SKILL.md
494 lines · 2,338 words
Activity Planner
When to Use
Use this skill when:
User asks about activity planner
User needs guidance on activity planner topics
User wants a structured approach to activity planner
Do NOT use when:
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At a glance
What it is
Age-appropriate activity planning for children covering indoor/outdoor activities, educational and STEM projects, sensory play, seasonal ideas, and budget-friendly options organized by developmental stage.
A skill is a written procedure a bot loads when a job calls for it. This one is a single file, SKILL.md, and the whole file is on this page.
The whole file, exactly as it downloads. Read it before you rely on it.
SKILL.md
494 lines · 2,338 words
Use this skill when:
User asks about activity planner
User needs guidance on activity planner topics
User wants a structured approach to activity planner
Do NOT use when:
Age-appropriate activity planning for children covering indoor/outdoor activities, educational and STEM projects, sensory play, seasonal ideas, and budget-friendly options organized by developmental stage.
Nothing. It ships with Murage, which is open source. Your bots run on the AI plan you already have.
Yes. Open it in Settings → Skills to read, edit or duplicate it. Skill Guard scans it again after every edit.
Download the app, connect the AI you already pay for, and tell your Chief of Staff what needs doing. Plan on about ten minutes from install to a working team.
No account needed · Runs on the AI plan you already pay for
Paste it into your agent's instructions (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or a custom GPT), or add it to a bot in Murage.
Ask Ember for the bot, then switch the skill on in its settings.
Step 1
Send your Chief of Staff this message. It proposes the bot and its role first, and creates it when you say go.
Send this to Ember
“Create a bot that uses the Activity Planner skill, and show me the plan first.”
You're done when your Chief proposes the bot and its role, and the bot appears in your sidebar once you say go.
Step 2
You're done when you see the bot’s skills and the library.
Step 3
You're done when the skill shows as on for that bot.
Step 4
You're done when the bot takes the job and opens the skill when it needs it.
Prefer to do it yourself? Choose + in the sidebar, then New Bot.Read the full guide to skills and Skill Guard
What it teaches a bot, what it covers, and the whole file to read.
What it covers
When to Use
Overview
Questions to Ask the User First
Activity Selection Framework
Activities by Age Group
Seasonal Activity Calendars
Budget-Friendly Activity Framework
Activity Planning Templates
Educational Activity Integration
Group Activity Ideas
Output Format
Example
Edge Cases
Request requires professional consultation beyond educational guidance
User needs emergency assistance
This skill generates tailored activity recommendations for children based on their age, interests, available resources, setting, and developmental goals. Activities are grounded in early childhood education principles including Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and play-based learning research.
Before recommending activities, gather the following:
How old is the child (or children)? (Include all children if planning for multiple ages)
Indoor or outdoor? (Or both?)
What's the weather/season? (Current conditions and location climate)
How much time do you have? (15 minutes, 1 hour, half day, full day)
What's your budget? ($0 pantry items only, $0-10, $10-25, $25+)
How many children? (Solo, sibling group, playdate, party-sized group)
Any special interests? (Dinosaurs, space, animals, art, cooking, etc.)
Any developmental goals? (Fine motor, social skills, reading readiness, etc.)
