Editor’s Note: All content and information in this article are accurate as of published time.
Spending more time staying at home with your little ones might not be as daunting as you think. It might be tough initially but as you slowly work out a routine for your family, things will flow and get better when all of you are used to the new rhythm. So take a deep breath and know that better times will be here! Do give yourself and your child some time and space to get used to the new routine. You are doing your best already, fellow mama! We’ll get there! 💪
So… here are some fun stay-home activity kits and ideas for your little ones from toddlers to lower primary! At the same time, if you do not have the materials or would like to get some of the local recommended kits or books, do know that at the same time you are also supporting some of our local brands whose businesses are impacted by the virus too, so thank you! #supportlocal
1. Bag For Fun BFF
Suitable for ages 1.5 to 6 years old, let Bag For Fun be your kids’ BFF this month with their range of sensory and pretend play kits! For S$39, you can get a BFF Learning Box with an “Around the World” theme with 1 letter + 6 activities. It is recommended to start from the first learning box from this series, or if you prefer to get all 3 learning boxes, take a look here. This is indeed good value for money as everything you need for the activities can be found inside this kit!
If your child is a foodie, check out the Learning Box Food Series Box #1 (S$40) that focuses on local food and cooking. It includes a storybook, child-friendly local food recipe cards, playdough satay, Nasi Lemak memory game, a kindness jar, learning about division, sharing with ondeh ondehs and about kitchen tools and terms.
2. Tickle Your Senses
Suitable for ages 3 to 6, Tickle Your Senses have a huge range of learning and play collections that are engaging, fun and educational. Take a cue from your child’s interest and choose from the different learning collections such as sea, farm, space and more.
Book kits like the Flowerbed Planting Set (S$47.90) that includes a “planting set” of flowers and an Usborne Lift-the-Flap book about flowers can keep your child busy for a while! Also, add some cheer to your stay-home days with this rainbow collection of sensory play materials and wooden toys.
There are also free printables designed by Tickle Your Senses. These are free Play & Learn Playdough Mats that you can download with the promo code: FREEPRINTABLE
3. Toy Tag
Suitable for all ages, Toy Tag curates a huge range of toys from story books to board games, coding games and more. A firm believer in “brillant minds, shaped by play”, Toy Tag indeed stocks some really cool toys!
Although they have certain products suitable for younger kids like the adorable My Little Pom Pom Bunny Kit (S$39.90) or have fun with the Paddle Ball Set (S$29.90), but the older ones would definitely appreciate the CMON Mega Monster City Smash! (S$36.90), an Osmo Coding Set (S$74) or the Ridley’s Sumo Slam (S$24.90)!
4. Small T
Suitable for 7 and up, The Small T brain teasers consist of wooden fun polygon shapes with mind games, from animals to objects. Not only is it fun and creative, children can also develop critical skills like problem-solving, logic and spatial insight. It can also be a great stress reliever for adults! There are five levels available, with its challenge and difficulty gradually increasing.
Start with The Small T Level 1 (New, 2020 version at S$24.90) that consists of 5 polygon shapes that can create 48+ amazing creative connections!
5. Play乐学 (PlayLeXue)
Suitable for ages 3 to primary school level, PlayLeXue features learning resources like busy bags, book kits and Chinese books. With a focus on “Play, Enjoy, Learn”, the busy bags and book kits at PlayLeXue make learning Chinese fun! Check out their popular Chinese strokes playdough cards and Chinese strokes acrylic puzzles or interesting Chinese books such as this Like Pictures, Like Chinese – Oracle Bone Script Book (S$15.80). One other popular item from PlayLeXue is the Water Calligraphy Kit (S$15) that your child can write with water with a calligraphy brush and once it dries up, it’s as good as new for more writing!
For lower primary school children, make learning Hanyu Pinyin fun with this set of Magnetic Wipe Clean Hanyu Pinyin Cards (S$45.80).
👉 ALSO READ: GrabFood, Deliveroo, FoodPanda & McDelivery Promo Codes 2020
6. Natventure Books
Suitable for all ages, explore the amazing collection at Natventure Books that brings your little ones on a adventure in Nature. For this season of staying home, this is the best combo that one could ever dream off! Find out What is a Rainbow? (S$19), learn about Amazing Animal Homes (S$16), How Things Grow (S$19.80) and more.
With beautiful illustrations and topics on nature and animals, even adults would be drawn to read them. Amidst all the uncertainties during this time, one thing for sure is that learning more about nature will definite soothe both adults and children! Enjoy free local courier with a minimum purchase of S$50!
