Do you find the long summer holidays a real juggling act? Are you constantly met with the refrain “I’m Bored”? Help is at hand with these 99 entertaining ideas to combat I’m bored this summer, no matter what age your children are. All you need is a box or jar and our free downloadable ideas sheet!
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We were only one wet week into the summer holidays and my girls were already telling me they were bored. So I came up with a novel way to combat their moans. We created an ideas box
We sat down and came up with a list of ideas for things that either they could do on their own or that we could do together, and I threw in a few household chores for good measure.
Then I made them into a handy, printable list, so you can make your own I’m Bored Box this summer!
Entertaining Ideas to Combat “I’m Bored” this Summer
How to create your own “I’m Bored” Box
- You will need 1 empty tissue box. You could also use a mason jar, just make sure it’s big enough for little hands to reach into. Get your kids to decorate the box.
- Download and print out out the 99 entertaining ideas to combat I’m bored
- Use scissors to cut them into individual ideas
- Add the ideas to the I’m Bored Box (or jar)
And you’re all set. Every time a child utters the magic words, “I’m Bored”, they have to pick an idea from the box and do whatever it says.
With everything from cleaning bedrooms to going for a walk or learning a magic trick to baking fairy cakes on offer, they won’t be bored for long!
Here’s our full list of ideas and of course you could add your own!
- Bake fairy cakes
- Draw a picture of your favourite animal
- Learn how to say Hello in 10 languages
- Make a suncatcher
- Make slime
- Write a story about an astronaut
- Bike or scoot
- Play a board game
- Put on a show
- Learn a magic trick
- Make playdough
- Vacuum your room
- Clean the windows
- Read a book
- Make pizza
- Crazy dance for 10 minutes
- Do some chalk drawings
- Have a picnic in the garden
- Make s’mores
- Paint a picture
- Try knitting something
- Do a cartwheel or handstand
- Load / unload the dishwasher
- Change your bedlinen
- Make banana bread
- Do some crafts
- Call a friend
- Make a fortune teller
- Make a smoothie
- Draw a cartoon
- Go on a treasure hunt
- Do some origami
- Make cookies
- Make ice-pops
- Do 100 star jumps
- Put up the tent in the garden
- Create an obstacle course
- 1 hour of TV
- Cook dinner for the family
- Wash the car
- Water the plants
- Clean the bathroom
- Do a chore chosen by you
- Do a puzzle (e.g. a crossword or word search)
- Do a chore chosen by Mum or Dad
- Write a Haiku
- Do a jigsaw
- Make popcorn
- Watch your favourite film
- Research your family tree
- Take the dog for a walk (or your friend’s dog)
- Eat a new food
- Play skittles
- Create a collage
- Make an omelette
- Lay the table for the next meal
- Make jam
- Make a video
- Learn a new recipe
- Create a home spa
- Play hide and seek
- Play hunt the thimble
- Go on a scavenger hunt
- Sort out your cuddly toys
- Think of 5 things you could do
- Tidy your room
- Sort out your books
- Pick 3 things to give to the charity shop
- Make bubble mix and then make bubbles
- Practice an instrument
- Learn some Spanish phrases
- Draw a self portrait
- Pick 3 books you no longer read to pass on
- Jump rope for 2 whole minutes
- Play a card game
- Make a fort
- Build a Lego creation
- Learn some new jokes
- Recreate a famous painting
- Learn a card trick
- Play a game of Solitaire
- Plant some seeds
- Create your own mocktail
- Make ice cream
- Make an insect hotel
- Play a ball game
- Make a themed music playlist
- Do some weeding in the garden
- Have a disco
- Make garden perfume
- Plan a round the world trip
- Take 10 photos of interesting objects
- Learn to juggle
- Sharpen all your pencils
- Be active for 20 minutes
- Write a letter to a friend or family member
- Make a dominoes or marble run
- Build a castle out of playing cards
- Play pick up sticks
- Play card games online at Solitaire Bliss
And if you need even more boredom busting ideas:
- 101 of The Best Boredom Busting Ideas for Kids
- 101 Activities the Don’t Involve Screen Time
- 50 Boredom Busting Fun Activities for Kids
- 33 Fun Projects for Kids aged 8-12
- 21 More Fun Projects for Kids aged 8 to 12 Years
- 100 Family Bucket List Ideas
- 101 Free Things to Do With The Kids that Cost Nothing But Time
Have your say! If you have any more ideas you think should go on our I’m Bored box List, please do share them with us in the comments box below.