Offline Activities for 5-Year-Olds: Creative, Calm & Full of Fun
Five-year-olds are full of big ideas, growing skills, and endless curiosity.
It’s a great age for games with rules, creative challenges, and activities that stretch their imagination.
These screen-free ideas are designed to be easy, fun, and flexible — perfect for after school, weekends, or whenever you fancy a break from screens.
Just pick what suits your day and enjoy some relaxed, playful time together.
Refine your search
Activity Type
Location Type
Energy Level
Mess Factor
Age
Time Duration
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Spooky Mystery Box
A fun sensory guessing game where children reach into mystery boxes to identify “gross” items by touch alone.
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Pumpkin picking
A joyful outdoor adventure where families explore a pumpkin patch together to find the perfect pumpkin for carving, cooking, or decorating.
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Pumpkin carving
A classic autumn activity where families carve creative faces and designs into pumpkins for a fun, seasonal display.
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Toilet Roll Mummy Wrap
A hilarious Halloween game where children turn each other into mummies using toilet paper.
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Pumpkin hunt
Head outside at dusk for a slightly spooky pumpkin hunt! Hide mini pumpkins, hand out torches, and let children search within set boundaries. It’s a safe, confidence-boosting autumn adventure that builds teamwork, problem-solving, and big smiles.
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Interview a Family Member
A simple, low-prep chat activity where a child interviews a relative to capture family stories, build confidence, and practise listening.
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Forty-Forty
A classic hide-and-seek chase game where one child counts to forty, then tries to spot others before they dash to “base” and shout “Forty-forty in!”
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Constellation Hunt
A calm, cosy night-time activity that helps families learn simple star patterns together while practising observation and patience.
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Knots
A hands-on way to learn useful knots through simple challenges, building confidence for shoelaces, den-building, and everyday problem-solving.
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Skimming Stones
A timeless outdoor challenge — find the perfect flat stone and see how many times you can make it bounce across the water.
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Magic Potion Mixing
Create fizzing, glittering “potions” using safe household ingredients and a big dose of imagination.
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Sand Mummy Wrap
Sculpt something silly in the sand by gently burying arms or legs — a fun and creative way to turn someone into a sand mermaid, dinosaur or superhero!
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Join a Local Scouts or Guides Group
Scouting and Guiding groups offer fun, friendship and adventure. From Rainbows to Cubs to Explorers, there’s something for every age and interest.
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Threading with Pasta
A simple, mess-free craft using dry pasta and string that supports fine motor skills and creativity — perfect for quiet play or beginner crafting.
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Elderflower Cordial
A lovely seasonal activity that starts with foraging and ends with a refreshing homemade drink. Get outside, pick some elderflowers, and make something delicious together.
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Junior ParkRun
Junior ParkRun is a brilliant, free way for kids to enjoy running in the great outdoors — all while building confidence, friendships and healthy habits.
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Paper Tearing Collage
Tearing paper into little bits and sticking them down to make creative designs is great for coordination, focus, and self-expression — and it’s really fun too!
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Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Gather soft toys, lay out a blanket, and enjoy a pretend picnic together — perfect for imaginative play and a little outdoor (or indoor!) fun.
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Simon Says
A classic listening game that gets children moving, thinking and laughing. Ideal for developing attention, coordination and self-control.
