Maker Day ideas for OSHC
31 DIY activities for a maker day at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around Winter or Spring. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Bike Care Basics
Children learn simple bike care: checking tyre pressure, pumping tyres, checking brakes and keeping the chain clean.
Gaming Day · Board Games Day · Inventors Day +1Board Game Design Lab
Groups invent a board game and play-test it with friends, refining the rules based on feedback.
Mini Golf Day · Cardboard Box Day · Maker Day +2Build a Putt-Putt Course
Groups design and build mini golf holes from boxes, tubes and pool noodles, then play the whole course together.
Cardboard Box Day · Robot Day · Recycle Day +3Cardboard Box Robots
Children build their own robots from small boxes and decorate them with bottle caps, fabric scraps and other recycled bits.
Wheels Day · Inventors Day · Planes, Trains and Automobiles +2Design a Dream Vehicle
Children draw or build futuristic vehicles from boxes and bottle caps, adding wheels that really turn.
Toy Day · Inventors Day · Maker Day +1Design a New Toy
Children invent a brand new toy, drawing and labelling their design and explaining how it works and who it's for.
Big Kids Club · Long Projects Day · Maker Day +2Doll House Makeover
Over a term, older children renovate an old doll house with paint, scraps and handmade furniture. Combines design, building and storytelling.
Polar Day · Winter Wonderland · Inventors Day +1Explorer Sled Design
Children design and build a sled from pop sticks to carry a toy explorer across the snow. Engineering with a story.
Cardboard Box Day · Cubby Day · Maker Day +3Giant Box Creations
Children turn large appliance boxes into cubbies, cars or castles with paint, tape and old sheets.
Woodwork Day · At the Building Site · Maker Day +1Hammer and Nail Practice
Children practise hammering nails into soft wood or a tree stump, building strength, coordination and tool confidence.
Inventors Day · Maker Day · Game Show Day +2Invention Pitches
Groups invent a new product, build a model and pitch it to the room, practising teamwork and confident speaking.
Inventors Day · Maker Day · Show and Tell Day +2Inventor Showcase
Children present their inventions to the group, explaining what problem they solve and how they work.
Inventors Day · Maker Day · Recycle Day +3Junk Invention Lab
Children turn recyclables into new gadgets and inventions, testing and improving their designs.
Recycle Day · Cardboard Box Day · Maker Day +3Junk Sculpture Challenge
Children use clean recycled boxes, bottles and tubes to design and build robots or sculptures, solving building problems as they go.
Kite Day · Flying High · Inventors Day +2Kite Making
Children build simple kites from paper, dowel and string, then test them outside.
St Patrick's Day · Inventors Day · Maker Day +1Mischief Maker Traps
Children design and build a trap to catch a mischievous little creature from Irish folklore using boxes and recyclables.
Big Kids Club · Inventors Day · Robot Day +2Old Electronics Pull-Apart
Children use screwdrivers to take apart old radios and gadgets, discovering the parts inside. A hands-on look at how everyday technology works.
Big Kids Club · Maker Day · Inventors Day +2Paddle Pop Stick Engineering
Children design and build bridges, boxes and catapults from paddle pop sticks. Test how strong or far their creations go.
Medieval Times · Science Week · Science Day +3Pop Stick Catapults
Children build simple catapults from pop sticks, rubber bands and plastic spoons, then test and improve how far they can launch a soft missile.
Robot Day · Recycle Day · Cardboard Box Day +2Recycled Box Robots
Children build their own robots from boxes, foil and bottle tops, then give them names and special jobs.
Santa's Workshop · Christmas · Recycle Day +3Recycled Toy Workshop
Children become toy makers, building cars, puppets and games from recycled materials in a busy festive workshop.
Loose Parts Day · Maker Day · Recycle Day +3Reverse Garbage Maker Day
Children design anything they like from tables of clean recyclables, tape and tools, turning waste into creations.
Maker Day · Craft Day · Loose Parts Day +2Rotating Maker Stations
Children move freely between painting, clay and loose-parts stations, choosing how to create and testing ideas across different materials.
Clean Up Australia Day · Recycle Day · Sustainable Superstars +3Rubbish Art Sculpture
Children turn clean collected rubbish into a creative sculpture to display.
Robot Day · Inventors Day · Maker Day +2Scribble Bots
Older children build a wobbly drawing machine from a cup, a small motor and markers, then watch it scribble patterns across paper.
Woodwork Day · Maker Day · At the Building Site +2Simple Woodwork Projects
Older children use hammers, nails and glue to make simple wooden projects such as a boat or name plaque, then paint them.
Movie Day · Film Club Day · Photography Day +2Stop-Motion Animation
Children create a short animation frame by frame using toys, backdrops and a tablet app.
Book Week · Film Club Day · Movie Day +2Stop-Motion Book Scene
Older children work in groups to animate a scene from a favourite book using tablets, props and a stop-motion app.
Ancient Egypt · At the Building Site · Time Travellers Day +2Sugar Cube Pyramids
Children build mini pyramids from sugar cubes held together with icing, learning about square bases and how layers shrink as they rise.
Inventors Day · Maker Day · Science Day +3Tube Marble Run
Children connect cardboard tubes on a wall or board to build a marble run, testing and adjusting until the marble makes it through.
Raw Art Day · Woodwork Day · Maker Day +2Wooden Box Building
Older children hammer or glue timber offcuts into a simple box. Real tools and real skills.