5 Edutainment Activities for Kids with Portable Projectors

In a recent article we covered what edutainment is, why it’s popular now, and how easy it is to do with the devices you already have. And if you have a portable projector handy, then go for it and read on for tips on how to incorporate it into your edutainment activities. If you don’t have a good portable projector, we offer lots of info on how to choose one and what features to look for specifically. That’s because not all portable projectors are made the same, and some are just better.

Why would you want to add a portable projector to your home learning and experience environment? Simple. Big screen viewing makes every type of content more exciting, relatable, and palpable. This is particularly true if you have young children and wish to engage them in fun learning, to wit the concept of edutainment. It’s one thing reading them a story from a book, and a completely different experience reading the same story together as it’s displayed on the wall, all big and bright and coming to life. Just the physical learning and joy kids get from experimenting with projection and shadows are worth it.

Portable projectors make for perfect devices in edutainment activities with kids. The good ones are very compact and light, and durable. They resist drops, shocks, and water, so you don’t have to worry about the projector breaking if kids upend a glass of juice on it. Simple, wireless setup, long battery life, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and bright projection with at least 500 lumens are all features to look for. You want to focus on quality time with the kids, not fussing over connections and menus.

Without further ado, let’s review some ideas. 

A lot of kids all over are sadly missing out on in-person teaching right about now. But even without COVID, having learning materials projected onto a wall or screen at home provides you with the flexibility to create your own class in a friendly, fun, and familiar environment. There’s a lot of research that shows edutainment approaches work marvels for knowledge retention, so whatever the topic, going big is a nice touch that’s a lot more than a mere extra. It’s a game changer. If the weather’s good, go outside, as good portable projectors are durable and designed for outdoors use. Holding home classes in the backyard works especially well in the evening for extra mood and maybe some astronomy lessons.

As we said, make sure the projector has at least 500 lumens in projection power for good outdoors performance. 

Place the portable projector in your kitchen and showcase recipe books on the wall in clear detail. Then involve the kids in the process of cooking or baking. They learn so much from that. Responsibility, measurements, a touch of chemistry and biology, and of course success or failure and the joy of getting it right. Cooking is a basic human activity that has brought us together throughout our history, except most previous generations didn’t have access to wonders like portable projectors, so make sure you make the most of the bounties we so readily enjoy. 

Want to teach your kids about some of the most renowned paintings in history? No problem. Project the paintings onto a wall so every detail stands out with superb fidelity. Then start a fun activity where you and the children draw your own version of each painting based on your interpretation. This type of activity is beneficial on so many levels. It encourages creative thinking, critical observation, and any latent predilections towards drawing and painting your children may have yet to realize. 

Similar to the art class above, but this time involving hands-on painting and drawing on a large canvas or surface. Use the portable projector to show a scene or a basic premise on any surface you’re OK with the kids drawing on. Then ask them to fill in details based either on their own determination or basic guidelines that you provide. You end up with a mural that you and the kids worked on together and what’s more rewarding than a job well done as a labor of love? 

You could continue telling stories from a book or tablet while you fall asleep before the kids do, or you could use a portable projector. Bring up stories in massive size right in the kids’ bedrooms so that you’re all engulfed in lovely visuals that make stories come to life. This isn’t something out of a Netflix Christmas movie, it’s something you can easily do at home. And kids can’t resist the joyful temptation of jumping in front of the projector to see their shadows affecting the image. That never fails to make everyone laugh, which is great on its own, but is also an excellent way to help kids learn more about physicality and the way light works.

So there you have it, five edutainment activities with portable projectors. Have a great holiday season and keep learning!