The best learning activities to sharpen your 5-year-old's brain power

I'm sat in a corner, on my favourite chair, sipping my coffee. It's still hot, which as you may know by now, is nothing short of a miracle for a parent. But that's not the reason for my happiness.

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Right now, I’m winning at parenting. My son and his two best friends run around our yard, and I don’t have to ask them to be careful or put away their gadgets.  

They’re wearing their paper pirate hats and binoculars as they search the yard for clues I have hidden. What’s even better is that while they think they are playing, they’re actually running around and reading the “sight words” they’ve been learning in school this week.

So, yeah, if this is not a parenting win, I don’t know what is!

Turns out, learning doesn’t have to be cut and dry. It can be creative, active, playful, and even better, unexpected. Here are some of our favourite hands-on learning activities for kids.

Active learning and learning outcomes

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Learning was never meant to be dull, and if it is, we’re probably doing it wrong.

In fact, research finds that active learning significantly influences learning outcomes. That’s because active learning promotes deeper understanding and enhances critical thinking skills. In turn, it increases student engagement and leads to better academic performance compared to traditional passive learning methods.

Plus, asking five-year-olds to sit in one spot for an extended period is nothing short of torture to them. (Ironically, it’s a dream for us adults!) 

But since 5-year-olds are like sponges soaking up knowledge, now is as good a time as any to sharpen their analytical and critical thinking skills. And since kids thrive on exploration and fun, engaging curious five-year-olds in active learning is essential for fostering growth.

By designing learning activities to be fun, parents can actually influence learning outcomes.

Here are some exciting activity ideas that enable students to help develop cognitive, social, and physical abilities.

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Mini Monets in the making: Arts and crafts

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Encouraging your child to engage in art-based learning activities is an excellent way to nurture creativity and fine motor skills.

1. Finger painting

Materials:

• Non-toxic finger paints
• Large sheets of paper or a canvas

Set up a mess-friendly area with large paper or canvas and finger paints in small containers. Encourage your child to explore colours, create patterns, and enjoy tactile fun while supervising to keep the mess contained. Oh and trust the process!

2. Collage making

Materials:

• Old magazines, newspapers, or cards
• Safety scissors (rounded tips)
• Non-toxic glue
• Cardstock or cardboard

Use magazines, newspapers, or old cards to create unique collages. Guide your child through cutting and pasting, which improves hand-eye coordination.

3. DIY paper making

Materials

• Old worksheets or scrap paper
• Blender (for pulping)
• Water
• Mesh screen or strainer
• Towels or a flat surface for drying

Demonstrate how to blend recycled paper with water to create pulp.

Help your child pour it onto a mesh screen, flatten it, and let it dry. This eco-friendly craft sparks curiosity and thoughtful chats on recycling and sustainability.

4. Play dough fun

Materials:

• Play dough in various colours
• Toy cars, animal figurines, or cookie cutters
• A flat surface or play mat

Provide play dough and small toys for imaginative play. Encourage your child to create shapes, animals, or even simple scenes. We love this one for refining fine motor skills and introducing basic shape manipulation.

5. Zoo design

Materials:

• Toy animals
• Construction paper or cardboard
• Crayons, markers, and glue
• Scissors (child-safe)

Offer toy animals and stationery for kids to design a zoo layout.

Encourage them to draw enclosures, arrange the animals, and think critically about habitat needs. They’ll combine creative problem-solving with hands-on learning – as well as a walking hazard, so keep this one off the ground.

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Active and interactive games

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Physical play is vital for a 5-year-old’s energy levels and student progress. After all, they have the energy of caffeinated squirrels!

Plus these interactive games ensure children remain active while developing important skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and peer feedback.

Let your little one explore the world around them and develop their conceptual understanding through these four games:

1. Colour scavenger hunt

Send your child on a mission to find objects that match specific colours or shapes. This simple game encourages critical thinking skills and boosts observation. Bonus points if they bring you something you actually need.

Materials:

• A printed or hand-drawn colour chart (or just call out colours!)
• A basket, box, or bag for collecting items
• Everyday household or outdoor objects (to find and match colours)
• Optional: Stickers or small rewards for extra motivation

Bonus prep tip: Hide a few objects yourself if the yard or the house looks too clean to be fun!

2. Simon says

A timeless classic and the OG of listening games. It strengthens listening skills while also sharpening reflexes, and is a fun way for parents to teach students or kids about following instructions.

3. Ocean in a pool

Toss toy sea creatures into an inflatable pool, and voila – instant ocean. Biology meets backyard fun. Now teach concepts while fostering creative learning.