Supervision level available? (Fully hands-on, nearby, independent play)
Any materials to avoid? (Allergies, sensory sensitivities, mess tolerance)
ACTIVITY SUITABILITY SCORING:
For each activity, evaluate:
[S] Safety: Is it safe for this age? (required pass)
[D] Development: Does it match developmental stage? (1-5)
[E] Engagement: Will it hold interest for the time needed? (1-5)
[A] Accessibility: Do you have materials/space? (1-5)
[L] Learning: Does it build skills? (1-5)
Score = (D + E + A + L) / 4 --> Recommend if >= 3.5Sensory Exploration:
High-contrast card viewing (0-3 months)
Texture boards with fabric swatches (3-6 months)
Water play in shallow bin with supervision (6-9 months)
Taste-safe sensory bins: cooked pasta, mashed banana, gelatin (9-12 months)
Musical shaker bottles (sealed, large enough to not be a choking hazard)
Motor Development:
Tummy time with mirrors and toys just out of reach
Reaching and grasping: dangling scarves, soft toys
Cruising stations: furniture arranged for safe pulling up
Ball rolling back and forth (early turn-taking)
Stacking and knocking down soft blocks
Language Building:
Narrate everything: "I'm putting on your blue sock"
Sing action songs: Itsy Bitsy Spider, Pat-a-Cake
Read board books with exaggerated expression
Play peekaboo (object permanence development)
Point and name objects during walks
Sensory Play:
| Activity | Materials | Skills Built | Mess Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud dough | Flour + baby oil | Fine motor, sensory | High |
| Water transfer | Cups, sponges, bowls | Fine motor, pouring | Medium |
| Finger painting | Paint, paper, smocks | Creative expression | High |
| Playdough kitchen | Playdough, cookie cutters | Fine motor, pretend play | Low |
| Nature collage | Leaves, sticks, glue, paper | Sensory, art, nature | Medium |
| Rice bin | Dyed rice, scoops, containers | Sensory, fine motor | Medium |
| Shaving cream play | Shaving cream on tray | Sensory, pre-writing | Medium |
Gross Motor:
Obstacle course: pillows, tunnels, chairs to crawl under
Dance party with freeze dance
Ball pit in inflatable pool or laundry basket
Riding toys and push toys
Climbing (supervised): playground, indoor climbers
Bubble chasing outdoors
Pre-Academic (Play-Based):
Color sorting with pom-poms and muffin tin
Shape puzzles and shape sorters
Counting steps, snacks, toys during daily activities
Letter magnets on fridge (exposure, not drilling)
Matching games with household objects
STEM Activities:
Activity: Volcano Eruption
Age: 3-5
Materials: Baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, food coloring, container
Setup Time: 5 minutes
Activity Time: 20-30 minutes (they'll want to repeat)
Skills: Chemical reactions, prediction, observation
Steps:
1. Place container on tray (baking sheet works)
2. Add 3 tbsp baking soda to container
3. Add drop of dish soap and food coloring
4. Let child pour vinegar in
5. Observe and discuss: "What happened? Why do you think?"
6. Repeat with variations: more/less vinegar, different colors
Cost: $0 (pantry items)Activity: Sink or Float Laboratory
Age: 3-5
Materials: Basin of water, various household objects
Setup Time: 5 minutes
Activity Time: 30 minutes
Skills: Prediction, hypothesis testing, density concepts
Steps:
1. Gather 10-15 objects of varying density
2. Before each object: "Do you think this will sink or float?"
3. Record predictions on paper (draw or write)
4. Test each object
5. Compare results to predictions
6. Group objects: sinkers vs floaters
7. Discuss: "What do the floaters have in common?"
Cost: $0Creative Projects:
Process art (focus on creating, not the product)
Junk model building with recyclables
Puppet making and puppet shows
Collage with magazine cutouts
Nature painting (paint with leaves, pinecones, flowers)
Playdough sculptures
Outdoor Activities:
Nature scavenger hunt (printable checklist)
Mud kitchen with old pots and utensils
Gardening: plant seeds, water, observe growth
Bug hunt with magnifying glass
Chalk drawing on sidewalk/driveway
Puddle jumping and rain walks
STEM Projects:
Activity: Bridge Engineering Challenge
Age: 6-11
Materials: Popsicle sticks, glue, small weights (coins)
Budget: $5-10
Time: 1-2 hours
Skills: Engineering design, problem-solving, physics concepts
Steps:
