“I’m bored!”

“There’s nothing to do.”

Those are common phrases parents hear from their children during the summer months.

We gathered a few boredom buster ideas from our New Horizon Academy teachers and thought you would enjoy this clever way of helping your child avoid summer boredom. It also serves as a creative and fun way to have family fun during the summer months.

 

Boredom Buster Jars

Supplies Needed

• Craft sticks
• Permanent marker
• Washi tape, markers, or paint
• Jar or container to hold your “Boredom Buster” ideas

Directions

1. Brainstorm activity ideas or use our list of ideas below. Create a balance of activities children can do independently with little materials and supervision and some that you do together.
2. Write each activity on a craft stick with a permanent marker.
3. If so desired, color-code activities with washi tape, markers, or paint (That way you can direct your child to an activity that you are able to implement!)

How to Implement

1. When your child is bored, or you are looking for a fun activity to engage in as a family, have your child select a craft stick from the Boredom Buster Jar.
2. Read the activity on the craft stick and begin the activity.

 

 

Boredom Buster Ideas

Kids Cuisine: Cooking Activities

• Make Tropical Smoothies
• Make our Strawberry, Banana Cheesecake Salad
• Create a Rainbow Snack
• Make a Cucumber Sandwich
• Make Banana Sushi Roll Up
• Make Cracker Stackers
• Make a Berry Delicious Breakfast Parfait
• Make a Pita Pocket Sandwich
• Create Ice Cream in a Bag
• Create a Stoplight Snack
• Make a Greek Yogurt Parfait
• Make Strawberry Dole Whip
• Make No Bake Blueberry Oatmeal Energy Balls
• Bake Homemade Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
• Bake Ham and Cheese Muffins
• Make Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes
• Make You Are My Sunshine Snack
• Make Owl Rice Cakes
• Create at Crunchy Rainbow Wrap
• Create a Food Group Friend

Kids Crafts

• Make Your Own Bird Feeder
• Make a Coffee Filter Rainbow
• Do an Apple Painting Activity
• Create a Bubble Art Painting
• Make a Great Outdoors Nature Painting
• Create a card for a loved one.
• Paint outdoors. Head outdoors and paint in nature.
• Create masterpieces using sidewalk chalk.
• Paint rocks.
• Create sculptures with playdough or clay.
• Use markers, stickers, paint, and/or other art supplies you have on hand to decorate a large box.
• Create a nature collage.
• Sketch outdoors.

Kids Fitness: Outdoor Activities

• Go bird watching.
• Go on an alphabet walk.
• Have a relay race.
• Play Red Light, Green Light.
• Become an animal tracker with our Great Outdoors Animal Tracker Activity.
• Do animal yoga.
• Make your own bubbles and chase them.
• Play kickball.
• Play tag.
• Go to the park.
• Play catch.
• Go for a bike ride.
• Play Simon Says.
• Fly a kite.

Kids Fitness: Indoor Activities

• Play Spin a Move Game.
• Get moving with our Roll and Move Game.
• Do animal yoga.
• Have a dance party.
• Play with bubbles.
• Act out a story.
• Host a family talent show.
• Play indoor hopscotch.
• Play Island Hopping. Throw pillows and cushions on the floor. Hop from one to another.

Kids STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics Activities

• Complete our Bean Sprout Activity.
• Do our Exploring Weather Activity.
• Complete our Dissecting an Apple STEAM Activity.
• Playdough STEAM Challenge.
• Create Olympic Fizz Rings.
• Host a DIY Regatta Race.
• Design a Glider with our Engineer a Glider Activity.
• Create Whimsical Cars.
• Make Oobleck.
• Make Rubbery Playdough.
• Make Playdough.
• Make Oatmeal Playdough.
• Make Moon Sand.
• Create Birdfeeders.
• Create Your own Pinball Machine.