Materials:

• Inflatable pool (or a large container)
• Toy sea creatures (fish, sharks, crabs, etc.)
• Plastic underwater plants or seaweed (optional but adds flair!)
• Blue water-safe dye (or just water – it’s the ocean either way!)
• Small buckets, nets, or cups for “exploration”
• Towels (because water games always equal spills)

Bonus: Add seashells or pebbles for an extra under-the-sea vibe.

4. Sandbox Castles:

Sand, buckets, and tiny engineers at work. Problem-solving has never been more fun (or messy..)

(Not a huge fan of sand and the inevitable mess that will follow? Offer them cardboard boxes, tissue rolls and tape instead.

Physical activities and movement games

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Physical activity helps 5-year-olds master their motor skills.

Here are some exciting and safe ways to keep your kids moving and engaged in fun physical games at home:

1. Obstacle courses

Set up a fun and safe course using tables, cushions, and ottomans. Children can crawl under tables, jump over pillows, or somersault between obstacles. Now add challenges like jumping jacks or crawling through a blanket tunnel.

Time the kids to see who can complete the course the fastest, adding a competitive element. These activities improve coordination, balance, and agility, encouraging students to engage in active learning while developing problem-solving skills and physical strength.

Bonus tip: If it can be knocked over, remove it! Also, beware of sharp corners and slippery surfaces.

2. Hopscotch

If you’re inside: Use painter’s tape to create a hopscotch grid and buttons or socks as markers.

If you’re outside: Draw a hopscotch grid with chalk and use stones or chalk pieces as markers.

Hopscotch helps children practice counting, balance, and spatial awareness while improving their understanding of numbers and patterns.

3. Yoga for young children

Besides being super cute, yoga helps your little one’s awareness while promoting mindfulness.

Introduce simple yoga poses like Tree Pose, Downward Dog, and Sun Salutation to improve flexibility, balance, and focus.

They’ll build relaxation techniques and critical thinking as they connect body movements with breathing and concentration.

Unleash their inner Mozart with musical games

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1. Musical drawing

Materials:

• Paper
• Crayons or markers
• Music player with diverse musical selections

Hand your child paper and drawing tools. Play different pieces of music, varying in tempo and mood.

Get them to draw lines, shapes, or images that reflect how the music makes them feel. It fosters creativity, emotional expression, and an understanding of the connection between music and art.

2. Music parade

Materials:

• Toy musical instruments (e.g., tambourines, maracas, drums) or safe household items (e.g., pots, pans, wooden spoons)
• A spacious area, indoors or outdoors, for marching
• Optional: Dress up clothes or costumes to amp up the parade experience

Play lively music or have your child create their own rhythm as they march around. Rope in their siblings to make it a proper showcase!

This raises their sense of rhythm, coordination, and expressive abilities. It also promotes teamwork and allows for creative expression through music and movement.

Open-ended play: Let their imagination run wild

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1. Go on a pirate adventure 

This one is my favourite. Put on your pirate caps and let them seek their treasure. (You can make a pirate hat with some old newspaper) Draw a map or use simple clues to teach your child concepts like addition, subtraction, and even sight words.

When I play this with my 5-year-old, I make clues that mix math and language problems.

The instructions use sight words like “the,” “who,” and “he,” followed by easy-to-read words like “tree” and “bee.” When I want my student to polish up his math skills, I add clues that require him to use his knowledge of addition and subtraction.

2. Play pretend and set up a store or cafe 

Does your 5-year-old hate math?

Take out that cardboard box and set up a tiny shop in the corner of your lounge. You can ask them to load up the products, adding price tags and labels.

Print out some dollar bills and drop them in to buy items. Ask them to count the eggs before they place them in your basket and add up the money you pay. The best part about this activity is you can make it harder as your child progresses.

Play around and turn it from a grocery store into a small café. Ask them to design the menu so they can practice their writing skills.

3. Let them create and build

Building and construction activities are great for developing fine motor skills and problem-solving abilities. Gather materials such as cardboard boxes, straws, and tape, and encourage kids to create structures or designs.

Whatever their imagination can dream up!

Enjoy the learning process

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Not only are open-ended games a great way to make learning fun, but they also make fun memories for you and the kids.

I love watching recordings of my son and I doing science experiments and pretending we have our own YouTube channel.

The point of these play-based learning activities is not only to learn but also to have fun and develop a love for knowledge. 

Encourage your child to ask questions and take risks, be patient and supportive, and avoid putting too much pressure on your child to perform.

Make sure you acknowledge and praise their efforts and progress – and of course, have fun!