The autumn school holidays run from Monday 26 October to Sunday 1 November, and if you live in Estonia, you know that the weather doesn’t always make outdoor adventures easy. One minute it’s raining, the next it’s windy, and suddenly everyone is looking for something to do indoors.
Luckily, you don’t need a packed schedule, complicated crafts or a cupboard full of supplies to keep little hands busy. A few simple activities, some paper and pens, and a little room for creativity can go a long way.
We’ve put together seven easy autumn school holiday activities, one for each day of the break. They’re simple to set up, fun for different ages and perfect for those afternoons when going outside just isn’t an option.
Set up a little creative corner
Before the holidays begin, clear a small space on the kitchen table or in the living room. Add paper, colouring pens, stickers and child-safe scissors to an open box or basket, and leave everything within easy reach.
The idea is to make creativity feel effortless. When inspiration strikes, kids can get started on their own instead of searching for supplies or waiting for an adult to help.
A good set of markers is a holiday essential, too. OMY Ultra-Washable Markers are a practical choice for little artists, as they can be washed off many everyday surfaces and most washable fabrics. That means less worrying about accidental doodles and more room for imagination.
OMY is a Parisian brand known for its playful designs and colourful creative products that make drawing and colouring fun for children and adults alike.
7 easy activities for every day of the school holidays
You don’t need to plan every minute of the break. Instead, try having one simple activity ready for each day and see where your children’s imagination takes them.
Monday, 26 October: Colouring time
The first day of a break is loud and unfocused, so start with something that needs no instructions. Put a big Start the holidays on a relaxed note. Put out a big colouring sheet or a favourite colouring book, add a few colourful pens, and let everyone choose their own masterpiece.
Younger children can enjoy exploring colours and filling in large shapes, while older kids might add their own characters, patterns or little details to the pictures.
Best for: Ages 3 and up.
Tuesday, 27 October: Create a sticker scene
Stickers are a wonderful way to get creative without the pressure of drawing everything from scratch. All you need is a sheet of paper, some stickers and a little imagination.
Create a dinosaur jungle, a busy city, an underwater world or a magical forest. You can even use an empty shoebox to build a little three-dimensional scene.
Best for: Ages 3–6, although older children can make more elaborate scenes.
Wednesday, 28 October: The squiggle drawing game
This one is as simple as it sounds, and often much funnier than you’d expect.
One person draws a random squiggle on a piece of paper. The next person turns it into something recognisable: a monster, a flower, a spaceship or anything else that comes to mind. Then swap roles and see what happens.
It’s a lovely activity to do together, and there’s no such thing as getting it wrong.
Best for: Ages 5 and up.
Thursday, 29 October: Indoor torch hunt
When it’s too wet or windy to head outside, bring the adventure indoors. Close the curtains, hide ten small objects around a room and give your little explorers a torch. The mission is to find every hidden treasure.
You can make it easier for younger children by hiding objects in obvious places, or turn it into a challenge for older kids by adding clues and riddles. If several children are playing, having an extra torch can help everyone join in.
Best for: Ages 4 and up.
Friday, 30 October: A homemade cinema night
Turn an ordinary movie evening into something special by letting the kids organise their very own cinema.
In the afternoon, they can design movie tickets, draw a poster, choose a film and perhaps even come up with a name for their cinema. When everything is ready, dim the lights, grab some cosy blankets and settle in for a family movie night.
The preparation is part of the fun, and the finished cinema makes the evening feel like a real event.
Best for: All ages, with a little help from grown-ups for younger children.
Saturday, 31 October: Get ready for Halloween
Halloween is the perfect excuse to get a little crafty. Spend the morning making paper pumpkins, friendly ghosts, bats or spooky silhouettes to decorate your windows.
Cut out the shapes, add funny faces and stick them to the inside of the window. You can also use stickers to add extra details or create a whole Halloween scene.
Once it gets dark, bring back Thursday’s torch and use it to make your paper ghosts look extra spooky. Older children can even create their own mini Halloween show with homemade characters and stories.
Best for: All ages, with age-appropriate help when cutting or decorating.
Sunday, 1 November: Make a postcard
End the holidays with a thoughtful little project. Fold a sheet of paper in half, decorate the front and write a short message inside. Younger children can draw a picture and dictate their message, while older kids can write it themselves.
Send the finished postcard to a grandparent, a friend or another family member. It’s a lovely way to share a little holiday creativity, and a nice reminder that even a simple handmade card can make someone’s day.
Best for: Ages 4 and up.
Stickers work for the ages that find drawing frustrating
Between roughly 3 and 6, many children want to make something and give up partway because the drawing in their head does not come out of their hand. Stickers skip that step. The picture is already good, and the child decides where it goes.
OMY Stick-it Dinos is the one for a child who narrates while they work, because dinosaurs come with a plot: who is chasing whom, who is hiding behind the tree. The OMY Super Colouring Book with Stickers Yummy suits a quieter child who wants both jobs, colouring a page in and then adding the stickers on top, and it travels to a grandparent's kitchen without anything falling out of the box.
Keep expectations realistic (and the activities short)
One of the best things about simple crafts is that they don’t need to take up an entire afternoon.
A colouring activity might keep a preschooler happily occupied for 15–20 minutes, while an older child may spend much longer adding details to a drawing or creating an elaborate scene. Every child is different, so let their interest guide you.
Rather than planning one long activity, try alternating creative time with snacks, free play, a short walk or a favourite story. It keeps the day varied and takes the pressure off everyone to stay entertained for hours.
And if you’re working during the school holidays, it’s worth checking local day camps, workshops and other childcare options in advance. Places can fill up quickly, especially during the autumn break.
Make the most of Halloween
With Halloween falling on Saturday, 31 October, there’s a ready-made theme for one of the holiday’s most exciting days.
You don’t need elaborate costumes or expensive decorations to make it special. Paper pumpkins, homemade ghosts, a few stickers and some imagination are more than enough to transform your home into a little Halloween wonderland.
You could even organise a mini treasure hunt, hide sweets or small toys around the house, or let the children put on a spooky puppet show using their paper creations.
The best part? Many of these decorations can be made from things you already have at home — and the creative process becomes an activity in itself.
A little creativity goes a long way
The autumn school holidays don’t have to be filled with big outings or perfectly planned activities. Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the ones children enjoy the most.
Keep a few craft supplies handy, leave room for spontaneous ideas and don’t worry if a planned activity turns into something completely different. That’s part of the fun.
One final tip: put an unopened OMY creative set aside before the holidays begin. When the first rainy morning arrives and everyone is wondering what to do, a new colouring book or sticker set can be just the thing to spark some excitement.
Here’s to a cosy, colourful and creative autumn break!
