10 DIY activity kits to bond with your kiddos at home and keep them occupied

The mid-year school holidays are officially here but with everyone pretty much stuck at home, it’s inevitable that parents are having it tough trying to balance working from home and keeping the little ones entertained.

While turning on the telly or giving them access to the iPad may seem like the easiest solution available, it might be more worthwhile to engage with your children and encourage them to do something more constructive instead.

From conducting science experiments and whipping up a meal to even making something that looks like it could be featured on an extreme house makeover show, do-it-yourself (DIY) activity kits will not only preoccupy your child’s time but also stimulate their developing minds.

So if you’re planning a jam-packed entertainment schedule for your kids this school holiday, AVENUE ONE is here to help. Besides virtual things you can do with your kiddo this month, here’s our round-up of 10 DIY activity kits you can easily purchase and do with them in the comfort of your home.

1. Galt Body Lab

Start early science education with your child using Galt’s Body Lab kit. Featuring a full-colour guide with step-by-step instructions, Body Lab is an ideal first science kit for children age five to eight years. It includes 14 fun experiments that range from listening to a heartbeat and analysing fingerprints to measuring your lung air capacity – all of which will surely keep your little one on his or her toes.

If biology does not pique your child’s interest, why not try out Galt’s Kitchen Lab kit that includes six kitchen science experiments such as powering a clock with an apple or discovering how to write secret messages with the kitchen ingredients provided.

Galt Body Lab currently retails for S$32.72 (U.P. S$39.90) while Galt Kitchen Lab is priced at S$17.96 (U.P. S$21.90) on eCapitalMall.com. On top of that, new shoppers who spend S$30 site-wide will get a S$10 discount when you use the promo code ‘MYFIRSTECM‘. You can also download the CapitaStar app on your mobile phone and sign up with the promo code ‘CSTAR2021‘ to receive a $5 eCapitaVoucher.

2. Deliveroo x Wooshi DIY Sushi Making Family Kit

They say that food brings people closer together, so why not try out a food kit to bond with your children? Deliveroo has teamed up with popular Singapore-based sushi brand, WOOSHI, to roll out a limited-edition DIY Sushi Making Family Kit that we think would be perfect for this occasion.

Accompanied by an easy-to-follow instructional video that is accessible through a QR code, this kit will be a fun activity for the family to create tasty, nutritious rolls in your home kitchen. You can choose from a variety of fresh ingredients to customise a delectable sushi roll to your liking.

Alternatively, you could take the guesswork out of the equation and just opt for WOOSHI’s signature flavours such as seafood wrap, chicken wrap or vegetarian wrap. Each kit will include two base ingredients: rice and nori, roasted seaweed to wrap your rolls in, as well as a free bamboo rolling mat that you can use for the next family sushi roll day.

The DIY Sushi Making Family Kit will be available from today (15 June) exclusively from WOOSHI’s Katong and Fushionopolis outlets on Deliveroo, with prices starting from S$25.

3. Dreamscape Fountain DIY Kit

As you attempt to boost your child’s learning and cultivate their creativity, why not produce a memorable mantelpiece with them that will make your living room a zen retreat?

Studies have shown that indoor fountains will help to improve overall mood; some even believe that having them around the home brings good luck and positivity. Either way, this DIY Fountain Kit will surely be an engaging pastime for both children and parents.

All the equipment you need is included in the kit, such as the ceramic bowl, pebbles, water pump, artificial moss, fountain wheel, and even figurines for decoration (you can also purchase additional figurines here). It comes with a detailed step-by-step guide as well as care instructions so there is little to worry about when building it.

You can purchase the kit for S$50 on the Make Your Own website which also offers a range of other affordable DIY kits such as making your own terrarium, painting a tote bag, or even building a copper lamp.

4. National Geographic Bug Kit

If your child is an entomophile (a.k.a. bug lover), then this hands-on National Geographic Bug Kit would be the perfect risk-free activity for him.