1. Challenge: Build a bridge between two stacks of books (12" apart)
2. Provide materials: 50 popsicle sticks, glue
3. Planning phase: sketch design (10 min)
4. Building phase: construct bridge (30-45 min)
5. Testing phase: add weights one at a time until failure
6. Reflection: What worked? What would you change?
7. Optional: rebuild with improvements (engineering iteration)Activity: Coding Without Computers
Age: 6-11
Materials: Grid paper, colored pencils, instruction cards
Budget: $0
Time: 30-60 minutes
Skills: Logical thinking, sequencing, debugging
Steps:
1. Draw a 10x10 grid
2. Mark a start and end point
3. Add obstacles (colored squares)
4. Write directional "code": UP 3, RIGHT 2, DOWN 1...
5. Partner traces the path following the code
6. Debug: if path hits obstacle, find and fix the error
7. Advance: add loops ("REPEAT 3: RIGHT 1, UP 1")Creative and Artistic:
Stop-motion animation with phone/tablet and toys
Comic book creation
Friendship bracelet making
Origami projects (increasing complexity)
Cooking/baking with measurement math
Journal/diary with drawing and writing
Outdoor Adventures:
Geocaching (free app, family-friendly)
Bike riding and trail exploration
Fort building with sticks or snow
Star gazing with constellation map
Bird watching with identification guide
Orienteering with compass basics
Independent/Social Projects:
Photography challenges (themed daily prompts)
Podcast or video creation
Cooking challenge: plan, budget, shop, cook a full meal
Community service project planning and execution
Room redesign/redecoration project
Start a small business (lemonade stand to Etsy shop)
Book or movie club with friends
STEM Advanced:
Arduino/Raspberry Pi starter projects
App design (Scratch, App Inventor)
Chemistry experiments with kitchen science
Astronomy: telescope viewing, planet tracking apps
3D printing design (if access available)
Robotics kits
Plant a garden (vegetables, herbs, or flowers)
Rain science: measure rainfall, water cycle experiments
Bug observation journals
Kite building and flying
Outdoor art with natural materials
Bird nest observation (from safe distance)
Backyard water play: sprinklers, water balloons, slip and slide
Lemonade stand (math, business, social skills)
Nature camp at home: daily themed adventures
Tie-dye projects
Stargazing and meteor shower watching
Homemade ice cream science
Leaf collection and identification
Apple picking and applesauce making
Pumpkin investigations: weight, circumference, seed counting
Nature collage with fall materials
Hayride or corn maze
Harvest cooking with seasonal produce
Snow experiments: measure, melt, refreeze, compare
Indoor fort building and reading marathon
Holiday craft projects
Board game tournaments
Indoor scavenger hunts
Hot chocolate science (dissolving, temperature)
Cardboard Box Universe:
- Large box --> house, car, rocket ship, boat
- Small boxes --> building blocks, dollhouse furniture
- Tubes --> tunnels, telescopes, marble runs
- Egg cartons --> paint palettes, sorting trays, caterpillars
All you need: boxes, tape, markers, imaginationKitchen band: pots as drums, rice shakers, spoon instruments
Blanket fort with flashlights and books
Sock puppets from orphan socks
Sorting games with household items (buttons, pasta shapes)
Scavenger hunts (indoor or neighborhood walk)
Dance party (phone or free music streaming)
Storytelling circle (take turns adding to a story)
Shadow puppet theater with flashlight and hands
Sidewalk chalk art gallery
Bubble solution (dish soap + water + glycerin) with wand making
Bead jewelry making
Simple science kits from dollar store materials
Planting seeds in egg cartons
Watercolor painting
Balloon games (volleyball, static electricity experiments)
Pottery/clay projects with air-dry clay
Tie-dye kit
Simple robotics or circuit kits
Baking project with new ingredients
Craft store project kits
Nature journal with field guide book
RAINY DAY ADVENTURE PLAN
Child: [name], Age: [age]
Available Time: 3 hours
Setting: Indoor
Budget: $[amount]
Hour 1 - Active Play:
Activity: _______________
Materials needed: _______________
Setup time: _______________
Transition: Snack break (involve child in preparation)
