Activities for 4–5 years

Gross Motor

• Skip 20 Metres Without Stopping

  Sustained skipping over a distance requires stamina as well as skill -- the motor pattern becomes automatic.

  5–8 min · Open space

• Ride a Bicycle (Training Wheels)

  Balance + steering + pedalling + braking all together. Even with training wheels, this is the most complex motor task to date.

  15–20 min · Bicycle with training wheels

• Hop on Non-Dominant Foot (5+)

  5+ hops on the non-dominant foot. This typically lags dominant by 3-6 months -- both sides need direct practice.

  3–5 min · None

• Throw Distance (5 Metres)

  Overhand throw to 5-metre distance. Full body rotation, arm extension, and follow-through must all coordinate.

  5–10 min · Ball

• Jump Down from 50 cm

  Jump from a 50-cm height and land safely with soft knees. Height judgement and controlled landing.

  3–5 min · Step or table (50 cm)

• Move to Music (Complex Rhythm)

  Move to music with syncopated rhythm. Following complex rhythm requires auditory discrimination and motor response.

  5–10 min · Music with varied rhythm

• Aim and Kick (Moving Ball)

  Kick a rolling ball -- timing the contact point on a moving target.

  5–10 min · Ball

• Side Shuffle Race

  Side-shuffle (step-together-step) to a point and back. Lateral movement at speed.

  5–8 min · None

• Bicycle Without Training Wheels

  Remove training wheels when balance bike balance is good. First real bike = one of the most complex motor achievements of childhood.

  15–20 min · Bicycle without training wheels

• Skip with Rope (Self-Turning)

  Turn own rope and jump: 10+ consecutive jumps. Coordinating arm circles and leg jumps is a high-level motor achievement.

  10–15 min · Jump rope

• Throw and Catch (Partner)

  Throw and catch with a partner at 3-m distance: underhand, overhand, and bounce throw variants.

  5–10 min · Ball

• Kick Penalty Goal

  Set up a small goal; kick from 3 m with power and aim. Combining power, direction, and timing.

  5–10 min · Ball + goal (two objects)

• Backwards Skip

  Skip backwards -- significantly harder than forward as direction reversal and coordination must both work.

  5–8 min · None

• Cartwheels (Attempt)

  Demonstrate a cartwheel and let child try. Controlled weight-bearing through hands + leg extension = advanced gymnastics.

  5–8 min · Open safe space

• Swim Basic Stroke (If Exposed)

  If swimming opportunity: 5-metre distance, any stroke, with floaties if needed. Water confidence first.

  15–20 min · Swimming pool

• Sprint 30 Metres (Timed)

  Time a 30-metre sprint and record. Tracking personal speed progress -- intrinsic motivation + physical literacy.

  5–8 min · Open space + timer

• Sprint with Baton Pass

  Sprint 10 m, pass an object to a partner who sprints on. Hand-off requires timing and spatial awareness in motion.

  10–15 min · Small object as baton

• Hop Scotch (Full Game)

  Hop, jump, pick up stone, hop back. Number sequence + motor planning + balance all in one traditional game.

  10–15 min · Chalk or tape + stone

• Swim 10 Metres (If Exposed)

  Independent 10-metre swim with any stroke. Breathing technique + stroke + direction = three systems coordinating.

  15–20 min · Swimming pool

• Throw and Catch (One Hand)

  One-handed catch from 2 m. Requires faster hand positioning decision than two-handed catching.

  5–10 min · Small ball

• Gymnastics (Roll, Bridge, Cartwheel)

  Forward roll + bridge + cartwheel attempt in sequence. Gymnastics sequence requires memory + motor execution.

  5–10 min · Soft surface

• Balance on Skateboard/Board

  Balance on a skateboard or wooden board. Dynamic balance on an unstable surface -- high-level proprioception.

  5–10 min · Skateboard or plank on rolled towels

• Dribble Basketball (Both Hands)

  Dribble 5 times with right, 5 with left. Non-dominant hand dribbling is significantly harder.