Containing a digging brick that has three preserved bugs (spiny spider, fortune beetle, and scorpion), your child will feel like an archaeologist for a day as he uncovers them with the archaeological digging tools and magnifying glass provided.

The kit also contains a full-colour learning guide that will teach him all about the fascinating specimens and other anthropods.

Purchase this interactive National Geographic Bug Kit at only S$19.90 here.

5. Super Farmers Urban Farming Kit

Living in land-scarce Singapore means that most of our children will never get to see how their vegetables are grown. However, this does not mean we can’t show them how it’s done. Super Farmers’ Urban Farming Kit is the perfect starter kit that has everything you need to begin a microgreens growing project in the comfort of your home.

Featuring local vegetables like Kang Kong, Kailan, and Chye Sim and assembled by underprivileged elderly ladies, this kit will help you and your child hone those green fingers and learn how to grow them successfully. Best of all, your family gets to eat the produce once they’re all fully grown!

The Gift Set consists of three pots, with each containing a bag of organic soil, two seed sticks, and a growing guide. Purchase it on Super Farmers’ website for S$45, or head down to Isetan (Scotts) or The Editor’s Market at 313@somerset to buy it in person.

6. Studio MU / YU For The Memories Kit

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the global pandemic outbreak, it’d be to cherish our loved ones and spend more time with each other. So, we’re especially partial to this kit that allows us to immortalise all those cherished moments.

Containing only four readily cut wood pieces, some dried leaves, twine, sandpaper, wood oil, and upcycled cloth, the kit by Studio MU / YU is really simple to put together (you can even change out the decorative elements to whatever you like) and even comes with video instructions which you can view here. On top of that, it requires no nails or glue for assembly, making it safe even for your little ones to do.

Buy it here for S$25.

7. Fonfleurs DIY Slime Kit

No activity list for children would be complete without a slime kit. Gooey, stretchy, and sticky, slime offers a form of sensory play which stimulates your child’s senses and improves fine motor skills.

Instead of having to purchase the individual ingredients one by one, Fonfleurs‘ DIY Slime Kit comes with everything you need to create a slime masterpiece. This includes a clear/white slime base of your choice, a scent of your choice, colouring, slime activator, and two packets of sprinkles and stickers each.

Purchase it on Shopee for only S$10.

8. World Map Colouring Table Cloth

If you can’t bring your children to the Taj Mahal, why not bring the Taj Mahal to them? This 100% cotton Colouring Table Cloth is illustrated with hand-drawn countries, animals, and landmarks from all over the world which you and your family can colour in with the washable markers provided.

Simply wash the tablecloth in warm water to completely erase the ink later on, and your child can colour in it all over again! Not only is this a great bonding activity for your family, but the tablecloth also makes for an interesting decoration piece on your dinner table.

Get it here for S$39.80.

9. The Little Things The Little Baking Kit (Kueh Dadar)

Here’s another food kit for you and your child to experiment with: The Little Baking Kit (Kueh Dadar) by The Little Things, which we think is perfect for aspiring little chefs and cooks.

Not only is it equipped with child-friendly pictorial instructions, but it also comes with pre-measured freshly packed ingredients, saving you the trouble of buying excess ingredients from the supermarket.

It also includes adorable child-size equipment such as a mini whisk, spatula, and measuring cup, making your child feel like a real professional chef. The only ingredients that you need from your kitchen to make this delectable treat is an egg, water, and some oil.

Purchase this kit here for S$42.

10. Personalised Diamond Painting Kit

Get your child’s creative juices flowing with a diamond painting kit. Using tiny, shiny beads, this painting is done by applying them to a sticky canvas to create a work of art.

You can even personalise it by sending in a photo of your choice to the supplier, of which its graphics will be rendered into a number-coded canvas for you to apply the rhinestones to.

You can buy this kit on Shopee for S$26 – S$62, depending on the size of the canvas. All orders will come with the beads, applicator, and tray.