Down on the Farm ideas for OSHC
16 DIY activities for a down on the farm at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around First Tuesday in November. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Barnyard Games
Children play classic circle and running games with a farm twist, such as farmyard tag and barnyard races.
Down on the Farm · Milk Day · Farm to Table Day +1Butter in a Jar
Children shake cream in sealed jars until it separates into butter and buttermilk, a simple food science activity with a tasty result.
Aussie Outback Day · Country Day · Down on the Farm +2Cattle Station Skills Day
The service becomes a pretend cattle station, with lasso throwing, cotton wool sheep shearing and a line dancing finale.
Down on the Farm · Chocolate Day · Cooking Day +1Chocolate Haystacks
Children mix melted chocolate with crunchy noodles and spoon them into cups to set as haystack treats.
Corn Day · Down on the Farm · Art Attack Day +1Corn Cob Painting
Children roll dried corn cobs in paint to create textured patterns.
Country Day · Down on the Farm · Wild West Day +1Country Theme Day
Children enjoy country-style food, music, crafts and farm games while dressed in flannel and boots.
Down on the Farm · Sensory Day · Animal Theme +1Farm Animal Sensory Tub
Children dig through oats or hay to find hidden toy farm animals, naming each one and the sound it makes.
Down on the Farm · Animal Theme · Detective DayFarm Animal Tracks Match
Children match footprint cards to the farm animals that made them, learning to look closely at shapes and patterns.
Farm to Table Day · Fruit and Veggie Day · Down on the Farm +1Food Origins Scavenger Hunt
Children hunt for food items or pictures around the room and sort them by whether they came from a plant, an animal or a farm.
Crazy Hat Day · Great Race Day · Down on the Farm +2Hobby Horse Races
Children make simple hobby horses from socks and sticks, then gallop them around a race course in heats and finals.
Down on the Farm · Water Play Day · Milk Day +1Milk the Glove Cow
Children squeeze water from a pin-pricked rubber glove udder into a bucket, racing to fill a cup line first.
Down on the Farm · Animal Theme · Paper Crafts Day +1Paper Plate Farm Animals
Children turn paper plates into pigs, sheep and cows using paint, cotton wool and card features.
Down on the Farm · Chocolate Day · Cooking Day +1Puffed Rice Haystacks
Children stir puffed rice cereal into melted chocolate and spoon out crunchy haystack treats.
Down on the Farm · Gardening Day · Autumn Leaves +1Scarecrow Building
Small groups stuff old clothes with straw or newspaper and tie them together to build a scarecrow for the garden.
Down on the Farm · Farm to Table Day · Milk Day +2Shake-Your-Own Butter
Children take turns shaking cream in jars until it turns into butter, then taste it on crackers and talk about where food comes from.
Rabbit Garden Day · Gardening Day · Down on the Farm +1Vegetable Garden Small-World Tray
Children play with a tray of soil, toy vegetables and animals to create a little garden world. Rich imaginative and sensory play.