Let’s be honest, keeping kids entertained sometimes feels like a mission to Mars. You’ve got the energy, the enthusiasm, but the ideas? They crash-land somewhere around the living room couch. You need something fresh, something that doesn’t involve another screen, and something that might actually get a “WOW” instead of a “do I have to?”
I’ve been there more times than I can count. So, I gathered my favorite intergalactic fixes. These 10 alien activities for kids are my go-to arsenal for turning a boring afternoon into an unforgettable adventure. They’re simple, creative, and guaranteed to bring out the little space explorer in your child.
Blast Off with DIY Alien Slime
Slime. It’s either your best friend or your worst enemy, right? I personally land somewhere in the middle. It’s messy, yes, but the pure joy on my son’s face when he pokes a gooey, green blob is totally worth the cleanup. Forget regular slime; we’re taking it to another galaxy.
The Gooey Green Galaxy Recipe
This isn’t just any slime. This is a cosmic, sparkly, alien-grade slime. You’ll need:
- Clear school glue (about 4 ounces)
- Liquid starch (this is our magic activator)
- Green and black food coloring
- Fine glitter (silver and holographic work best)
- Glow-in-the-dark paint (optional, but highly recommended)
Mix the glue with a few drops of green and black food coloring until you get a murky, alien-swamp kind of shade. Stir in your glitter—be generous! Then, slowly add the liquid starch while stirring. You’ll feel it come together immediately. Once it pulls away from the sides, you’re ready to knead it with your hands.
Why It’s an Alien Hit
The best part? The texture. It’s cold, stretchy, and completely weird—just like something an alien might leave behind. I always ask my kids, “What if an alien’s blood looked like this?” It sparks the craziest conversations. Plus, kneading the slime is oddly therapeutic for them (and, let’s face it, for me too). FYI, store it in an airtight container, or you’ll find a dried-up alien blob under the sofa cushion. Not fun. :/
Design Your Own Paper Plate UFO
This is one of those classic crafts that never gets old, probably because it’s so wonderfully simple. You likely have everything you need already, which is a parenting win in my book. Ever wondered why the simplest things often provide the most entertainment? I think it’s because they leave so much room for imagination.
Materials You Already Have
Here’s the beauty of this project: no special trips to the craft store. Raid your house for:
- Two paper plates
- A clear plastic cup (the solo cup style is perfect)
- Markers, paints, or stickers
- Tin foil
- Glue and tape
The Construction Process
Flip one paper plate over. This is the base of your UFO. Decorate it with markers, or wrap it in tin foil for that classic metallic spaceship look. Now, take your clear plastic cup and decorate a little alien to sit inside. You can draw one on paper and tape it inside the cup, or use a small toy. Tape or glue the cup, upside down, to the center of the decorated plate. Finally, take the second paper plate, cut it in half, and attach the halves to the sides as wings or stabilizers. Boom. You have a flying saucer ready for takeoff.
Alien Spaceship Obstacle Course
When my kids have way too much energy and I’m about to lose my mind, I set this up. It turns the backyard or living room into an intergalactic training ground. The mission? Navigate their spaceship (a cardboard box) through a treacherous asteroid field.
Setting Up the Mission
You don’t need much. A large cardboard box is your “spaceship.” They have to crawl through it or carry it while moving. The rest of the course can be:
- Laser beams: String up pieces of yarn or streamers across a hallway. They have to climb over or crawl under without touching them.
- Asteroid field: Scatter pillows, cushions, and stuffed animals everywhere. They must step only in the “safe zones” (the floor spaces).
- The gravity-free zone: A small trampoline or a specific spot where they have to jump five times.
Training for the Final Frontier
I act as the Mission Control commander, giving them orders through a cardboard tube “radio.” The rules are simple: complete the course without your spaceship (the box) falling apart or hitting too many asteroids. It’s hilarious to watch them try to navigate a box through a laser beam field. This activity is pure, unadulterated fun and burns off so much energy.
Cook Up Some Alien Edible Crafts
Snack time is prime time for alien-themed fun. This isn’t just about eating; it’s about creating something that looks gloriously weird. And honestly, the weirder it looks, the more kids love it.
Monster Mouths and Galaxy Bark
These are two of my favorites because they’re so easy.
- Alien Monster Mouths: Slice an apple into wedges. Spread peanut butter or sunflower seed butter on one side of a wedge. Place a few mini marshmallows (these are the teeth) on the peanut butter, then top with another apple wedge. It looks like a gaping, toothy alien mouth!
- Easy Galaxy Bark: Melt white chocolate and spread it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drip a few drops of purple, blue, and pink food coloring onto the chocolate. Use a toothpick to swirl it around gently. Sprinkle with edible glitter or star-shaped sprinkles. Once it hardens, break it into jagged, cosmic-looking pieces.
The Weirder the Better
Kids love assembling these. They get to be mad scientists in the kitchen. I always tell them, “This alien looks hungry! What should we use for its eyes?” It encourages them to think creatively about food. IMO, any activity that ends with a delicious snack is a major parenting victory.
Launch an Alien Egg Rescue
This activity is part science experiment, part dramatic rescue mission. It’s perfect for a hot day outside, or you can do it in the kitchen with a baking sheet to contain the mess. The mission is simple: save the alien babies frozen inside their ice eggs!
The Fizzy Frozen Experiment
A day or two before, you’ll need to freeze your “alien eggs.” Take small plastic alien toys (you can buy bags of them online or at dollar stores) and place each one inside a balloon. Fill the balloon with water, tie it off, and freeze it. Once frozen solid, cut the balloon away. You now have a perfect, clear ice egg with an alien trapped inside!
