Not all children can sit still during read aloud time. Some need to have quiet activities that they can do to keep their hands busy while they listen. Having activities such as these makes read aloud time a more pleasant experience for everyone involved.
If you’d like some ideas for quiet activities that your children can do while listening to stories, I have some lists below that might inspire you. They include ways your children can create, play, and learn (indirectly and in fun ways) in a quiet manner.
Quiet Activities for Read Aloud Time
Choose or let your children choose any of these activities for read aloud time.
Arts and Crafts
Kids can create quietly with arts and crafts activities like the following:
- Drawing
- Coloring
- Painting
- Sculpting
- Collage
- Paper crafts
- Foam crafts
- Wikki Stix
- Needlework
- Knit
- Crochet
- Knot tying
- Jewelry making
- Scrapbooking
- Weaving
- Whittling and/or carving
- Leather work
- Pipe cleaners
- Origami
You can also just throw out a bunch of craft items like feathers, buttons, foam pieces, and the like along with some glue, scissors, and paper and let your kids create.
Quiet Toys
Here are some toys that kids can play with quietly during read aloud time:
- Puzzles
- Foam blocks
- Play dough
- Silly putty
- Sensory bins with quiet items like feathers or sand
- Etch-a-Sketch
- Felt boards
- Magnet boards
- Sticker books
- Dolls and stuffed animals
- Plastic figures like action figures or animals
- Pretend play toys like plastic dishes
- Wooden blocks for building
- Lincoln logs
Educational Fun
Playing with these educational toys can sometimes serve as a learning experience for kids:
- Tangrams
- Pattern blocks
- Geoboards
- Linking cubes
- Animal-shaped counters
- Balance
- Foam dice
- Dry erase boards or activity books
I hope you found some quiet activities that you can use for your next read aloud time. You may want to bookmark or pin this post so you can find it when you need more inspiration for activities.
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