108 Great Things to Do as a Stay at Home Mom

This large list of things to do as a stay at home mom is a great resource for those stir crazy Moms who stay home with their children and are looking for ideas of things to do.

Included in this stay at home Mom activity list are things to do outdoors with your children, things to do indoors with your children, places to go, hobbies to take up while your children are napping, and ways to make stay at home Mom friends.

Starting out as a stay at home mom, I was often stuck feeling like I was going stir crazy at home. I loved being home with my children but longed for friendship from other Moms in similar places and many of my Mom friends worked full-time.

I followed some advice, found a great group of Mom friends, and now love getting out of the house and taking my kids to go places. On days when it isn’t an option to get out of the house, I took up crafts with my kids, found lots of fun activities to do, and even started a hobby during nap time.

After staying home for the past three years with my three children (ages 5 and under), I’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite things to do, places to go, hobbies to pick up, and more. Hopefully this helps you to love staying at home as much as I do.

Ideas for Stay at Home Moms

*As stay at Home Moms, our families are typically using one income to make this happen. Because of this, I’ve tried to compile a list of things to do and places to go that cost minimal amounts of money.  Many of the things to do on this list may cost a small amount of money while many of them are free. Pick the ones that work best for you and your family.

*If you’re looking for ways to help you make money while staying at home there may be a few found on the list for hobbies for Moms. Some other great ways to make money as a stay at home mom (and get your kids out of the house with you for some) include working the childcare area of a local gym, starting a Mom blog, selling products on Amazon, watching another family’s children in addition to your own, opening an Etsy shop, and more.

Places to Go as a Stay-at-Home Mom

All of the places listed below are kid friendly. They are great places to go and many are free. Others may cost a small amount or you can purchase family memberships for birthday presents at low costs.

1. Local Zoo (family memberships usually available for purchase)
2. Park/Playground (Usually many different ones to visit in the city)
3. Local Stream/pond
4. Splash Pad
5. Childrens Museum
6. Coffee Shops
7. Grocery Stores/Stores
8. Trampoline Park
9. Pool
10. Play Cafes
11. Gym with childcare area
12. Open gym (many gymnastics facilities host these)
13. Library (many offer free storytimes)
14. Local Activity classes (most park and rec departments offer lots of options for cheap)
15. Music class
16. The beach
17. Bowling
18. Sledding
19. A trip to a farm
20. Go for a walk
21. Go for a hike at a county park
22. Local museum
23. A friend’s house
24. Have a picnic
25. Play place at a restaurant
26. Volunteer at a local organization (many have programs where children can help)

Things to Do with Your Children at Home

The days can be long when you stay at home all the time and we are always looking for ideas of things we can do together. Here is a list of some of our favorite things to do together while not getting in the car and going somewhere.

All of these things are free (since you don’t have to leave your house (but some may cost money for materials if you don’t have things at home that you may need for them). Check out our list of things to do with your children together at home.

1. Do a puzzle
2. Play a board game
3. Play a card game
4. Pretend play (Play doctor, house, firefighter, bedtime, etc…)
5. Set up a kiddie pool
6. Play outside
7. Go for a walk
8. Set up a tent
9. Make a blanket fort
10. Go on a letter hunt
11. Go on a scavenger hunt ( Seasonal scavenger hunt ideas and Halloween scavenger hunt ideas here)
12. Snuggle and watch a movie
13. Read books
14. Color pictures
15. Do a paper plate craft (our favorite unicorn or dinosaur crafts here)
16. Build a tower
17. Play magnatiles (our favorite place to do this is the garage door)
18. Play dress up
19. Bake a treat together
20. Help make dinner together
21. Set up and play in a mud kitchen (or just play in the mud)
22. Play in the sand
23. Make and play in a sensory bin (we love these summer and strawberry themed ones)
24. Do a fun construction paper craft (these fun and easy farm and zoo animal ones are great choices)
25. Plant flowers
26. Go for a bike ride
27. Wash a car together
28. Put up decorations and have a “party”
29. Make a fun-themed snack
30. Run through the sprinkler
31. Make a card and deliver it to a neighbor
32. Play catch
33. Make a racecar track out of toilet paper tubes
34. Have a dance party
35. Make a video
36. Paint a picture
37. Create an obstacle course
38. Play with shaving cream
39. Make bubble foam
40. Roll down a hill
41. Splash in puddles
42. Make a playdoh activity kit 

