{Honestly, this is not as dangerous as it looks.}
On Sunday we had our first day in the 70s. The air was warm and the sun was glorious. So imagine my surprise when nine children (including my four) announced, “We’re bored.” What?!? Already? After five months of hibernation, the older boys wanted to go inside to play video games. No way, José.
I suggested a water balloon fight and went to dig out some balloons from last summer. What a happy feeling to find an unopened package of balloons. It even contained a little gizmo that attaches to the outdoor spigot to make filling the balloons easier. So the kids battled it out for a while and then relaxed on the porch with the first popsicles of the year. And they forgot all about going inside.
{Mixing “stew” on the front porch. It was a good way to use up spices that I’ve had around for years. Somehow I never seemed to use that Garam Masala. Or the Cherry Extract.}
Now that my kids are a little older, they can usually take an idea and run with it. But sometimes they need help coming up with ideas. So I’m compiling a big list of Things To Do. I’ll print the ideas, cut them out, and then put them all in a jar. Whenever a kid (or kids) can’t think of something to do, he or she can pick an idea or two out of the jar.
Here are 30 ideas to get started.
- play with water balloons
- play basketball
- ride bikes
- jump rope
- read a book
- write a story
- play catch
- play kickball
- hula hoop
- make a fairy house
- weed the garden
- throw ball to Gunther
- do a jigsaw puzzle
- write a letter
- draw a picture with sidewalk chalk
- blow bubbles
- make homemade playdough
- swing in the hammock
- draw
- color
- write a play
- play soccer
- have a tea party
- make an obstacle course
- look at a scrapbook
- read a story to a sibling
- write a poem
- memorize a poem
- host a poetry recital
- play the piano (or any instrument)
What are your favorite ways to keep boredom at bay?
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