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Family activities and resources

Are you looking for things to do with your children aged 0-12 years? Check out these fun and creative activities!

The Family and Children’s Services team at Yarra Ranges Council are committed to supporting families and keeping our community connected.

Stay up to date with the latest news for families and children 0-12 years by subscribing to the Yarra Ranges Families and Children's newsletter.

Create a recycled flower

This activity allows children to be creative, to appreciate the shapes and colours of flowers, and supports fine motor skills as they cut and create their made flowers.

Let's Talk Feelings

A game that creates opportunity for children to recognise and talk about emotions and their expression.

This is called emotional literacy and supports children to develop empathy and to regulate their emotional states.

Leaf Printing

Get outside for a nature walk close to home then make some beautiful leaf printing art using the leaves collected. So simple and effective, and a wonderful activity to do together!

We're going on a bird hunt

Encourage creativity through imaginary play, develop focus and attention through careful looking and listening, and learn about the wildlife where you live.

Routines

Routines are important for everyone; you may have had to change some or even many of your routines with the impacts and changes we have all been adjusting to recently. Children feel safer and more secure when their home is predictable and for parents and carers,
routines can help you feel more organised, in control and less stressed.

Mud Play

This activity promotes fine motor skill development (using fingers and hands), connecting with nature and having fun!

Exercise By Dice

This activity involves physical movement, body awareness and interactions to promote health and wellbeing.

Benefits of Open-ended Play

Open-ended play enables children to be creative, engage in decision making and in problem solving. By exploring the materials, children become architects, designers, builders, explorers, archaeologists, artists, gardeners, inventors, teachers and learners.

Finding Fungi

Go out searching for Fungi! Now is a good time to find different types of fungi as they love to grow in the damp but when the soil is still warm.

But remember - look but don’t touch! Some types of fungi can be poisonous.

I wonder what's in here?

Supporting and understanding child led play, ‘tuning in’ to what your child does with different, everyday items; being present; watch and wonder…

Thanking our helpers and heroes

Support your child to create a card to acknowledge the caregivers and essential workers in their family or community. This activity creates opportunity for children to express their feelings and make a positive contribution. Practicing gratitude boosts mental health and this activity can also help children to manage feelings of fear and anxiety in what can feel a very overwhelming and scary time.

Invitation to Play

For children to play - there are no rules or expectations for how to play, how items must be used, no specific steps to follow, no right or wrong way. Essentially you are inviting your child to explore, investigate, question, examine, participate, touch, feel, and manipulate through independent play.

Let's pause

An exercise for parents and carers to pause and respond rather than react.

Making nature wands

Get outdoors and find magic in the natural world

Making and Creating with Puff Paint

Homemade puff paint is fun, easy and inexpensive to make. It is simple for children to follow instructions and is a fun science experiment as well.

Scavenger hunt

Scavenger hunts are a fun way for children to practice problem-solving while also providing good exercise for the growing bodies.

Threading

Creative fun activity supports fine motor development and eye hand coordination. Talking about the characters your child creates provides an opportunity to reflect on the feelings and experiences of others - which supports social and emotional development.

Making Pom Poms

Get creative while engaging in a mindful activity that encourages hand-eye coordination and fine motor control.

Making a miniature garden

A great sensory activity which promotes eye hand co-ordination, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and assists with connecting to nature and encouraging creativity.

My Gratitude Capsule

This activity provides children with an opportunity to explore and share their thoughts and feelings and to reflect on the things about themselves and their families that are unique and special. And when the capsule is opened again it provides opportunity to talk about and understand time, change and the impermanence of things.

Make a Drum n Shaker

Encourages listening skills and the ability to transition between loud and quiet activity. Sensory play develops all of the senses, enhances their connection to the natural environment, and allows them to release and recognise strong feelings.

Insect and Bug House

This is a science, nature and creative experience that provides an opportunity for learning about habitats, ecosystems, food chains and life cycles.

Make A Butterfly

This is a science, nature and creative experience that provides an opportunity for learning about habitats, ecosystems, food chains and life cycles.

Finger knitting

Get creative while engaging in a mindful activity that encourages hand-eye coordination and fine motor control

Worm Tunnels

This is a science, nature and creative experience that provides an opportunity for learning about habitats, ecosystems, food chains and life cycles

Who is in My Family?

This is a fun activity to help children explore their families, neighbourhoods and communities. It helps children identify their own supports and helpers in the community.

Managing Transitions

Using a ‘warm & gentle’ approach is a simple parenting strategy that reminds us of the positives of maintaining a calm and supportive environment.

Bark Painting

This is a great activity to get the kids outdoors, help them appreciate natural resources, and use art to communicate.

Encouraging Language

Encouraging language with children through play and everyday moments is an important learning opportunity for your child

Natural Weaving

Get creative, and have fun while supporting fine motor development and eye hand co-ordination.

Weaving is an ancient Indigenous practice that has been passed on for generations. What can we discover together about Indigenous weaving?

Everyone Is Wearing Masks

Providing reassurance and understanding to children on the changes they are seeing within their community and family.

Puddle Jumping

Playing outside and noticing changes in the environment helps children to develop observation skills and spatial awareness.

Let's stay connected

Support children to feel connected by talking about the important people in our lives, about where we all live and the places we call home

Nature Pictures

Exploring, appreciating nature and Country, and learning more about Indigenous culture to celebrate National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day - Tues 4th August.

Egg Heads

This simple science activity looks at how plants grow from seed and how they need water and light to help them grow.

Measuring Distance

Creative fun maths activity looking at distance, measurement and weight.

Supporting Emotional Expression

Support children to begin to understand and express their emotions and self regulation skills.

Interactive & Imaginative Games

Engaging children in playing games to encourage imagination and build language, where nothing additional is required, just themselves.

Time Capsule

We are currently making history, let’s document this whilst keeping things ‘real’ for our children.

Exercise by Time

Fun physical activity to test fine and gross motor skills

Treasure Hunt – Follow the clues

A fun, exciting game and gets everyone being active

How To Keep Children Connected During COVID-19

During this unprecedented time, it is important to keep children connected

How to Tell a Story Mindfully

Take some time to relax and enjoy the story together.

ROCK ART- adult help required

Get creative while engaging in a mindful activity that encourages hand-eye coordination and fine motor control

How to Create a Seasonal Nature Table

The seasonal or nature table can be used to create wonder, intrigue and excitement for children in the changing seasons, and can offer a real sense of security in a cosy corner of your home.

How to Garden for Wellbeing

The simple act of gardening enables us to get fresh air into our lungs, sunshine onto our skin and our hands grounded in the earth. These key gardening ingredients have proven wellbeing benefits. We have all heard about how going for walks in nature reduces our feelings of stress, creates calm and gives us renewed energy.

Pressed Flowers

Nature provides us with so may colours, particularly during Spring time. Our gardens are full of color, the buzzing of bees and maybe even a butterfly. This activity enhances children’s appreciation of what grows in their garden, concepts of nature and extends their motor skills.

Making Recycled Soap

Make your own soap using recycled materials.

How to Practice Self-care in 5 minutes During COVID-19

It is important to take care of your mind, body and soul during these unprecedented times of COVID-19. Learning how to eat healthy balanced meals, exercise regularly, sleep and take time out when you need are all crucial elements of self-care.

Growing Carrots

This simple activity supports children’s understanding of where our food comes from and the growth process of carrots.

Balloons

Balloons are wonderful! They are light as air and move more slowly than a ball so can be easier to grasp. Here are some learning activities to excite babies and develop their eye-hand coordination and some for pre-schoolers who need to use up some energy!