10 ways to beat boredom for kids

I know the Easter holidays have only just passed us but with another half term only 4 weeks away and then the long Summer holidays, it is best to be prepared.

If like me, you’ll have some holiday plans but we can’t fill every single school holiday with travel, holidays or days out, even if we really want to. Unless, of course, we win the lottery but pipe dreams aside kids do get bored.

No matter how many fun days out you have or just how many toys they have to play with, if they’re stuck in the house doing nothing but watching TV or heaven forbid having to entertain themselves for half an hour while us freelancers and work from home Mum’s have to catch up a little (and there is no time for us trying to work around the kids to procrastinate with the kids around, we have to be at our more productive to make our time count wisely), you know you’re going to be hearing the frequent “I’m bored…” statement any time of the day.

There are many ways to have some fun – without spending a fortune. Here are 10 easy and fun boredom busters you can try.

Decorate T-Shirts

Decorating shirts is a non-messy method that will provide hours of entertainment. Grab your old shirts and get some colourful fabric paint of your kid’s choice and start decorating. This activity will not only keep them entertained, you can also sport finished product to show off their talents, you could even plan ahead to the next dressing-up day at school (there are always loads at my children’s school).

I find that sharpies work really well and make far less mess than paint does or you can pick up fabric pens very cheaply on Amazon, just make sure you place some card in the middle of the T-Shirt or the pens will seep through to the other side.

Do some science experiments

There are several DIY Science Experiment kits that you can purchase online, which are inexpensive. Encourage your kids to find the materials that they need from the supplies list in your science experiment kit. You can also take some videos and let them play scientist.

And if you didn’t want to purchase full science kits, let them pop on their doctors coats from the dressing up box and make an exploding volcano from ingredients you most likely have at home, you can find loads of tutorials online.

You could even finish the day with an exploding volcano dinner – bangers, mash and beans. Pile the mashed potato up in the middle of the plate like a volcano, bury the beans in the middle and surround with your sausages.

Try new recipes

Whether it’s a simple dish like banana pancakes or yogurt popsicles to more complicated ones like chicken satay, let your child try new things in the kitchen. Buy them a cookbook or let them explore the internet to find a new recipe that they can try. Allow them to shop for their own ingredients and do a little “cook-off challenge.” 

Of course, adult supervision is needed here but it’s a tasty way to spend an afternoon.

Build a terrarium

Give your child a big jar and some plants and let them make a terrarium. They are fun to put together and even more fun to watch as they grow. The supplies needed are inexpensive and easy to find.

Create a garden

Whether you have a bigger garden at the back of your house or several pots and containers to grow some plants, you can let your little ones create their own garden. Let them choose everything, from the seeds to the soil to the fertiliser and allow them to take care of the plants as they grow. It helps to teach them about responsibility and if you choose to grow your own fruits and vegetables, you’ll all be able to enjoy the crops once you harvest them.

Visit a local beach or a community pool

Grab your swimsuits and head to the nearest beach, lake, or community pool for the day. A lot of beaches and pools have their own concession stand for drinks and snacks or you can bring your own to save money. You can spend the whole day playing ball, having fun with water games or lying in the sand while reading a good book. Don’t forget to bring your suncream!

Enjoy a movie day

Keep an eye on free movies being offered by cinemas, shopping centres, local colleges, and other institutions. During summer nights, they often let you watch a movie on a big outdoor screen on specific days for free or for a reduced rate. All you need to bring are some snacks and a blanket.

Or have a movie night at home, close all the curtains, snuggle on day with your snacks, drinks and blankets and enjoy. We have a movie night most Fridays, the kids have a campout down stairs and they love it.

Go on a road trip

Hop in your car and take a road trip to a place you’ve never been before. You can also be a tourist in your own city for a day and explore the tourist spots that your city has to offer. There is so much to do in the UK you’ll easily find something to do. National Trust locations make for a great and cheap day out, or you could head to a local museum. Collect some sticks, flowers and leaves and extend the day out by making a stick picture or create some nature art when you get home.

Go on a bus ride

Kids love to ride on the bus, particularly if it is a double decker and mine always race to sit at the front. For school holidays or special occasions, why not hire a party bus to tour around your local area for added fun – check out https://www.limofind.com/az/prescott-valley-party-bus-rental/ for more details.

Learn a new hobby

Is there something that you’ve wanted to learn? You have more free time to pick up a new hobby during the summer holidays.

• Learn a new instrument.
• Take up dancing and/or singing lessons.
• Learn how to knit or to take photos professionally.
• Make a scrapbook of your holiday and things you’ve done while off school

Go on a bike ride

This is something you can all enjoy as a family, pack up a picnic and a few bottles of water, place into a backpack and head off on a family adventure. There are lots of cycle paths around to help keep you all safe. If you don’t have bikes then scooters are just as fun or even a family stroll around the lake to feed the ducks. 

School holidays don’t always need to be expensive or mean that you need to be stuck indoors. There are a lot of activities that you and your kids can get your hands on to avoid the occasional school holiday boredom.

Author Bio:

Clare, is a Mummy to 2 whirlwinds – Emmy & Harry. She is a Former Nanny of 14 years prior to having her own children. In a bid to keep sane she started blogging over at www.emmysmummy.com where she shares life’s adventures and misadventures, reviews, competitions and also where she writes her very popular blog series “Top Tips from a former Nanny”. If life wasn’t crazy and busy enough she also blogs over at www.thismummysalwayswrite.com where she is trying to move away a little from sharing too much of the children’s lives and write for herself again.