With weeks of school holidays to fill every year, it's common for parents and carers to hear the dreaded words "I'm bored" on repeat!
Never fear, at Biome we have plenty of personal experience raising kids in Australia and are here to help with these free activities to keep the kids occupied.
Of course, we're always into activities that are sustainable, encourage children learn about gardening, cooking wholesome foods, minimising plastic and waste, and discovering nature.
1. Garden Treasure Hunt
Make a treasure hunt in the garden with items found around the home: costume jewellery, chocolate, little toys.
With clues like…
- Shiny like the sun but hiding in the shade (jewellery piece under a bush)
- Something sweet is waiting where the flowers grow (chocolate near a flower bed)
- Look near the tallest tree — treasure hides low beneath it (toy placed at the base of a tree)
- X marks the spot by the garden gate (make a cross with sticks)
- Seek the place where water drips (near the tap)
- Where tiny feet scurry and ants march in line, treasure hides close by (near an ant trail)
- Near the buzzing blooms, a surprise awaits (hide by a flowering plant)
- A secret rests where the grass grows tall (tuck in long grass or a garden pot)
- Hidden where garden tools sleep (in the tool shed or storage area)
Give them a little bucket or basket, make the list a long one, sit back and watch them hunt.
2. Night Watch
Stay up late one night, get rugged up and go exploring. Take a torch or solar lantern and explore all the nooks and crannies in the yard, look under rocks and up in trees. Instead of sleeping, find out what goes on outside at night.
Bonus – they will be super excited about staying up late!
3. Collect Seeds
Go to the markets and buy an assortment of fresh fruit and vegetables. Pick items that have obvious seeds. Take them home and whilst eating them get the kids to collect the seeds.
Get their little hands all slimy and teach them that they can plant these seeds and watch them grow. Or, use some organic seeds from a packet to speed things along.
4. Make a Cardboard Creation
Raid the recycling box and let the kids’ imaginations run wild. Cardboard boxes can become cubby houses, rocket ships, castles, or shops. Add masking tape, scissors, and crayons, and you’ve got hours of play with zero cost.
Extra thought: Encourage kids to decorate with natural paints or pencils, and show them how to repurpose materials rather than buying new.
5. Nature Scavenger Hunt
One of my children's favourite green activities was always a scavenger hunt! They are so easy to make on the spot wherever you are. They get the kids being more mindful about the wonderful world around us.
👉 We’ll soon be publishing a free printable Holiday Nature Scavenger Hunt that you can download from Biome, complete with tick boxes and fun bonus challenges. Print it, grab a pencil, and head outdoors!
6. Learn to Cook
One sure way to get kids more interested in eating good food is getting them to cook with it. Whip up some kid-friendly vegan desserts. You'll find these are usually bake-free and taste delicious. Rising in popularity, there are plenty of recipes to choose from.
Extra thought: Start small — smoothies, bliss balls, or homemade wraps are easy wins. Plus, cooking together teaches valuable life skills.
7. Make Your Own Flower Press
Pick some flowers from the garden or ask a neighbour to pick some from theirs.
To make your own flower press at home, simply place flowers between two sheets of baking paper, then sandwich between heavy books. Add extra weight with a brick or more books, and check back in a week.
The pressed flowers can be arranged into patterns and stuck onto bookmarks, cards, or framed art.
8. De-Clutter
Set a day (or maybe two) and de-clutter! This will not only teach your kids charity, it will also encourage mindfulness – next time we want something… do we actually need it? It will also get them playing with stuff they had forgotten they even had.
You might find after you de-clutter, your kids will be entertained for a couple of days playing with their old toys again.
9. Build a Book Corner
Help them enjoy reading by creating a book corner. Find a quiet corner of the house and have them fill it with cushions and soft things. Provide a few books and don't forget to climb in with them and read a book or two to them to get them started.
10. Put on a Family Talent Show
No stage required! Kids can sing, dance, tell jokes, perform magic tricks, or act out their favourite story. Parents and grand parents can join in too.
Extra thought: Use recycled materials to make costumes and props, or put on the show outdoors under the stars for a real holiday highlight.
✨ With a little imagination, there are endless free ways to fill the holidays with joy, learning, and sustainable fun.
At Biome, we also have a wonderful range of educational toys, games and nature & discovery activities to keep little people busy.
Find ideas for children of all ages > Screen-Free School Holiday Ideas for All Ages
This article was first published in January 2016 and was updated and re-published in September 2025.
Related reads
Green Living Guide - a comprehensive directory of our sustainability content
Natural Skin Care Guide Checklist for School Holidays
More Green Time, Less Screen Time with Your Wild Books
