Summer Boredom Busters:
10 Great Ideas to Keep Kids from Getting the Summer
Blues
by Polly Schlafhauser
Keep kids from getting the summer blues with these ten great ideas.
Build an Ice Cream Stand – Find a local ball park busy with little league ball
games and set up an ice cream stand. Let the kids build and decorate the stand
out of wood or cardboard (old refrigerator boxes work well) and add their menu
to the outside. Keep kids involved by letting them be in charge of buying the
supplies (large bulk clubs like Sam’s Club are great for this) and figuring out
how much to charge. Encourage your kids to donate a portion of their profits to
a charity or add some fun games for their customers to play while enjoying their
ice cream. Keep the ice cream cold by burying it in plastic containers at the
bottom of a big cooler filled with ice.
Organize a Summer Playgroup – Ask other parents to join you and your kids at a
local park once a week. Play on the playground, organize lawn games, or provide
crafts for the kids.
Hold a Treasure Hunt – Write up clues that will lead your kids on a hunt through
the neighborhood and to local places of interest. Begin by mailing the first
clue to the kids (what kid doesn’t like to receive mail?) and letting them
figure out where to go. You can spread the clues out over the summer or have
them complete the hunt in a day. At the end, have a “treasure” of prizes
available as reward for their accomplishments. You can make it interesting by
writing the clues on scrolls or by making them educational
Start a Neighborhood Business – If your child is old enough, help them start a
small neighborhood business like pet watching, dog walking, mother’s helper, or
house watching (getting mail, watering plants). Help them create fliers,
determine pricing, and of course help them understand how to provide excellent
customer service.
Host a Neighborhood Cookout – Encourage your neighbors and friends to take a
break from their busy lives by inviting them to a neighborhood cookout. Include
the kids by having them help make invitations, plan games, and prepare food.
Make it easier on yourself and family by asking your friends and neighbors to
bring a dish to share.
Join a Reading Contest or Challenge – Encourage your kids to get lost in a good
book this summer by signing them up for your local library’s reading contest.
Common among most libraries, book challenges are a great way to keep kids
reading through the summer and earn prizes and awards for their achievements.
Start a Summer Scrapbook or
Memory Jar– Start by saving small mementos from your summer vacations,
activities, and trips. Over the summer let the kids add them to a scrapbook or
store in a decorated memory jar or box. Make it fun by giving the kids a
challenge of finding the most unique memento from their excursions.
Hold a Carnival – Let your kids organize a backyard carnival for friends and
neighbors. Kids can be kept busy building a ticket booth, organizing games,
planning food, and buying prizes. Let them take charge here; you will be amazed
at what their imaginations can do!
Write a Family or Neighborhood Newsletter – Put your kids in charge of writing
and publishing a family or neighborhood newsletter. Let them write creative
articles and share the scoop on what is going on with friends and family. This
is a great way to help them improve their writing skills and keep them busy at
the same time.
Start a Puzzle – Pick out a large challenging puzzle and put it in an out of the
way place. Encourage the kids to slowly add and complete the puzzle throughout
the summer. This is a great one to have on hand when they say “I’m bored”.
About the author:
Polly Schlafhauser is Founder and President of Families with Purpose, a website
dedicated to helping busy families enhance their family life and find time for
the little things in life. To subscribe to their FREE newsletter or to find more
creative ideas to beat the Summer Boredom Blues, visit their website at
http://www.familieswithpurpose.com