Hour 2 - Creative/Focused:
Activity: _______________
Materials needed: _______________
Setup time: _______________
Transition: Free play / cleanup together
Hour 3 - Calm/Winding Down:
Activity: _______________
Materials needed: _______________
Setup time: _______________GROUP ACTIVITY PLANNER
Children: [names and ages]
Age Range: [youngest] to [oldest]
Setting: [indoor/outdoor]
Duration: [time]
Base Activity: _______________
(Choose activity adaptable to multiple levels)
Adaptation for youngest ([age]):
- Simplified version: _______________
- Extra support needed: _______________
Adaptation for middle ([age]):
- Standard version: _______________
Adaptation for oldest ([age]):
- Extended challenge: _______________
- Leadership role: _______________
Cooperative element: _______________
(How can different ages contribute to a shared goal?)WEEKLY ACTIVITY ROTATION
Monday: Art & Creative Expression
Tuesday: STEM / Science Exploration
Wednesday: Active / Gross Motor Play
Thursday: Cooking / Life Skills
Friday: Free Choice / Child-Led Play
Saturday: Family Adventure / Outing
Sunday: Calm Activities / Nature
Each day's activity:
Name: _______________
Materials: _______________
Prep needed (day before): _______________
Learning domain: [physical / cognitive / social / creative / language]Activities that build academic skills without feeling like "school":
Math:
Cooking with measurement (fractions, doubling recipes)
Store play with play money (addition, making change)
Building with blocks (geometry, spatial reasoning)
Board games: Monopoly Jr, Yahtzee, chess
Literacy:
Restaurant play with menus and order pads
Letter hunts on nature walks (find things starting with B)
Story dictation: child tells story, adult writes, child illustrates
Post office play: write letters to family members
Science:
Kitchen chemistry (baking = chemical reactions)
Weather station: daily temperature, cloud observation
Animal observation: backyard wildlife journal
Growing experiments: same seed, different conditions
Social Studies:
Map making of bedroom, house, neighborhood
Cultural cooking: try recipes from different countries
Family history interviews with grandparents
Community helper visits or role play
Collaborative art mural
Treasure hunt with clues
Relay races and obstacle courses
Cooperative building challenge
Dress-up and dramatic play
Group cooking project
Station rotation (art, games, building, snack)
Group scavenger hunt
Parachute games (use a bedsheet)
Capture the flag or tag variations
Group craft: each child contributes to one piece
Talent show or dance performance
When recommending activities, provide:
ACTIVITY RECOMMENDATION
Activity Name: [name]
Best For: Age [range], [setting], [energy level]
Time Required: [prep] + [activity] + [cleanup]
Materials: [itemized list with likely-at-home vs need-to-buy]
Budget: $[amount]
Skills Developed: [list 3-5 developmental areas]
Mess Factor: [Low / Medium / High]
Adult Involvement: [Fully hands-on / Nearby supervision / Independent]
STEP-BY-STEP:
1. [Preparation step]
2. [Setup step]
3. [Activity steps]
4. [Extension ideas for longer engagement]
VARIATIONS:
- Easier version: [for younger children]
- Harder version: [for older children or repeat engagement]
- Group version: [for multiple children]
LEARNING EXTENSION:
- Questions to ask during activity: [list]
- Books that connect: [titles]
- Follow-up activities: [what to do next time]Input: "Help me get started with activity planner"
Output: A structured activity planner plan tailored to the user's specific situation, following the process outlined above.
Incomplete information: Ask clarifying questions before proceeding. Do not assume details the user has not provided.
Out of scope requests: Redirect to appropriate professional resources when the request exceeds educational guidance.
Conflicting requirements: Present trade-offs clearly and let the user decide priorities.
SKILL.md
494 lines · 2,338 words
The text of SKILL.md is shown as it downloads, under the Apache-2.0 license, by Ferrox Labs. The license is the one in the file's own frontmatter.
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