Without classmates or schoolwork to keep them busy, many children end up hitting a slump during the summer break — leaving many parents frazzled and drained trying to come up with ways to keep everyone entertained.
If you need a little help getting your creative juices flowing, here are 10 fun summer activities that are sure to be the perfect cure for summer boredom:
1. Host a Sale
Remember being a kid and getting so excited about making a few dollars here and there? Encourage your kids to figure out a way to host their own sale to make some extra change for their summer. This could be the classic lemonade stand, a garage sale, a car wash, or whatever other entrepreneurial endeavor they come up with. Who knows, you might even meet some new neighbors who have just relocated to the area, too!
2. Film a Movie
If you have an old video camera lying around or enough storage space on your smartphone to hold a few videos, consider encouraging your kids to make their own movies.
It’s a great way to let kids express their creativity and be active. They can start by writing a script and then acting out scenes around the house, in the backyard, or even around town if you’re up for an outing. Cut all the footage together and enjoy the homemade movie! It could even end up being a great documentary of your time spent in your latest duty station.
3. “Redecorate”
While this could just be a more exciting way of saying, “Hey, let’s clean your room,” try this cure for summer boredom: tell your kids it’s time to redecorate! Get rid of old clothes and toys they don’t use anymore, update their bedding, and even move the furniture around if they’re up for it.
4. Get Moving
While it’s easy to let them sit down and play video games or watch TV, consider saving that for rainy day entertainment. It’s good for kids to get fresh air and move around, especially on nice, sunny days.
Encourage them to get their bodies moving by doing something they love, whether it’s playing a sport, going on a family walk or bike ride, jumping on the trampoline, climbing the jungle gym at your local park, or whatever else lets them get out their energy. If you haven’t explored all of the corners of your latest PCS location, this can be a good way to get out and do it.
5. Arts and Crafts
When in doubt, arts and crafts are a quick cure for summer boredom. Activities don’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, make it a challenge to use only items you have on hand at home if you want to avoid a trip to the local craft store. You can find some great ideas on Pinterest that speak to kids of all ages and skill levels.
6. Family Book Club
Keep your kids reading by having a summertime family book club! For kids of different age groups, consider choosing a topic they all enjoy and assigning different books that fit the category. Once a week, you can get together as a family to discuss what they liked or didn’t like, what they learned, and what characters they enjoyed most.
7. Plan a Day Trip
If the kids are getting too stir-crazy, it may be time to pile everyone in the car for a day. Though family vacations are a lot of fun and don’t have to be expensive, there are plenty of fun summer activities you can plan in your local area.
Go to the zoo, a museum, a local pool or beach, or even just a park for the afternoon. Sometimes, all it takes to cure summer boredom is a new environment.
8. Game Night
Having regular game nights can give your kids something fun to look forward to. Each week, let a different person choose the game to play, pick up some of the kids’ favorite snacks, and have a blast spending quality time with one another.
9. Make a Fun Summer Activities Jar
Create an activity jar to pull ideas from when you can’t think of a solution on the spot. Have all the kids get involved by writing down ideas on small slips of paper, fold them up, and drop them in a jar for later use. Whenever you hear your kids say, “I’m bored,” they can pull a piece of paper out of the jar and complete the activity. Ideas can include going on a picnic, playing hide-and-seek, having a water balloon fight, camping in the living room or backyard, and more. The possibilities are endless!
Finding a cure for summer boredom doesn’t have to be complicated, difficult, or pricey. What are some of your family’s favorite summer activities? Add a comment below to let us know!
