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Activities and Fun Things to Do When Kids Are Bored

Activities and Fun Things to Do When Kids Are Bored
bored family

By Maria Healey,Β MariaHealey.com

For every holiday or special occasion, I confidently purchaseΒ toys or activitiesΒ that will keep my son from saying those two dirty words every parentΒ fears:Β β€œI’m bored.” I’ve rounded up some great kid-friendly activities that will have them forgetting all about their boredom in no time. Many of these activities can be taken outside too, so that kids can enjoy the great outdoors, or at least their very own backyard. Depending on what kind of kiddo you have at home, here are a variety of things to do whenΒ yourΒ kids are bored.Β 

Experimental Genius

Here are a few simple science experiments and activities that are perfect for aΒ STEM-loving kidΒ bored at home:Β 

  • DIY Mini Volcanoes: Using modeling clay in a shallow dish, create aΒ hollowΒ volcano shapeΒ so you canΒ pourΒ someΒ baking soda inside. Add vinegarΒ slowly, so you canΒ watch the eruptionΒ build and flowΒ from the belly of the mini volcano. This is a good project toΒ set upΒ outside,Β since it can get messy.Β 
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  • Rainbow Lemons: CutΒ lemons in half and set them pulp-side up in a shallow dish. Squeeze a drop or two of food coloring on each lemon or mix colors for more fun. Use a fork to squish the pulpy part of the lemon and make it juicy before adding a teaspoon of baking soda. Look on in awe as you addΒ someΒ vinegar to create a bubbly, colorful creation overflowing from the lemon.Β 
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  • WineΒ Glass Xylophone roundΒ up all yourΒ wine glasses orΒ crystalΒ stemware and line them up on the table. Pour varying amounts of water in each glass and tap the side of the glass lightly with a knife to hear the difference in the tone and pitch of each glass. Bring further fun to the music making by adding a few drops of liquid food coloring to each glass to create a rainbow or monochrome shades of your child’s favorite color.Β 

Mini Artist

When it comes to helping your kids find something to do when they’re bored yet feeling artistic, set themΒ up with the supplies necessary, but then leave the creative freedom up to them.Β 

  • Movie-MakingΒ with LEGOΒ Toys: Using a tablet or mobile phone camera, kids can shoot a video or series of stop-motion photos to edit together a short filmΒ featuringΒ LEGO minifigures as the starsΒ of the show.Β 
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  • PhotoΒ SessionΒ withΒ Stuffies: Let kids get comfortableΒ as budding photographersΒ behind theΒ cameraΒ whileΒ they pose toysΒ and/or stuffed animals for portrait sessions. Kids can print and frame theΒ printedΒ photos to proudly show off in their bedrooms.Β 
  • Painting: Kids can reference a photo they want to recreate in paintingsΒ using stretched canvas and acrylic paints or just paper and watercolors, based on theirΒ age and skillset. Finger painting is alwaysΒ a fun activity for younger kids to do outside,Β since it canΒ oftenΒ get very messy.Β 

Little Explorer

These activities are perfect for bored kids who love the great outdoors:Β 

  • Bird-Watching: ForΒ naturally curious kids,Β set them up with some binoculars and a notepad andΒ thenΒ send them outside to pay attention to the birds in the neighborhood and encourage them to take notesΒ aboutΒ their observations.Β 
  • NatureΒ ScavengerΒ Hunt: CreateΒ a list of items for your child to find outside (ladybug, hummingbird, dog, dandelion…) and have them check off everything they’ve seen. Time them to add a little challenge or motivation, especiallyΒ if they’re competing with other kids.Β 
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  • Campground; SettingΒ up a tent is always a good idea when kids complain they’re bored, and it can be done inside or outside. Kids can gather up logs for a fake campΒ bonfire andΒ useΒ sticks forΒ β€œroasting” marshmallows orΒ they canΒ setΒ up a picnic for enjoying at their homemade campground.Β 

Entertainment Expert

Kids often complain that they’re bored when all they really want to do is watch TV or play video games. Here are some suggestions for keeping kids engaged when they want to be entertained:Β Β 

  • Podcast: There are so many great podcasts just for kids that are entertaining and (secretly) educational too. Check out Brains On for a variety of topics that will keep any bored kids’ attention.Β 
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  • Coding: TeachingΒ kids to code is a valuable skill and can be done on a tablet, computerΒ or evenΒ asΒ a tactile game. Osmo converts a mobile device into a coding machineΒ inΒ CodingΒ AwbieΒ andΒ Coding Jam andΒ does soΒ inΒ suchΒ a fun way that they won’tΒ evenΒ realize they’re learning!Β 
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  • Books: ReadingΒ is such a better alternative to screen time for kids when they’re bored. Encourage them to learn a new joke or riddle to share with friends,Β or pick up a BrainΒ GamesΒ Β forΒ them to figure out puzzles on theirΒ own.activityΒ bookΒ for them to figure out puzzles on their own.Β 

Parents’ ChoiceΒ 

When all else fails, it’s time for parents to step inΒ and decide. Here are a few ways to stop boredom in its tracks:Β 

  • Chores: Every parent can use a little help around the house so point to theΒ chore chartΒ and remind kids that they can earn privilegesΒ or allowancesΒ as they completeΒ their household responsibilities.Β 
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  • Boredom Jar: Fill a jar with slips of paper with an activityΒ written on each oneΒ (such as:Β read a book, clean your room, ride your bike,Β etc.) andΒ then have themΒ pull a slip out to randomly select aΒ β€œboredom buster.” 
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  • β€œI’m Bored” Box: FindΒ some tactile or sensory-friendly fidget toys and puzzles and keep them in a boxΒ designatedΒ for the purpose of offering things to do when kids are bored at home.Β 

Now your arsenal is fullyΒ stockedΒ with quick suggestions to fire back at kids when they utter thoseΒ frustratingΒ words, β€œI’m bored.” With theseΒ categories ofΒ things to do when kids are bored, they’ll never have a reason to complain again… at least for the afternoon.Β 

About The Author

Casey Christiansen

Casey supports the PR team at Zulily.

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