  5–10 min · Basketball or large ball

• Long Jump (Distance Record)

  Jump as far as possible from standing; mark and measure. Track personal record over weeks.

  5–8 min · Tape measure or ruler

• Sprint Circuit (5 Stations)

  Run a 5-station circuit: sprint, hop, jump, crawl, balance. Switching motor tasks = executive function + physical fitness.

  10–15 min · Open space + station markers

• Play Team Sport (Simple Rules)

  Relay race, simple football, or cricket with basic rules. Team sport introduces strategy, roles, and shared outcome.

  15–20 min · None

• Bicycle on Rough Terrain

  Ride on grass or gravel path. Variable surface challenges balance and steering significantly more than pavement.

  10–15 min · Bicycle

• Swim 25 Metres (If Exposed)

  25-metre length swim independently. Breath control + stroke + endurance = full swimming foundation.

  15–20 min · Swimming pool

• Gymnastics Floor Sequence

  3-element sequence: roll, balance, jump. Remembering and performing a sequence of gymnastic elements.

  5–10 min · Soft surface

• Dance Sequence (8 Moves)

  Learn an 8-move dance sequence. Memory of movement sequence + rhythmic execution.

  10–15 min · Music

• Throw and Catch Moving

  Throw and catch while both thrower and catcher are walking. Moving target + moving thrower = high complexity.

  5–10 min · Ball

• Controlled Dribble Around Cones

  Dribble a ball around 5 cones without knocking them. Precision + continuous ball control.

  10–15 min · Ball + 5 objects as cones

Fine Motor

• Letter Formation (K-P)

  Correct formation of letters K, L, M, N, O, P. Build toward writing the full alphabet.

  5–10 min · Pencil and paper

• Draw Portrait of a Person

  Draw a person with face details: eyes, nose, mouth, hair, eyebrows. Observed portrait vs schematic figure.

  10–15 min · Drawing materials

• Knit or Crochet (Simple)

  Knitting: cast on 8 stitches, do 4 rows. Even basic knitting requires bilateral coordination and pattern following.

  15–20 min · Thick yarn and large needles

• Cut Complex Shape

  Cut out a picture of a house or animal from a drawn outline. Complex shape-following.

  10–15 min · Child scissors and paper with complex outline

• Build Freestanding Tall Tower

  Build the tallest possible tower from household recycling. Stability physics: base width vs height ratio.

  10–15 min · Cardboard boxes, toilet rolls, tape

• Construct Paper Aeroplane

  Basic paper plane requires 5-6 precise folds. Launch it: does direction of fold affect flight?

  10–15 min · Paper

• Letter Formation (Q-V)

  Correct formation of letters Q, R, S, T, U, V -- including the trickiest ones that children reverse.

  5–10 min · Pencil and paper

• Sewing a Simple Shape

  Sew around the outline of a simple shape on fabric. Following a curved line in sewing.

  15–20 min · Fabric, blunt needle, thread

• Tie a Bow (Shoelace)

  Teach shoe-tying: make rabbit ears method or loop-swoop-pull. This is one of the hardest fine motor tasks of early childhood.

  10–15 min · Shoelace or practice board

• Mosaic or Tile Pattern

  Create a geometric mosaic using small square stickers or paper. Colour planning + precision placement.

  15–20 min · Small coloured squares, grid, glue

• Carve Soap or Clay (Subtractive)

  Use a blunt tool to remove clay or carve soft soap. Subtractive sculpture is very different from additive building.

  15–20 min · Soap bar or firm clay + blunt tool

• Design Then Build

  Design a structure on paper, then build it with available materials. Does the result match the plan? Adjust if not.

  15–20 min · Drawing materials + building materials

• Letter Formation (W-Z)

  Complete the alphabet: W, X, Y, Z. Child can now write the full alphabet from memory.

  5–10 min · Pencil and paper

• Perspective Drawing (Simple)

  Draw a room from above (bird's-eye view). Point of view and spatial representation together.

