Keren’s Nursery “Busy Jar”
Filled to the brim with ideas for different activities designed to support parents and children. The aim is to encourage children to work independently, or as a family unit, using age-appropriate tasks.
These activities encourage a range of independent and family play. Some are pure fun designed to spark creativity. Others are practical, offering many learning opportunities. They may even be enlightening or a challenge for your children.
The concept is pretty straightforward. The notes are divided by colour and each colour has a theme, so the child can experience an energetic activity, a quiet activity, family activities or outdoor activities. We’ve included a full-colour PDF here should you wish to print these out.
What you’ll need:
- A jar
- Scissors
- Colourful note pages
- Extra sticky notes for on-the-spot ideas
Use the scissors to cut the small colourful pieces of paper and add the ideas to the jar. Pick whatever colour you want and have some fun!
- Green notes for physical and energetic tasks e.g. 10-minute dance party at home, build a pyramid from plastic cups.
- Yellow notes for a quiet home activity e.g. prepare a book of jokes, draw an imaginary animal, write a poem, draw a painting door entry sign.
- Blue notes for activities related to food and cuisine e.g. skewer fruit, wash dishes, help in preparing dinner.
- Pink notes for outdoor activities like drawing with crayons, cycling, jumping rope, playing hide and seek.
- Orange notes for a family activity like reading a book together, making a family picture together.
Click here for a full-colour printable PDF
Green notes for physical/energetic tasks
| to rearrange or tidy the room | to build a tent out of blankets and other accessories | to try different postures of yoga | 10 minutes dance party |
| to measure things around the house with a ruler and make a list | to build an obstacle course | to invent or learn a new dance | throw a recycled paper ball into a basket |
| count how many tiles your kitchen or bathroom has | roll a plastic bottle on its side, how many far will it go? | home exercises in front of the video | to stand on one leg for as long as you can |
| do a science experiment (with an adult) | to build a tower as high as possible using cups | arrange the books in the library | count how many jumps you can do on both feet, then just one foot |
| build an obstacle course for small balls or marbles | Dressing up in different costumes | throw and catch balls | run for 30 seconds |
| make a ‘train’ from cardboard boxes/recycling | bowling game | invent a new dart game | Hula hoop on the body / arm / leg |
| Make a show with things at home | “heads, shoulders, knees and toes” song | throwing small items into a laundry basket | 10 sit-ups |
| sort things by colour | “commando” crawl on your tummy under the coffee table and around the room | Sort items by size | Jump on bubble wrap |
Yellow notes for a quiet at-home activity
| prepare paper aeroplanes | watch a movie | Make a drawing of a ‘ superhero | 30 min TV |
| Playing with the pet | Make a bookmark | Write 5 things you like about your friend | Write about a dream that you would like to come true |
| write about an important experience that you had | write 5 things you like in your family | draw a map of the house and the rooms | To write thank you letters |
| to sing a song | to help fold/sort laundry | Complete a puzzle | make a drawing for Mummy/Daddy |
| Make a sign for your front door | Watch an origami video on YouTube and make a piece | write a letter or email to a relative | draw a painting according to a favourite book |
| Draw a treasure map | Draw a comic | learn a magic trick | draw a picture according to a favourite movie |
| choose an animal you’ve always wanted to know about–search google | Look for a country in the Globe or Atlas and read about it on Google | to make a colourful fan
|
Print a colouring-in page of your choice |
| drawing of your favourite animal |
Blue notes for activities related to food and cuisine.
| Choose a recipe, buy the groceries and prepare it | make an omelette | make pancakes | bake challah |
| Washing dishes | Make cereal nests | Help cut vegetable salad | Help prepare dinner/lunch |
| Bake a cake | be a “waiter” in a restaurant | Lay the table for all the family | to make a home pizza |
| Have a picnic in the house | Make a smoothie/ice cream/lolly | to prepare a family dinner | Make a shopping list |
| Make Lemonade | Choose what we all eat for lunch or dinner | prepare fruit skewers or fruit salad | Spring clean |
| Spread crackers with a topping of choice | bake biscuits cutting them in different shapes | make sandwiches | prepare a dessert/snack |
| Research on a favourite fruit | Research about a favourite vegetable | Check the expiry dates on products in the cupboard | Weigh fruits and vegetables |
Pink notes for outdoor activities
| Hopscotch | ball game | Water games (water balloons/water guns) | paint with chalk |
| Jump in the rope | Football match | Help wash the car | Cycling
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| Walk in the neighbourhood | Rollerblades | Riding a scooter | Any fun ball game |
| Go to the grocery shop | Plant | Water plants | Outdoors – count how many red cars there are |
| Search for nice flowers on your trip out | Bubbles | Jump in and out of a hula hoop | Collect stones and paint them |
| Collect branches | Have a picnic | Play hide and seek | Play catch/it |
| Bouncing a ball on foot/head | Playground | Pick dried leaves | Create an obstacle course |
| Invent sports activities with new rules | Art collage with found objects | Make a neighbourhood map |
Orange notes for family activities.
| To prepare a family tree | go for a walk | Go through albums and videos | Imitate animal sounds |
| To invent a new and family language | Enjoy reading a books and prepare a show together that everyone is participating in | Exchange roles in the family. Children to be parents and vice versa | Project a movie at home, and watch it all together |
| Play Chinese whispers | Prepare together new house rules | Exchange roles in the family. Kids to be parents and vice versa | Guessing sounds |
| Guessing games | Play old fashioned games such as having an egg and spoon race | “What’s the time Mr. wolf: | “If I had a power… which power would I choose to have?” why? |
| Each will tell a good thing that happened in the week and also something less good | Learn the Alphabet of a new language | Share a dream |
