The school holidays are meant for fun, relaxation and maybe just a little learning! If you're a parent looking to keep your child's mind active without turning the holidays into homework, you're in the right place.
We've rounded up 7 educational activities that feel more like play than study, perfect for keeping kids entertained and engaged during school breaks.
🧪 1. DIY Science Experiments
Kids love hands-on fun — and science experiments feel like magic!
Try:
- Baking soda volcanoes
- Making slime (and learning about polymers)
- Grow your own crystals with salt and water
Check out these simple science experiments using household items from CBeebies!
📚 2. Storytelling & Creative Writing Games
Let kids create their own characters, stories, or even comic books. You can use story dice, picture prompts, or let them "publish" a book with paper and staples.
Why it works?
-Builds language skills
-Boosts imagination
-Encourages expressive thinking
Check out this BBC Bitesize page full of free online English resources! Perfect for keeping kids entertained and learning!
🎲 3. Board Games That Teach Without Trying
Not all board games are just fun and games, many teach essential skills like counting, strategy, and vocabulary.
Try:
- Uno (colors, numbers, pattern recognition)
- Scrabble Junior (enhances vocabulary, spelling and strategic thinking)
- Monopoly (helps with math + money management)
Jigsaws, Mazes & Word Searches are also simple, quiet, screen-free fun that keeps the brain ticking!
🏗️ 4. Lego Challenges & STEM Builds
Challenge your child to build something specific, a bridge, a robot or a working marble run, using Legos, blocks or recycled materials!
Why it works? It will encourage engineering thinking, planning, spatial awareness, and creativity.
Have a look at these STEM resources for Primary, Secondary and beyond!
🎨 5. Art That Teaches More Than Drawing
Try activities like:
- Color mixing experiments
- Drawing to music
- Painting like a famous artist
Why it works? Boosts visual literacy, fine motor skills, and appreciation for art history.
🌱 6. Grow Something!
Give your child a small plant pot and some seeds, and let them care for their own plant through the break. Bonus: keep a "plant journal" with drawings and measurements.
Why it works? Teaches responsibility, biology basics, and patience.
Growing a Cress Head couldn’t be simpler!
🗺️ 7. DIY Treasure Hunts With Learning Clues
Set up a treasure hunt where each clue requires solving a riddle, doing a quick math sum, or identifying a shape or color.
Why it works: Combines physical activity with cognitive skills and problem-solving.
Read our blog all about creating your own treasure hunt with clues that help secretly build skills like reading, problem solving, maths and more!
Keeping your child learning over the school holidays doesn’t mean sitting at a desk. In fact, the best learning happens when kids are relaxed, curious, and having fun. At Ultimate Activity Camps, we specialise in combining fun-filled play with purposeful, age-appropriate learning - so your child grows while having the time of their life. 🌟
From our action-packed multi-activity camps and adventurous survival & bushcraft camps for young explorers, to our tech and coding camps for aspiring innovators, performance and stage camps for future stars, cookery camps for budding chefs, and sports academies for developing young athletes, we have something for everyone!