  10–15 min · Drawing materials

• Cross Stitch (3×3 Grid)

  A 9-cross cross-stitch in a simple pattern. Requires holding the pattern in mind while executing each cross.

  15–20 min · Canvas, needle, embroidery thread

• Build Circuit (Light or Motor)

  Add a switch to the battery-wire-bulb circuit. Switch = control of a circuit = power concepts.

  10–15 min · Battery, wire, bulb, paper-clip switch

• Carve Vegetable Print

  Press a carved potato or carrot into paint and print. Subtractive carving + repetitive printing.

  15–20 min · Potato or carrot, blunt carving tool, paint

• Design Logo

  Design a simple logo for an imaginary brand. Design thinking + creativity + fine motor communication.

  10–15 min · Drawing materials

• Full Alphabet in Capitals + Lowercase

  Write the complete alphabet in both forms from memory. Automatised handwriting foundation.

  5–10 min · Pencil and paper

• Comic Strip Creation

  Draw a 4-panel comic: character, problem, action, resolution. Narrative in sequential visual medium.

  15–20 min · Drawing materials

• Puppet Making

  Create a puppet from a sock or paper bag; design the face and outfit. Then perform with it.

  20–30 min · Sock or paper bag, fabric, glue, markers

• Calligraphy (Basic)

  Make each letter with a thicker downstroke and thinner upstroke. Pressure control in mark-making.

  10–15 min · Thick and thin markers or pencil

• Build Mechanical Toy

  Build a simple lever or pulley from household materials. Engineering: how does the mechanism work?

  20–30 min · Spools, string, card, tape

• Jigsaw Puzzle (50-100 Pieces)

  50-to-100-piece puzzle independently. Strategy: edges first, then sort by colour, then connect sections.

  20–30 min · 50-100 piece puzzle

Language & Communication

• Read a Level-1 Early Reader

  8-12 pages, repeating sentence pattern. Read independently; parent supports only when stuck.

  10–15 min · Level 1 early reader book

• Write Own Story (3 Sentences)

  3 sentences: character, problem, resolution. Own invented narrative committed to paper.

  10–15 min · Pencil and paper

• Learn 20 Sight Words

  First 20 high-frequency words. These are the building blocks of early reading fluency.

  5–10 min · Sight word cards

• Simile Introduction

  The cloud is like cotton wool.' Make 5 similes about things in the room. Figurative language production.

  5–10 min · None

• Retell Story with Different Ending

  After reading a story, ask: 'What would happen if the ending was different?' Narrative manipulation.

  5–10 min · Familiar story

• Listen and Draw

  Describe a scene verbally; child draws it without seeing the description. Listening comprehension + visual production.

  5–10 min · Drawing materials

• Read a Simple Poem

  Read a short poem together. Identify rhymes, count syllables in words. Poetry as a linguistic object.

  5–10 min · Simple poem

• Write a Letter

  Dictate or write a letter to a real person (grandparent, friend). Letter-writing structure: greeting, body, sign-off.

  10–15 min · Pencil and paper

• Read Level-2 Reader

  Level 2: 12-16 pages, more varied vocabulary, less repetition. Reading pace and fluency building.

  10–15 min · Level 2 early reader

• Write a Recount

  Write 3-4 sentences about what you did yesterday. Past-tense writing + event sequencing + punctuation awareness.

  10–15 min · Pencil and paper

• Punctuation Awareness

  Full stop ends a sentence. Question mark for questions. Read a sentence and identify punctuation.

  5–8 min · Book or written sentence

• Parts of a Story

  Story has: characters, setting, problem, events, resolution. Identify each in a known story. Story grammar.

  5–10 min · Familiar book

• Read Aloud with Expression

  Read a passage with appropriate volume, pace, and expression. Fluent expressive reading comprehension.

  5–10 min · Any text

• Persuasive Letter

  Write (or dictate) a letter asking for something with 2 reasons. 'Dear Papa, I would like a dog because...'

