Educational Activities That Don’t Involve Technology

A few days ago I posted a list of online resources for those who are now home schooling.   I’m working on updating that but I also wanted to share some ideas that require NO technology.  It is clear kids really enjoy learning using tech but like anything balance is key! Here are some educational activities for kids of all ages that require ZERO technology and I think are pretty engaging and teach some very valuable skills! * This list was originally made by Kim Jones McClelland but I have adapted some and added my own ideas as well!

Educational Activities That Require NO Tech

Start plants from seed. Observe, document and then enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Make cards for nurses, doctor, grocery store workers or anyone who can’t stay home.

Interview a family member.

Measure the area and perimeter of each room in your home.

Graph the types of birds that frequent your yard or windows.

Plan out a dream vacation.  Set a budget and have your kids plan it out all while sticking to the budget.

Be completely silent for 60 minutes, then write, paint, or talk about the experience.

Write and mail a [real] letter to your teacher or principal or classroom penpal.  Have your child address the letter themselves then walk and mail it.

Build a “fable fort” out of blankets and chairs. Camp in it all day while you create stories to tell your family over dinner.

Learn morse code and use it to communicate with your siblings through walls and floors.

Have them alphabetize the spices in your kitchen.

Stay up late and stargaze then write about what it would be like to live in space.

Call a grandparent or older relative. Ask them to teach your child the words to a song from their childhood days.

Using household materials, help your child build a working rain gauge, barometer, and wind vane.

Determine and chart the times that different liquids require to turn solid in the freezer.

Design and build puppets that perform a show about multiplication.

Teach them to crochet, knit, or even just sew on a button.

Play cards.

Construct a family tree.

Learn ten new big words. Write them in marker on your bathroom mirror. Once they’ve done that have them write a story on the mirror using ALL the new words.

Draw a map of your home.

Sit silently for 15 minutes while you write down every sound you hear. When you are done, classify the sounds (high/low pitch, high/low volume, manmade v. naturally occurring, etc.).

Create a Venn Diagram that compares and contrasts two people in your family, your neighbourhood, or your church, mosque, or temple.

Learn, practice, and perform a magic trick.

Learn, practice, and tell three new jokes.

Use household materials to make and play stringed, percussion, and wind instruments.

Learn to shine a pair of shoes.

Collect leaves from ten different (non-harmful) plants. Sort them by size, color, and texture.

Put your favourite book, toy, and keepsake on a small table in sunlight. Draw or paint a full colour still life.

Find, pick, and dissect a flower.

If you have stairs, walk up and count them. Walk down and count by twos. Walk up and count by threes. Continue through tens.

Determine the volumes of ten containers, them display them in order on your porch.

Write a poem on your sidewalk using chalk.

Classify twenty everyday objects by shape, size, colour, height, mass, and material.

Measure the length of your bed using five different nonstandard units.

Call a person who speaks a language you do not. Ask them to teach you five common words or phrases.

Create and use a secret code.

Using one type of paper (constant), build three different paper airplanes (independent variable) and test to see how far they fly (dependent variable).

Set a clock three hours and seven minutes ahead. Whenever someone needs to know the time, help them figure it out by subtracting.

Write down every adjective you say for one full day.

Learn three new jokes. Tell them to an aunt or uncle.

Design a map of every state ever visited by people in your family.

Write or tell a story titled “What if humans had to leave the Earth and no one remembered to turn off the last robot?”

Find ten rocks smaller than a dime.

Using paper, tape, and string, design, build, and test a device that warns you when someone opens the kitchen cabinet.

Imagine, create, and fly a full size flag that tells the world about you.

Build a castle out of items from your pantry.  Deconstruct and sort the shapes. Have them explain their sorting rule.

Build a ramp and send hot wheel cars down it.  Measure which car goes the farthest using string to compare.

Create patterns using Fruit Loops. Turn them into candy necklaces!

Practice Dolch Sight Words by building them out of play dough.

I hope this helps! I will continue to put together list, share ideas, and just try to support you all in any way possible! I hope you’re staying home if you can, staying healthy, and enjoying this extra time with those closest to you!