Summer is in full swing, which means that the days are filled with very energetic children. We are forever trying to keep the littles entertained at our house. Having a schedule not only serves as a reminder of what is happening, but it really helps keep us on track. While our schedule is flexible, we at least have a general idea of what to expect on any given day. Taking a little time to plan ahead has been a lifesaver. Keeping the kids busy with activities throughout the day helps them burn off some of that energy. A few weeks ago I wrote about fun kid crafts and activities. Today, I am taking it a step further by sharing some other activities to keep children entertained. You can visit these boards to find loads of great ideas: Summer Fun and Fun Ideas for Kids.
In our community they offer activities at the rec center and pool each day of the week. Some of our favorites are Movie Monday, Wacky Wednesday Bingo, and Freezy Pop Friday. We may not make it to each activity, but knowing that those are available each week helps us plan ahead. Some of the other activities that we enjoy are board games, playing outside (chalk art, the park, riding scooters and bikes, swimming), arts and crafts, and even the occasional random chore.
If all else fails, turn to an “I’m Bored Jar”. No matter how full our calendar is, there are days when things do not go as planned. It may be due to bad weather. It could be due to an illness. There are times when something planned does not work out. There are days when there aren’t many things on the schedule to begin with. When we have down time, I am sure to hear the mumbles and grumbles of unentertained kids. Before long they are fussing about how bored they are, and that there is nothing to do. After a few days of moaning I turned to Pinterest for some boredom busting ideas, and then came the “I’m Bored Jar”. I certainly cannot take the credit for this jar, as I have seen it around the internet for a while. I just borrowed the idea and made it work for me. Now the bored jar is pretty simple. Let me explain: It’s a jar! It can be a can, bucket, basket, cup, or any other container. It’s filled with little strips of paper that have suggestions on them. You can put anything on the strips of paper. I included some fun activities, some educational activities, and some chores. I might as well benefit from this right? I also created different sets of strips for both of my children since there is an age difference. When the kids start moaning about being bored I direct them to the “I’m Bored Jar”. You can set the rules of the jar to suit you. What works for us is having the option to pull a second strip if the first strip is not time appropriate. For example, if a “swimming” strip is pulled from the jar, it is obvious that we cannot go swimming if it is raining outside. In this instance, another strip would be pulled from the jar.
Thanks for visiting the blog today. We hope you find some fun things to do with the kiddos to keep them entertained when there is some down time.
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