7. Enstories
Suitable for 4 and up, Enstories is like a wood lover’s dream come true. Stocked with good quality wooden toys and parts that encourage open-ended play, the moms behind Enstories also observed “how these toys allowed opportunities for them to stretch their cognitive skills and build decision-making skills as they freely play”. Build a backdrop for the toys that your child already have at home, or paint a rainbow with these beautiful arch stackers!
Go back to basics with the wooden blocks, shapes and arch stackers in their natural colour, or opt for the DIY Painting Kits (S$25 & up) that comes with a set of 5 non-toxic Silicate Mineral paints, a brush, a palette, all-ready in a box.
8. Barefoot Toys
Suitable for 3+ and up, there is a great range of toys and activities at Barefoot Toys, from open-ended play, pretend play, small world play to puzzles and crafts. Open-ended toys like the Junior Geostick (S$45.90) allow children to explore engineering concepts and develop their fine motor skills. Puzzles like this Petit Collage Pop-Out and Build Tree Friends Playset (S$22.90) are not only engaging but also makes a nice decoration for your child’s room!
9. The Tiny Trove
For ages 3 and up, The Tiny Trove play dough is buttery soft and non-sticky. It even smells rather nice as there is the option of scented ones! If you hate the chemical smell of store-bought play dough then this is a great option for you. Handmade with only edible ingredients, The Tiny Trove play dough is non-toxic and safe even for the curious little ones. All the squishing, squashing and rolling the play dough brings about hours of fun for children, yet at the same time, this movement strengthens their little hands for them to hold pencils at a later stage.
Do you know what’s the best thing about The Tiny Trove’s play dough? It comes in beautiful pastel colours and even with glitter! Don’t forget to some tools as well, like the sweet Unicorn Cutters Set (S$18) or the cool Space Plunger Cutter Set (S$10)!
10. Dolan Toys
Suitable for 6 months to 4 years old, Dolan Toys are handmade and thoughtfully made, including a beautiful and soothing colour combination that is pleasing to the eyes. Using wood, a safe, eco-friendly and sturdy material, it is also food grade safe. Using a new approach of traditional toys to expand a child’s imagination. For as young as 6 months old, The Observer Board (S$48 + free local delivery) is a great sensory toy to learn about different textures, materials and colour.
For the 1 to 4 years old, The Explorer Busy Board (S$58 + free local delivery) can enhance their motor skills and learn about shapes, colours and numbers at the same time.
Other Recommendations
One thing that can provide hours of play for children is definitely LEGO! As they build their creations brick by brick, it is really satisfying to see their concentration and their minds working furiously to let their creativity and imagination take flight.
If your child is from 1.5 to 3 years old, check out the recommended Lego Duplo sets here. From Toy Story to Frozen II, the classic animal sets and more, there’ll surely be something your child would love! Check out the Official Lego Shop on Lazada for discounts and more.
For older children, take your pick fom a range of Marvel, Star Wars, Ninjago, Friends or the latest DOTS sets here.
Another great idea to keep the little ones occupied is to do lots and lots of craftwork! But do expect that things would get messy – that’s where the creativity gets unleashed and happy memories are made.
This stay-home season is also where an Amazon Singapore / Amazon Prime Now account comes in handy! Not only do you get to enjoy free and fast delivery to your doorstep, you’ll get to order books, craft materials and even toys here even as certain non-essential retail stores are closed during this period. You can also order groceries at the same time to be delivered to you! Learn more about Amazon Prime membership here.
Check out this cool Crayola Sprinkle Art Shaker (S$59.99 + free delivery) that comes in a kit with everything you need for some glittery fun. It’s less mess and no waste for easy storage of artwork! This Faber-Castell Make Your Own Under the Sea Water Globe is also pretty interesting for kids to learn how they can make their very own water globes!
📢 TIP: Not an Amazon Prime Now member yet? Don’t miss out, sign up for a 30-day free trial here now! After your free trial, Amazon Prime is just S$2.99/month and you can choose to cancel anytime. Sign up here.
So do remember to go easy on yourself as you work from home and spend time with the little ones – it is definitely unprecedented times that we are facing.
In the words of PM Lee, “It will be a long fight. But if any country can see this through, it is Singapore. We have the resources. We have the determination. We are united. By helping one another through this, we will prevail, and emerge stronger.” Stay healthy and well! We can do this! 🌈
#SGUnited #SupportLocal #StayHome #StaySafeAtHome
ALSO READ: Spending more time at home? Here are 6 stay-home weekend ideas to make it fun!
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