  5–10 min · Pencil and paper

• Create Crossword for Family

  Make a simple 5-clue crossword for a family member to solve. Word knowledge + spelling + spatial placement.

  10–15 min · Pencil, paper, ruler

• Newspaper Report

  Write a 'news report' about something that happened today: Headline + Who + What + When + Where.

  10–15 min · Pencil and paper

• Read a Chapter Book (First)

  First chapter book: short chapters, many illustrations. Reading across multiple sessions = stamina and memory together.

  15–20 min · Age-appropriate chapter book

• Write a Poem

  Rhyming couplets or free verse about a favourite thing. Poetry writing = word choice precision.

  10–15 min · Pencil and paper

• Read Aloud to Younger Child

  Read a picture book to a younger sibling or cousin. Teaching reading consolidates the reader's own skill.

  10–15 min · Picture book

• Word Problem in Maths

  Riya has 8 mangoes. She gives 3 to her friend. How many remain?' Language + maths = real-world numeracy.

  5–10 min · None

• Speech: Favourite Topic

  Prepare and deliver a 2-minute talk on a favourite subject. Structure: introduction, 3 points, conclusion.

  10–15 min · None

• Alliteration and Assonance

  Peter Piper picked...' Tongue twisters. Alliteration awareness = phonological sensitivity at its most playful.

  5–8 min · None

• Research a Topic (Guided)

  Choose an animal or place. Find 5 facts using books or supervised internet. 'Where did you find each fact?'

  15–20 min · Books or supervised device

• Write Instructions

  Write step-by-step instructions for making something they know. Procedural text with numbered steps.

  10–15 min · Pencil and paper

• Read Chapter Book (100 Pages)

  100-page chapter book independently over 1-2 weeks. Stamina + character memory + plot tracking.

  15–20 min · Age-appropriate chapter book

• Write a Non-Fiction Report

  Choose a topic; write 4 paragraphs: introduction, 2 fact paragraphs, conclusion. Non-fiction structure.

  15–20 min · Pencil and paper + reference books

• Debate: Argue Both Sides

  Argue FOR a position, then argue AGAINST it. Separating personal opinion from arguable position.

  10–15 min · None

• Reading Comprehension Questions

  After reading, answer: 'Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?' All 6 questions, full sentence answers.

  10–15 min · Age-appropriate text

• Vocabulary: Context Clues

  Read a sentence with an unfamiliar word: 'What do you think it means from the context?' Inference from context.

  5–10 min · Text with unfamiliar word

• Research and Present

  Research one topic in books or supervised internet; present 3 facts to family with a drawn diagram. Information literacy.

  15–20 min · Reference books or supervised device + drawing materials

• Write a Dialogue

  Write a conversation between two characters: correct speech marks, new speaker = new line. Dialogue conventions.

  10–15 min · Pencil and paper

• Read a Simple Newspaper Article

  Read a short article from a children's newspaper or magazine. Non-fiction reading with unfamiliar vocabulary.

  10–15 min · Children's newspaper or magazine

Cognitive

• Addition with Carrying (Simple)

  9 + 3 = 12. The concept that 10 ones become 1 ten. Use objects to cross the 10-barrier concretely.

  5–10 min · Objects + tens and ones representation

• Number Line (0-20)

  Draw a number line 0-20 and use it for addition and subtraction. The number line models quantity spatially.

  5–10 min · Paper

• Measure with Non-Standard Units

  Measure the table using hand-spans, or the room using shoe-lengths. Non-standard measurement before cm.

  5–10 min · Paper for recording

• Plant Life Cycle

  Seed → sprout → plant → flower → seed. Draw the cycle as a diagram. First cyclical thinking in science.

  5–10 min · Paper and crayons

• Force and Motion

  Push a toy car on carpet vs smooth floor. Why is one harder? Forces changing motion -- first physics concept.

  5–10 min · Toy car, different surfaces

• 3D Shape Names

  Cube, sphere, cylinder, cone, pyramid. Match to household objects. 3D shape language before formal geometry.

