June 18, 2006 - Bored, Nothing to Do!

   Have you ever read the book by Peter Spier, Bored, Nothing To Do? 

It's about two brothers who are bored and their mom sends them outside

to do "something".  Out in the garage, they build an airplane and fly it... 

Your kids may be bored this summer and wondering what they could do,

besides watch TV.  Here's a list from another group that might give your

family some fresh ideas.  You might even put them on slips of paper in

a jar.  Let your kids choose one when they are "bored".

In no particular order,

   1. ride bikes
   2. roller blade
   3. basketball
   4. play board games
   5. make a tent out of blankets
   6. squirt with hoses
   7. run through the sprinkler
   8. jump rope
   9. read books
  10. blow bubbles
  11. make homemade play dough
  12. play with play dough
  13. press flowers
  14. do crafts with pressed flowers
  15. write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal
  16. clean bedroom
  17. vacuum livingroom
  18. clean bathroom
  19. make a craft
  20. draw
  21. color
  22. paint
  23. pull weeds
  24. watch a movie
  25. write stories
  26. use binoculars
  27. use magnifying glass
  28. use microscope
  29. bird watching
  30. write a play
  31. act out a play
  32. invent circus acts
  33. perform a circus
  34. play card games
  35. make art on the front walkway with sidewalk chalk
  36. play catch
  37. play baseball
  38. collect rocks
  39. collect leaves
  40. collect feathers
  41. play Frisbee
  42. make Frisbee's out of old plastic lids, decorate with markers
  43. dust the house
  44. brush the pet
  45. write letters
  46. read a magazine
  47. play dress-up
  48. play Cowboys
  49. pick vegetables
  50. play outside with the pet
  51. build a fort in your rooms
  52. build a fort in the backyard
  53. do a jigsaw puzzle
  54. play on the Geosafari
  55. play on the computer
  56. listen to a story or book on tape
  57. do extra schoolwork to get ahead
  58. do brain teasers (ie:crosswords,word searches,etc.)
  59. cook
  60. prepare lunch
  61. surprise a neighbor with a good deed
  62. play store
  63. prepare a "restaurant" lunch with menus
  64. hold a tea party
  65. have a Teddy bear picnic
  66. play with toy cars
  67. play dolls
  68. play house
  69. chase butterflies
  70. collect caterpillars and bugs
  71. plant a garden or a pot
  72. collect seeds
  73. hunt for four-leaf clovers
  74. learn magic tricks
  75. put on a magic show
  76. plant a container garden
  77. sprout seeds or beans
  78. make sock puppets
  79. put on a puppet show
  80. make Christmas presents
  81. make homemade wrapping paper
  82. make homemade gift cards
  83. make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard
  84. crochet or knit
  85. make doll clothes
  86. sew buttons in designs on old shirts
  87. run relay races
  88. make bookmarks
  89. take a quiet rest time
  90. take a shower or bath
  91. bathe a pet
  92. feed the birds or squirrels
  93. watch the clouds
  94. organize a dresser drawer
  95. clean under the bed
  96. empty dishwasher
  97. vacuum under the couch cushions and keep any change found
  98. write these ideas on pieces of paper and pick out one or two to
do
  99. whittle
 100. whittle bars of soap
 101. practice musical instruments
 102. perform a family concert
 103. teach yourself to play musical instrument(recorder,harmonica,
guitar)
 104. fold laundry
 105. sweep kitchen or bathroom floors
 106. sweep front walkway
 107. sweep or spray back patio
 108. sweep or spray driveway
 109. wash car
 110. vacuum car
 111. vacuum or dust window blinds
 112. clean bathroom mirrors
 113. clean sliding glass doors
 114. clean inside of car windows
 115. wash bicycles
 116. clean garage
 117. play in the sandbox
 118. build a sandcastle
 119. work with clay
 120. copy your favorite book illustration
 121. design your own game
 122. build with blocks or Legos
 123. create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and- ends of
things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn,etc.)
 124. plan a neighborhood or family Olympics
 125. have a marble tournament
 126. paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang it in a
sunny window and see what happens in a few days
 127. finger paint with pudding
 128. make dessert
 129. make dinner
 130. give your pet a party
 131. paint the sidewalk with water
 132. start a journal of summer fun
 133. start a nature diary
 134. have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling
 135. have a neighborhood bike wash
 136. play flashlight tag
 137. play Kick the Can
 138. check out a science book and try some experiments
 139. make up a story
 140. arrange photo albums
 141. find bugs and start a collection
 142. do some stargazing
 143. decorate bikes or wagons and have a neighborhood parade
 144. catch butterflies and then let them go
 145. play hide-and-seek
 146. create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands
 147. listen to the birds sing
 148. try to imitate bird calls
 149. read a story to a younger child
 150. find shapes in the clouds
 151. string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace
 152. glue noodles into a design on paper
 153. play hopscotch
 154. play jacks
 155. make up a song
 156. make a teepee out of blankets
 157. write in your journal
 158. find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens
 159. play charades
 160. make up a story by drawing pictures
 161. draw a cartoon strip
 162. make a map of your bedroom, house or neighborhood
 163. call a friend
 164. cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
 165. make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines
 166. do a secret service for a neighbor
 167. plan a treasure hunt
 168. make a treasure map
 169. make up a "Bored List" of things to do
 170. plan a special activity for your family
 171. search your house for items made in other countries and then
learn about those countries from the encyclopedia or online
 172. plan an imaginary trip to the moon
 173. plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you want
to go
 174. write a science-fiction story
 175. find a new pen pal
 176. make up a play using old clothes as costumes
 177. make up a game for practicing math facts
 178. have a Spelling Bee
 179. make up a game for practicing spelling
 180. surprise an elderly neighbor or relative by weeding his/her
garden
 181. fingerpaint with shaving cream
 182. collect sticks and mud and build a bird's nest
 183. write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper
 184. put together a family newsletter
 185. write reviews of movies or plays or tv shows or concerts you
see during the summer
 186. bake a cake
 187. bake a batch of cookies
 188. decorate a shoe box to hold your summer treasures
 189. make a hideout or clubhouse
 190. make paper airplanes
 191. have paper airplane races
 192. learn origami
 193. make an obstacle course in your backyard
 194. make friendship bracelets for your friends
 195. make a wind chime out of things headed for the garbage
 196. paint your face
 197. braid hair
 198. play tag
 199. make a sundial
 200. make food sculptures (from pretzels, gumdrops, string licorice,
raisins, cream cheese, peanuts, peanut butter, etc.) and then eat it
 201. make a terrarium
 202. start a club
 203. take a nap outside on your lawn
 204. produce a talent show
 205. memorize a poem
 206. recite a memorized poem for your family

Have a wonderful summer!

category:

June 27, 2006 - awsome