The coming weeks (possibly months) are going to be difficult for families across the UK, as the spread of Covid-19 caused schools to close. As the experts in developing skills and bringing adventure to young people, Scouts wanted to do what they could to help.  

While they normally love the great outdoors, Scouts have pulled together some inspired indoor activity ideas. Keep your kids learning new skills and having fun (and avoid hearing ‘I’m bored’ every 30 seconds) all in #TheGreatIndoors.

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Snap happy

Learn how to use a camera, and share your skills with others.

Suitable for: 8-10s | Takes: 30 mins

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Storm in a teacup

Understand energy by creating your own tornado.

Suitable for: 8-10s | Takes: 20 mins

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Teeny tiny twig rafts

Build a miniature raft with twigs and leaves, then set sail. Will yours float successfully away?

Suitable for: 8-10s | Takes: 30 mins

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The leafy hedgehog

Get crafty with natural materials to create a leafy hedgehog of your own.

Suitable for: 6-10s | Takes: 20 mins

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Lolly stick catapults

Put your pioneering skills to the test by creating a miniature catapult from lolly sticks.

Suitable for: 6-10s | Takes: 25 mins

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Be a blackout poet

Anyone can be a poet (even if they don’t know it). Set your inner poet free!

Suitable for: 10-14s | Takes: 30 mins

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Leaf animals

Look at leaves in a different way and use them to make an animal collage.

Suitable for: 6-8s | Takes: 50 mins

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Switch off challenge

Take on the switch off challenge to find a healthy balance between time on and away from screens.

Suitable for: 10-18s | Takes: 15 mins

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Mark my words

Never lose your place in a book again, thanks to this monster bookmark. 

Suitable for: 6-8s | Takes: 20 mins

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Fabulous fancy frames

Craft a frame for a photograph that makes you smile then make a gallery for everyone to admire.

Suitable for: 6-8s | Takes: 45 mins

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Dear future me

What does the future hold? Use your imagination to send a postcard to your future self.

Suitable for: 6-8s | Takes: 10 mins

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An in-tents year

Get creative and make a colourful calendar to show off your best photos.

Suitable for: 8-10s | Takes: 1 hr

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Weekly wins

Make diaries to record little victories, as we work out what wins do for our wellbeing.

Suitable for: 10-14s | Takes: 25 mins

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To foldly go

Fold for fun in this traditional origami challenge and design your own outfit.

Suitable for: 10-18s | Takes: 25 mins

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Changing your coat

Understand your local coat of arms, then make your own shield.

Suitable for: 8-10s | Takes: 1 hr

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To find out more about each of these activities, visit scouts.org.uk

These activities were originally designed for groups meeting face-to-face, so you may have to think on your feet to make them work in the (very unique) situation we’re in. Anyone can be the person leading the game or activity, so why not let young people take charge? Instead of chatting in a real-life group, you could use the internet (safely) or talk to someone at home.