  5–10 min · Household objects

• Multiplication Introduction (Grouping)

  2 groups of 3 = 6 total. Physical grouping before the times table. 'Multiplication means equal groups.'

  5–10 min · Small objects for grouping

• Division Introduction (Sharing)

  12 objects shared equally among 4 people -- how many each? Concrete sharing before the division symbol.

  5–10 min · 12 small objects

• Fractions (½ and ¼)

  Show ½ and ¼ with folded paper and with food. 'We cut the pizza into 4 equal pieces -- each is one quarter.'

  5–10 min · Paper and food (apple, roti)

• Weather Patterns (Observation)

  Keep a 5-day weather journal: sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy. Weather prediction by pattern recognition.

  Ongoing min · Drawing journal

• Simple Electrical Circuit

  Battery + wire + bulb. Does the light go on? What happens if we break the circuit? Simple electricity science.

  10–15 min · Small battery, wire, bulb (from toy)

• Clock Reading (Hour and Half Hour)

  Read a clock at exact hours and half hours. Analogue clock before digital -- analogue requires spatial reasoning.

  5–10 min · Analogue clock or drawn clock face

• Times Tables (2 and 5)

  Learn 2x and 5x tables through songs and patterns. Multiplicative reasoning before the tables is memorised.

  5–10 min · None

• Understand Place Value

  Ones, tens, hundreds with physical objects (lentils in cups). Bundling 10 ones into 1 ten concretely.

  5–10 min · Lentils or objects + cups

• Graph Reading

  Read a simple bar graph: 'Which colour got the most votes?' Information extraction from data representation.

  5–8 min · Simple bar graph

• Life Cycles (Frog or Butterfly)

  Egg → tadpole/caterpillar → frog/butterfly. Draw the cycle. Compare to plant life cycle studied earlier.

  5–10 min · Drawing materials

• Simple Machines

  Lever, wheel, ramp. Demonstrate each with household items: broom as lever, pencil under book as wheel.

  5–10 min · Broom, pencil, book

• Map Making (Neighbourhood)

  Draw a map of the local area from memory. What's near our house? What direction is the park?

  10–15 min · Paper and crayons

• Times Tables (3 and 4)

  3x and 4x tables through grouping activities. Physical arrangement of 4 groups of 3 before abstract recitation.

  5–10 min · Objects for grouping

• Fractions on Number Line

  Place ½, ¼, ¾ on a number line. Fraction as a position -- not just a part of a whole.

  5–10 min · Drawn number line 0 to 1

• Perimeter (Simple Shape)

  Measure the distance around a rectangle by counting or measuring each side. Perimeter as 'fence around a garden.'

  5–10 min · Ruler, simple rectangle

• Food Chains

  Sun → plant → caterpillar → bird → hawk. Draw and label a simple food chain. Energy transfer in ecosystems.

  5–10 min · Drawing materials

• States of Matter

  Solid, liquid, gas. Ice (solid) → water (liquid) → steam (gas). Observe the transitions. Scientific vocabulary.

  10–15 min · Ice, water, kettle (supervised)

• Compass Directions

  N, S, E, W. Use a compass or remember: 'Never Eat Shredded Wheat.' Navigate outdoors using direction.

  5–10 min · Compass (or drawn compass rose)

Social-Emotional

• Recognise When You Need Help

  This is too hard for me right now. I need support.' Asking for help before frustration peaks is executive function.

  Ongoing min · None

• Handle Being Wrong

  When corrected, respond: 'Oh, I see. So I was wrong about that -- I'll try to remember.' Model and practice.

  Ongoing min · None

• Interest in Another's World

  What is your favourite thing? Tell me all about it.' Genuine curiosity about another's inner life -- theory of mind growing.

  5–10 min · None

• Disagree Politely with Adult

  I think it might be a bit different because...' Respectful disagreement with authority. Assertiveness, not defiance.

  Ongoing min · None

• Group Project Contribution

  Work on a group project (art, building, game). Contribute without needing to lead or control -- fellowship skill.