Things to Do During Nap Time

Often times during nap time I tend to go stir crazy and want to be productive. Some days I feel like the house is a disaster and I want to get housework done, some days I want to do self care tasks, and others I want to be productive in a different way and create and explore new things.

Below is a list that combines all three of these tasks and gives ideas of different hobbies and things to do as a stay at home mom, as well as some self care task ideas for sahms.

This blog came about during nap time one day and has been a great outlet for me. It is the perfect sahm activity and I love working on it most days. (Other days I prefer to take a nap). Scroll down to see if you can find ideas that work for you to stay busy while staying at home with your children.

1. Read a book
2. Bake
3. Learn how to use a Cricut and make shirts and misc crafts
4. Knit/Crochet
5. Do an exercise video and/or workout
6. Listen to a podcast
7. Watch a great show
8. Start a Mom Blog
9. Make craft wreaths
10. DIY house projects
11. Organize a spot in the house (ie a drawer, closet, pantry, etc…)
12. Take a shower/bath
13. Do a puzzle
14. Clean the house
15. Take a nap
16. Sunbathe
17. Take an online course (to help learn a new skill)
18. Create and take care of a garden
19. Learn to play an instrument
20. Journal
21. Take up photography

Ways to Make Money as a Stay at Home Mom

There are a few great ways to make money while staying at home. I currently utilize two of them and can bring in a small amount of money each week and help with our finances all while saving money on daycare and raising my babies. See the list below for some ideas on how to make money while staying at home with your children.

1. Watch a friend’s children (a great way for your little one to socialize)
2. Pet sit (and get out of the house a bit)
3. Work at a local gym in the childcare area (bring your little ones with you)
4. Start a lifestyle blog or social media influencer page (and become an affiliate)
5. Start an Etsy shop (selling a craft of some sort)
6. Start a TPT shop (check out mine here)
7. Create an online course
8. Buy and sell items on Amazon
9. Clean out, purge, and sell your old clothes, toys, misc…on Facebook marketplace
10. Become a shopper and grocery shop for other people through Instacart
11. Housesit
12. Freelance copywriter

How to Make Stay At Home Mom Friends

Being a stay at home Mom can be lonely and isolating if you don’t have other friends in your area with young children who also stay home. Many of these activities are great but even better with friends. Finding a great Mom group is tough but once you find one you also find more activities and things to do to get out of the house and keep you and your children busy.

See below for a few ideas on how to make stay at home mom friends. We joined a local group and it has given us so many more ideas on what we can do as stay at home moms.

1. Find and join a local sahm group through Facebook (things to search are your county stay-at-home moms, Moms in your county, etc…)
2. Join the app “Peanut” and make Mom friends to meet up with
3. Join the app “Meet up ” and find a local group
4. Join a local rec class and find moms with little ones similar in age to yours to befriend
5. Strike up a conversation with a local Mom at a park
6. Go to library storytime and talk with other Moms there
7. Check with local churches for Mom groups
8. Join a local MOPS group

*I found my local sahm mom group from talking with another mom at the library. They have a Facebook page and a meet-up group where you can host or choose to attend different activities throughout the week.

It consists of roughly 75 different Moms and there are usually multiple options for meetups each week. You can choose to attend on whichever days work for you. They also have Mom’s nights out and fun family events on the weekends. Such a great way to meet friends and stay busy!

Overall being a stay at home Mom is the best job you can have. There are times when it can get a little lonely or you may find yourself going stir-crazy but there are tons of ideas to keep the fun going and to help keep you and your little ones busy. If you have any more ideas to add to the list comment below with your favorite things to do!