Conquering Summertime Boredom

Summertime--Aaahh, the sunshine, swimming, BBQ's...and kids repeating, " I'm bored" throughout the day!  Before you kick off your summer, be sure to ward off boredom by having your kids make a simple list of activities. Post the list on your refrigerator, so when they begin to express their boredom, you can redirect them to select an activity. These would be things they enjoy doing, and often don't think to do. Then again, it's amazing how quickly they can find something to do, when you give them the alternative to do chores instead! Here are a few things to get you started:

1. Make a fort out of cardboard boxes or sheets
2. Draw outside with chalk
3. Collect bugs
4. Garden
5. Make a scrap-book of everything you do during the summer
6. Make a treasure map or scavenger hunt for your backyard
7. Play in the water--pool, sprinkler, water guns, balloons, buckets
8. Make paper airplanes and see which goes the furthest
9. Make birthday cards for family members for the whole year
10. Make up a board game, using household items
11. Have a picnic
12. Sketch a picture of your house from the outside
13. Help an elderly neighbor with yard work
14. Make an obstacle course in your backyard
15. Build a tree house
16. Set up a lemonade stand
17. Make a movie using a camcorder
18. Have a "Toy Sale"
19. Make a bird feeder
20. Create something from recyclables
21. Make homemade ice cream
22. Make a list of things you might find outside, then go search for them
23. Have a sleepover
24. Have a backwards day, doing everything the opposite of normal
25. Have a movie day

Just need quiet time? Don't forget to create a Summer reading list. Kids lose an average of one month of academic learning over summer break!