  15–20 min · Group activity materials

• Take Care of Something Living

  Water a plant daily for a week. Small, consistent caretaking responsibility builds empathy and agency together.

  Ongoing min · Plant and watering can

• Mentor a Younger Child

  Teach a younger sibling or cousin how to do something: a game, a craft, a skill. Teaching consolidates the teacher's own knowledge.

  15–20 min · None

• Handle Peer Conflict Independently

  When a peer conflict arises, step back and let child attempt resolution before intervening. Debrief after.

  Ongoing min · None

• Understand Different Opinions

  She thinks it's scary. You think it's exciting. Both of you are right about what YOU feel.' Opinion diversity.

  Ongoing min · None

• Make a Family Decision Together

  Family meeting on a small household decision: where to eat, what film to watch. Child's vote counts equally.

  10–15 min · None

• Identify Own Strengths

  Name 3 things you're really good at. Name 1 thing you're still working on.' Balanced self-assessment.

  5–8 min · None

• Volunteer or Help Community

  Help a neighbour carry groceries, participate in a local clean-up. Community beyond family -- prosocial behaviour.

  15–20 min · None

• Self-Manage Task Completion

  I said I would finish this today. I haven't yet -- what do I need to do to finish it?' Task commitment + follow-through.

  Ongoing min · None

• Peer Teaching

  Teach a peer (not sibling) how to play a game or do a craft. Social teaching requires reading the other person's learning.

  15–20 min · Game or craft materials

• Navigate Clique Dynamics

  What happened when you felt left out? How did it feel? What did you do?' Social complexity is real now.

  5–10 min · None

• Goal Setting (Weekly)

  Set 1 small goal for the week: practice reading 10 min daily, learn to tie shoes. Review at end of week.

  5–8 min · Paper for recording the goal

• Recognise Peer Emotions in Real Time

  Your friend looks upset right now. What do you think happened?' Reading real social cues in real time.

  Ongoing min · None

• Cultural Curiosity

  Learn about a different cultural celebration or tradition. Curiosity about difference before judgement.

  5–10 min · Book or conversation with family

• Set Own Goals (Monthly)

  At the start of a month, set 1 academic, 1 physical, 1 social goal. Review at month end: achieved? Why or why not?

  10–15 min · None

• Ask Adult for Help Appropriately

  Excuse me, I need some help with this when you have a moment.' Polite adult-addressing in a real context.

  Ongoing min · None

• Digital Citizenship (Basics)

  What is personal information? What shouldn't you share online? Age-appropriate internet safety.

  10–15 min · None

• Manage Own Health Appointment

  Tell the doctor directly what hurts, where, and for how long. Patient self-reporting builds medical advocacy.

  Ongoing min · None

• Celebrate Others Without Envy

  When a friend or sibling achieves something: genuine celebration without resentment. This is a hard skill -- model it.

  Ongoing min · None

• Read Facial Expressions (Photos)

  Look at photos of faces: name the emotion and what might have caused it. Facial decoding with context inference.

  5–8 min · Photos or illustrated cards

Sensory

• Leaf Printing

  Press autumn leaves with paint onto paper. Vein detail prints clearly -- observe the structure of the leaf in the print.

  10–15 min · Leaves, paint, paper

• Make Instruments (Shakers, Drums)

  Fill bottles with different amounts of rice for shakers, stretch rubber band across box for guitar. Sound science.

  15–20 min · Bottles, rice, rubber bands, boxes

• Dark Room Torch Exploration

  In a darkened room: explore what the torch illuminates. Experiment with angles, distance, colour.

  10–15 min · Torch

• Make a Kite

  Simple kite from paper, sticks, and string. Fly it -- observe how wind interacts with a surface.

  15–20 min · Paper, sticks, string

• Cooking (Simple Dish Solo)

  With adult present, child independently makes a simple dish: boiled egg, toast, fruit salad.

