BusyBeesScreen-free things to do at home for 7 and 8 year olds
Eight BusyBees games suit a 7 or 8 year old. Five are marked in the app as ones a child can play alone for a few minutes: the Paper Bridge Challenge, Secret Code Letters, Make Your Own Board Game, Sock Juggling and Toy Museum. The other three are played with you: One Sentence Story, Cup Telephone and Garden Games Day.
- 8 games
- Starting ages 5 to 8
- 10 to 35 minutes each
- 2 written out in full
Pick one for right now
| Game | From age | Minutes | You need |
|---|---|---|---|
 Paper Bridge Challenge | 7 | 25 | Paper, Tape, Two low piles of books, A rolled pair of socks |
 Secret Code Letters | 8 | 20 | Paper, A pencil |
 Make Your Own Board Game | 8 | 35 | A large sheet of paper or card, Pencils or crayons, A cup, Scraps of coloured paper |
 Sock Juggling | 8 | 20 | 3 pairs of socks, rolled into balls |
 Toy Museum | 6 | 30 | Toys and treasures, Paper, Crayons or pencils |
 One Sentence Story | 5 | 10 | Nothing at all |
 Cup Telephone | 5 | 10 | 2 paper cups, String, Something pointy (adult job) |
 Garden Games Day | 5 | 20 | A lawn, 3 pairs of rolled-up socks, A washing basket, Paper and a crayon |
The 8 games
Game 1 of 8
Paper Bridge Challenge
Can a bridge made of paper hold a pair of socks? Build it, test it and make it stronger.
- From age 7
- 25 min
- Indoors
- Thinking
- No prep
You need
- Paper
- Tape
- Two low piles of books
- A rolled pair of socks
Keep an eye on
Build on the floor and keep the piles of books low, so nothing heavy can fall on toes.
With you
They can play alone for a few minutes.
Game 2 of 8
Secret Code Letters
Invent a code, write a secret message and swap it with someone who has the key. A proper challenge for older children.
- From age 8
- 20 min
- Indoors
- Thinking
- No prep
You need
- Paper
- A pencil
Keep an eye on
Secret messages are for jokes, riddles and kind surprises, never for leaving somebody out.
With you
They can play alone for a few minutes.
Game 3 of 8
Make Your Own Board Game
Design a board game from scratch: the track, the rules and the traps. Then test it on whoever is at home.
- From age 8
- 35 min
- Indoors
- Creative
- No prep
You need
- A large sheet of paper or card
- Pencils or crayons
- A cup
- Scraps of coloured paper
Keep an eye on
Use folded paper counters, not coins, buttons or other small bits, in case younger children join in.
With you
They can play alone for a few minutes.
The steps for Make Your Own Board Game, with a picture for each, are in the BusyBees app.
Game 4 of 8
Sock Juggling
Learn to juggle with rolled-up socks. They are soft, they do not roll away, and getting to three takes real practice.
- From age 8
- 20 min
- Indoors
- Active
- No prep
You need
- 3 pairs of socks, rolled into balls
Keep an eye on
Juggle in a clear space with room above your head, away from lamps, shelves and the stairs.
With you
They can play alone for a few minutes.
The steps for Sock Juggling, with a picture for each, are in the BusyBees app.
Game 5 of 8
Toy Museum
Your child chooses the exhibits, makes the labels and gives you the guided tour. Most of the setting up happens without you, so it suits a busy half hour while you cook.
- From age 6
- 30 min
- Indoors
- Pretend
- No prep
You need
- Toys and treasures
- Paper
- Crayons or pencils
Keep an eye on
Exhibits come from the child's own shelves and toy boxes: nothing fetched from up high, and nothing breakable.
With you
They can play alone for a few minutes.
The steps for Toy Museum, with a picture for each, are in the BusyBees app.
Game 6 of 8
One Sentence Story
Build a story together, one sentence each. Nobody knows where it will end up. It needs only voices, so it fits round cooking or the washing-up.
- From age 5
- 10 min
- Indoors
- Calm
- No prep
You need
- Nothing at all
Keep an eye on
Keep the story friendly. If it turns scary for anyone, make the next sentence a funny one.
With you
Stay in the room while they play.
The steps for One Sentence Story, with a picture for each, are in the BusyBees app.
Game 7 of 8
Cup Telephone
Poke a hole in two cups, thread the string, pull tight, and whisper secret messages across the room.
- From age 5
- 10 min
- Quiet
You need
- 2 paper cups
- String
- Something pointy (adult job)
Keep an eye on
A grown-up makes the holes and keeps hold of the string between games. It never goes round a neck.
With you
Play together the whole time. Step 1 is a grown-up's job.
The steps for Cup Telephone, with a picture for each, are in the BusyBees app.
Game 8 of 8
Garden Games Day
Three small events on the grass: a standing jump, a sock-ball throw and a hopping race. Everyone tries to beat their own best.
- From age 5
- 20 min
- Outdoors
- Active
- 5 min prep
You need
- A lawn
- 3 pairs of rolled-up socks
- A washing basket
- Paper and a crayon
Keep an eye on
Use flat grass with no holes, well away from roads, water and drops, and keep everyone behind the thrower.
With you
Play together the whole time. Step 1 is a grown-up's job.
The steps for Garden Games Day, with a picture for each, are in the BusyBees app.
Questions parents ask
What can an 8 year old do at home without a screen?
Build a paper bridge and test what it holds, write a letter in a secret code, design a board game from a blank sheet, or learn to juggle with rolled-up socks. These four take 20 to 35 minutes each in the app.
What can they do by themselves?
The app marks five of these as "They can play alone for a few minutes": the four above and Toy Museum. That is the app's wording, and it means a few minutes, not an afternoon.
What indoor games suit 6 to 12 year olds?
BusyBees games start from an age and do not stop at one. From 6 there is Toy Museum, from 7 the Paper Bridge Challenge, and from 8 Secret Code Letters, Make Your Own Board Game and Sock Juggling. The library has no games written specially for 10 to 12 year olds.
What this guide does not do
Three of the eight start at age 8, so a 7 year old has five to choose from. Cup Telephone and Garden Games Day are marked "Play together the whole time", and in Cup Telephone a grown-up makes the holes.
A grown-up is always responsible for safety and supervises play. The age on each game is where it starts in the app, and a game marked for age 3 is never offered for a 2 year old.