Sometime this summer every Mom knows she’ll hear those two words: “I’m bored.” Maybe it’s a rainy day. Maybe all the downtime is just so different from the school year filled with activities and schedules. Or maybe your child is looking to get your time and attention. Whatever the cause, we went in search of activities that can help turn a dull day around. It may just be what they write about for that “What I Did on My Summer Vacation” assignment.
Cook up some Nothing-To-Do Stew. Grab a pot and have the kids add an egg, peanut butter, crushed Doritos, olive juice…the more creative the better. Stir the potion, adding liquid as needed, while commenting on its “remarkable bouquet.” Throw in more stuff—the mold from the lid of the jelly jar, a dab of dad’s cologne, the mystery meat that’s been in the freezer since Labor Day, a squirt of ketchup…. Stir vigorously, fake taste, and ask if anyone would like a “sample.” You’ve cleaned the fridge and created some crazy fun.
Build a backyard boot camp. Let kids set up stuff like hula hoops, jump ropes, trampolines, balls, whatever they can come up with to create stations and relay races. Give each child a chance to set up a “crazy” race that everyone, including Mom (think of the calorie burn), joins in. Crazy prizes optional.
Roll with it. Have everyone pick a favorite (nonmotorized) wheeled vehicle—scooter, skateboard, bike, skates. Challenge them to ride the straightest line they possibly can. Or have a snail race, where you line up and try to be the last one to reach a finish line, with no stopping or standing still allowed at any time.
Make old games new again. Play “All on One Side,” a volleyball game with four or five players on one side, none on the other, and a balloon for a ball. The object is to get your team to the other side of the net and back as many times as possible. Each player volleys the balloon to another person, then scoots under the net. Last player to touch the balloon taps it over the net and scoots under. Then the process starts all over.
Try letterboxing. It’s a kind of treasure hunt to find something called letterboxes—hidden in natural areas like parks. Inside the box you’ll find a notebook, a unique stamp, and a stamp pad. Stamp the notebook inside the box with your personal or family stamp (handmade or store bought) to mark you were there. Then stamp your own letterboxing notebook with the stamp you find in the box. You can find clues to loads of letterboxes across the U.S. at letterboxing.org. Or you can create and hide a box of your own. Then write up clues so others can find it. (Get tips on how to do it at letterboxing.org.)
Get filthy rich. Announce you’re going to weed the garden. When your bored one eventually wanders out, ask if he’s ever heard about the bank robbery years ago near here—how they caught the thief but never found the money. Go back to working and let him think a bit. Soon, he’ll ask to help. While he’s gathering some tools, sprinkle loose change in the garden and cover with dirt. When he finds a coin, wonder aloud if this might be the very spot where the loot is stashed. As he runs off to get the rest of his friends to help with the search, enjoy the knowledge that your garden will soon be weed-free. (Imagine that!)
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