Beat Summer Boredom Before It Starts

With summer vacation right around the corner for many school-aged kids, it’s time to start thinking about summer activities. For the most part, my kids self-entertain well – with four of them total there is always someone to play with! But eventually the word BORED will be uttered out of their mouths. I like to be prepared for dealing with summer boredom before it starts, so I’m sharing my tips with you today!

How Can You Possibly Be Bored?

I loathe that word. Bored. Really guys? You have books, games, and toys galore, not to mention the whole of the great outdoors to play in. Finding something to do around here should not be hard.

As the lazy, less structured days of summer wear on though, there is always one that just can’t find something to do. Or worse, if left to their own, they would like to spend hours on electronic devices. Neither of these are good options in my opinion.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with electronics, I make my living online after all! What I do have a problem with is kids who would rather watch TV than play outside. Or use video games for hours on end.

So a few summers ago I came up with a new plan to beat both the dreaded boredom as well as the unrelenting call that electronics seem to possess. A cheat sheet if you will of things to do to help them get up, get moving, and be creative. A proactive way to stave off some of the eventual boredom that comes with long days of nothing planned and too much freedom.

See, as much as I love to play with my kids, I hate to entertain them. You know what I mean?  When they can’t figure out what to do they come to Mom to see what she has for ideas.

And yes, I will admit this was inspired by an internet post I saw somewhere along the way. But I have changed it up a little to fit our home better. Hopefully, this will inspire you to get creative as well.

Feeling Bored – Have You Tried These 5 Things?

B – Be creative. Have you used your imagination at all today? I don’t care if you make up a game, work on a craft, or color a picture. Just try something that inspires you and gets you thinking.
O – Outside play. Have you played outside at all? There’s a lot to do out there whether you ride your bike, go for a walk, or play tag with a sibling. And please, for a substantial amount of time. Five minutes is not going to cut it here.
R – Read a book. We try to encourage reading as much as possible, and so far it’s paid off with avid readers all around. So have you read a book or a magazine yet today? While daily reading is not required, it’s always a great option! And I don’t care if you are reading to yourself or someone else. Just spend some time in a book and record it in your summer reading log. (Need ideas? I have a great list of captivating children’s books right here!)
E – Engage with someone else. Contact with other people is important. Where we live the kids don’t have a whole neighborhood full of kids to play with, so this can be challenging. But try to connect with someone else in the world. You can play with a sibling, call a friend, or even write a letter.
D – Do something helpful. Ahhh… this is a great one! I very much want to raise children who are helpers. So whether they are completing their chores, or working on something extra, I always like to see them helping out.

And if that doesn’t work, well then, we have two other choices: create a Bored Jar (or dig something out of one already around the house) and work on chores! 😉

You, Mom, Have To Be Prepared Though

One thing about my list is I can’t expect the kids to be creative, read a book, or even write a letter if I don’t keep supplies.

So I do.

We have glitter and glues, pens and markers, paper and books galore so that when the mood strikes the kids can create. Being a homeschool family does make this easier. Most of the summer stuff is last school year’s leftover supplies.

And sure, these activities can sometimes be messy, but a little mess is worth it. Three of my kids are currently collecting cardboard and cans to make robots. Not ideal, but they are excited. So we make room and let them imagine and create, within reason.

We also have bookshelves all over our home with everything ranging from toddler to fun to classic literature. Many of these books are yard sale finds (I love yard sales!). It wasn’t always this way. There was a time when we only had a handful of books. But over the years we have collected, purchased, and even had many books donated to us.

Then, of course, there are oodles of boredom-busting options that are sort of like school without truly feeling like school. Things like Storytime Lessons, this Summer Roll & Write freebie, and these Word Search Summer Printables.

Additional Boredom-Busting Resources

Of course, in this electronic age, it’s easy enough to find things to do to spur the creativity of kids. A quick search online will have lists and ideas to last you well into next summer.

Or, you can save yourself the search and check out my Summer Fun board on Pinterest!

Ready or not summer is coming. In fact, for parts of the country summer vacation has already started! The key to surviving summer is to be prepared, plan ahead a little, and enjoy the long days before winter arrives.. which in my neck of the woods, is all too soon!

Check out these other posts all about summer!

• Creating A Summer To Remember With Easy At-Home Activities
• 5 Ideas For Budget-Friendly Summer Fun
• Why Summer Vacation Is The Best Choice For Our Homeschool Family

This post was updated from its original publishing in May 2017.