Child of HN here. LEGOs were extremely helpful. At first you just follow the instructions, but then you start designing your own things (if your kids don't, the

Child of HN here. LEGOs were extremely helpful. At first you just follow the instructions, but then you start designing your own things (if your kids don't, then invite them to do so, and make it sound like an adventure or challenge). Musical instruments and crayons are good alternatives as well, but require much, much more direction and help from adults. But the one thing I'd say is irreplaceable is acting. Watch movies with kids and get them into mimicking accents, and then trying to act like characters. From there, it's easy for them to begin putting on their own "plays" and just having a blast, and the real hard part becomes finding a way to guide them towards improvement (as well as putting up with the quality :P)