Tools for a Successful Rescue
Now for the rescue mission. Give your kids the ice eggs and a tray of tools. Offer them:
- A spray bottle filled with warm water
- A small hammer (for supervised smashing)
- Salt
- Eye droppers and cups of warm water
They can experiment to see which method melts the ice the fastest to free the alien. It’s a fantastic way to talk about melting and freezing, and the sense of urgency is real! “Quick! He needs oxygen!” they’ll shout. It’s dramatic and I love it.
Create a Bottle Alien Terrarium
This activity is a bit calmer, perfect for when you need to wind things down. We’re making a self-contained alien world inside a plastic bottle. It’s part craft, part science, and all imagination.
A Self-Contained World
You’ll need a clean, clear 2-liter plastic bottle. Cut it in half. In the bottom half, create a small habitat. You can use:
- Small rocks or pebbles for drainage
- A layer of activated charcoal (keeps it fresh!)
- Potting soil
- Small, hardy plants like moss or a tiny fern
Miniature Landscaping for Aliens
Once your mini landscape is set, you can add the “alien” elements. Place a small alien toy inside. Maybe build it a tiny foil shelter. Add some colorful beads as alien eggs. Then, carefully tape the top half of the bottle back onto the bottom half. Now you have a sealed, mini ecosystem. You can watch the water cycle at work as condensation forms on the “dome” of their world. It’s surprisingly fascinating for kids (and adults) to observe.
Alien Slime Monster Building Challenge
Okay, so we’ve made alien slime. Now, let’s build with it. This is a fantastic group activity for playdates or siblings. It’s all about using slime as a structural material to build a monster.
Engineering with Goo
Provide a base for the monster, like a clean tin can or a small cardboard box covered in foil. Then, let them use the alien slime as “glue” and “flesh” to attach all sorts of junk.
- Googly eyes (the more, the better)
- Pipe cleaners (for antennae and limbs)
- Bottle caps (for armor or scales)
- Buttons and beads
- Feathers (why would an alien have feathers? No idea. But it’s hilarious.)
Judging the Weirdest Creation
The goal is to build the weirdest, wildest alien monster possible. The slime holds everything in place. You’ll end up with a multi-eyed, googly, feathered, pipe-cleaner-limbed creature that looks like it crawled out of a swamp on another planet. We then have a “monster parade” and judge them on categories like “Most Likely to Slither” and “Best Use of Googly Eyes.” It’s pure chaos, but the good kind.
Play “Reverse Charades” with Aliens
This is a twist on a classic party game that gets everyone moving and laughing. It’s perfect for a group of kids who need to burn off some energy but in a slightly structured way. The twist? It’s all about aliens!
Acting Out Cosmic Concepts
In regular charades, one person acts and the team guesses. In Reverse Charades, the group acts out the word, and one person guesses. This is a game-changer for kids because it eliminates the fear of performing alone.
Write down a bunch of alien-themed words on slips of paper. Think beyond just “alien.” Use words like:
- Spaceship
- Asteroid
- Laser gun
- Zero gravity
- Moonwalking
- Robot
- Flying saucer
- Intergalactic
No Wrong Moves in Space
The designated guesser sits facing away from the action. The rest of the kids have to act out the word together. The guesser can watch and shout out guesses. It’s hilarious to see a group of kids all trying to be a single, wobbling flying saucer at the same time. There’s no pressure to be perfect, just a lot of silliness. It’s also a sneaky way to get them to cooperate and work as a team.
Build a Cardboard Box Control Panel
Remember that huge cardboard box from the appliance store? Don’t you dare throw it away. That’s not recycling; that’s a spaceship command center waiting to happen.
Knobs, Buttons, and Levers, Oh My!
This is a multi-day project in our house, and that’s part of the magic. Give your kid the box and a box of “junk” to turn it into a control panel. You’ll be surprised what they come up with.
- CDs or DVDs become shiny, high-tech screens.
- Bottle caps are perfect for buttons.
- Popsicle sticks can be taped on as levers.
- Old keyboard keys (if you have a broken keyboard) are next-level.
- Markers for drawing dials and gauges.
- Tin foil to cover everything and make it look metallic.
Plotting an Intergalactic Course
The real fun starts when the panel is built. The cardboard box becomes the cockpit. They can spend hours plotting courses to distant planets, battling imaginary space storms, and communicating with mission control (that’s you). You might be asked to bring space snacks (juice boxes and crackers) to the cockpit. It’s the ultimate in open-ended, imaginative play.
Alien Glow-in-the-Dark Bowling
This is my secret weapon for getting kids ready for bed. It’s active, it’s fun, and it uses the dark to create a sense of mystery. Plus, it’s a great way to wind down without screens.
Nighttime Fun with Glow Sticks
You’ll need ten empty plastic bottles (water or soda bottles work great). Take the labels off. This is the most tedious part, I’ll admit. Then, crack a bunch of glow sticks and drop one into each bottle. Screw the caps back on tightly. Give them a shake to get the glow going.
Now, arrange them like bowling pins in a hallway or a cleared-out living room. Turn off the lights. Use a soft ball (like a nerf ball or a rolled-up pair of socks) to bowl.
Easy Pins That Glow and Shine
The glowing pins are mesmerizing. It’s so much more exciting than regular bowling. Every time they knock down the pins, they get a thrill of seeing the glowing lights tumble. You can even make up scoring systems based on alien planets. It’s the perfect dose of active fun right before pajama time.
So, there you have it. Ten out-of-this-world activities to rescue you from the next “I’m bored” declaration. They’ve saved my sanity more times than I can count. Now go forth and create some alien chaos. Your little space explorers are counting on you!
