choose a design (pirate, fairy, dragon...), color it, cut it out, and attach a small elastic band. Voila, a homemade accessory!
- Easy origami You can find plenty of step-by-step instructions with simple origami patterns like frogs, airplanes, or flowers. Guaranteed success with children!
- Paper toys : these little paper figures to cut out and assemble are great for playing while developing patience and precision in little fingers.
Bonus tip: print on slightly thicker paper if possible, the results will be stronger and more beautiful!
Printable educational worksheets for learning while having fun
Because we like to combine business with pleasure, I regularly print educational fact sheets on Recreakidz.com To help my children learn while having fun. Ideal for rainy days (or when you want to feel less guilty after an afternoon of cartoons!).
Here are some super useful categories:
- Reading and writing Letter recognition, first words to read, short sentences to copy... My daughter loves hidden words and letter mazes!
- Mathematics Magic coloring pages with addition and subtraction, number decomposition, logic games. You can even find worksheets to learn how to tell time!
- Logic and observation games Mazes, spot the difference games, children's sudoku... Perfect activities to stimulate their brains while having fun.
Bonus: some worksheets are available as printable activity books with multiple pages. Perfect for keeping kids entertained while traveling or at a restaurant!
With all these ideas, there's no excuse for not keeping the kids entertained in a fun and engaging way without spending a penny! All you need is a printer, some crayons, and a good dose of enthusiasm. Whether it's for a coloring afternoon, a craft session, or a playful learning activity, these printable activities are a real boon for parents looking for inspiration.
And you, what are your favorite printable activities? Share your finds in the comments!
All that remains is for me to wish you many fun times with your budding little artists!