  20–30 min · Simple food items

• Marble Run Engineering

  Design, build, and test a marble run from tubes and tape. Engineering: hypothesis, build, test, iterate.

  20–30 min · Tubes, tape, marbles or balls

• Dissect a Flower

  Pull a flower apart carefully and identify petal, stamen, pistil, sepal. Biology observation + language + fine motor.

  15–20 min · Flower

• Make and Test Boats

  Fold and build boats from various materials; test which floats best. Buoyancy hypothesis and testing.

  15–20 min · Paper, foil, clay + water container

• Stargazing and Moon Journal

  On clear nights, observe the moon's shape and draw it. Moon phase pattern recognition over 4 weeks.

  10–15 min · Drawing journal

• Make Natural Dyes

  Boil beetroot or turmeric in water; dye fabric. Colour science + sensory + natural material exploration.

  20–30 min · Beetroot or turmeric, water, fabric

• Build a Terrarium

  Soil, stones, small plants in a glass container. Ecosystem awareness + ongoing observation responsibility.

  20–30 min · Container, soil, stones, small plant

• Colour-Mixing Science

  Mix food colours: R+B=purple, B+Y=green, R+Y=orange. Record predictions and results. Science method.

  10–15 min · Food colouring, white paper, brushes

• Knot Tying (3 Types)

  Overhand, reef knot, simple hitch. Practical knot knowledge + fine motor + spatial manipulation.

  15–20 min · Rope

• Rhythm Composition

  Create a 4-beat rhythm using body percussion; teach it to a family member. Composition + teaching = music literacy.

  10–15 min · None

• Taste and Describe

  Blind taste test: describe 6 foods using texture, temperature, and taste words. Sensory vocabulary building.

  10–15 min · 6 small food items

• Dissection (Fruit or Vegetable)

  Dissect a vegetable (broccoli, cabbage) or fruit. Identify parts. Biology observation + vocabulary + fine motor.

  15–20 min · Vegetable/fruit + blunt knife

• Build a Bridge (Engineering)

  Build a bridge from paper that holds a weight. Test, identify failure point, redesign. Engineering design cycle.

  20–30 min · Paper, tape, small weight

• Night-Sky Observation

  Identify the moon phase, Venus, Jupiter if visible. Astronomy: systematic observation of the sky.

  10–15 min · None (outdoors at night)

• Paper Marbling

  Oil + water in a tray + drops of ink or paint. Swirl and press paper. Transfer the pattern. Surprising and beautiful.

  15–20 min · Oil, water, ink/paint, paper, tray

• Sound Wave Experiment

  Sprinkle salt on a drum surface (stretched cling film over bowl) and speak loudly near it. Watch salt vibrate. Sound = waves.

  10–15 min · Cling film, bowl, salt

Self-Care & Adaptive

• Manage Pocket Money

  Given a small amount per week. Track what was spent and saved. Money management from the first rupee.

  Ongoing min · Small amount of real money

• First Aid Basics

  Learn: stop bleeding with pressure, run cold water on burns. Two specific first-aid responses a 4-year-old can perform.

  5–10 min · Bandage, cold water

• Cook a Full Simple Meal

  With supervision, cook a full simple meal: dal-rice or pasta. Planning, sequencing, measuring, timing.

  30–45 min · Kitchen ingredients and tools

• Manage Own Health (Basics)

  I feel sick -- I have a headache/tummy ache.' Accurately naming and reporting own physical state to an adult.

  Ongoing min · None

• Personal Safety Rules

  Know: full name + parent's phone number + home address. First safety information a child should own.

  5–10 min · None

• Budget for Outing

  Given a small amount: plan what to spend it on for a family outing. Prioritisation + arithmetic + negotiation.

  10–15 min · Small amount of real money

• Personal Hygiene Independence

  Shower or bath completely independently: wash hair, soap all areas, dry off. Full body hygiene self-management.

  15–20 min · Bathroom + toiletries

• Laundry Contribution

  Sort clothes by colour, load them, set the wash. Understanding home management systems.

  10–15 min · Laundry items