Beat those Summertime Boredom Blues!
By: Jenna Pastuszek, Educational Programs and Services Intern
"Mom, I'm bored!" How many times have we all heard that one come out of our kids' mouths? With summer into full swing by July, many children find that the freedom which they had longed for throughout the school year isn't as exciting as they once had thought it would be. Isn't it funny that some kids spend the entire school year waiting for the summer and then by August, they begin itching to go back to the classroom? July is National Anti-Boredom month, so instead of following the same routine every day, spice it up with some out of the ordinary activities that you can do with your kids!
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In Arthur's "Almost Boring Day," Arthur spends a Saturday attempting to do something fun. His plans backfire due to bad weather, and so he is forced into doing something he doesn't want to do- spending the day visiting relatives. However, the weekend turns out to be much better than Arthur had thought it would be! A day which is almost ruined perks up with an out-of-the-ordinary activity. Arthur is based off the award winning children's book series. The show aires daily at 4 p.m.
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The summer sunshine provides a great excuse to get outside and have some fun! A great project for you and your children to do is to make a fort outside. You can use clothes lines, picnic tables, chairs, and/or any other outdoor items. The best part about fort-building is getting creative! Other outdoor activities include designing a treasure hunt in and out of your home, firing up the sprinkler and creating a neat "Obsta-cool Course," or playing a neighborhood game of Capture the Flag on the 4th of July!
Sometimes, the dog days of summer just get too hot, and it's best to stay inside. If this is the case, there are a plethora of fun arts and crafts ideas to do with your kids. Silly Slime is a neat thing to make. Get creative with the colors, and if you're feeling crazy, get out there and have a Silly Slime fight! Fuzzy Head plants are quick and easy to make, and hilarious to watch while they grow. If you happen to have a bag of worn-down crayons sitting around, make some Crazy Crayons. Then, hand them over to the artist of the family and watch as he or she creates beautiful pictures! If you have a sports card collector or a game card collector in the family, a Card Collector Picture Frame might be an excellent artsy activity for a rainy afternoon.
Kids love to bake- especially if they get to lick the bowl at the end. For some fun patriotic treats, make these delicious American Flag cupcakes. Or, if you're looking for a quick and easy way to be festive, grab a box of pancake mix, and add in some pink or blue jello to make Red, White, and Blue Pancakes! What a way to start a morning!
For more ideas, please visit:
Martha Stewart Living »
Creative Kids At Home »
READ
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
by Mark Teague (K-2)
Wallace Bleff's parents send him out west to visit his Aunt for the summer in the hopes that his imagination will calm down. While he reads a report on his summer vacation aloud to his class, it becomes clear that it is as wild as ever, as he tells stories of cowboys capturing him and dressing him up in Rodeo gear. Read on for a hilarious root-tootin' tale!
Lenny and Mel's Summer Vacation
by Erik P. Kraft (2-4)
Lenny and Mel, two brothers, think that they're going to spend their summer doing nothing; however, their parents have better ideas for the boys. They're forced into doing summer book reports, going to Animal Town, and going on a trip to Grandma's. How will they find time to just relax? Read on to find out.
Summer Fun!: 60 Activities for a Kid-Perfect Summer
by Susan Williamson and Michael P. Kline (2-6)
Bored? Read this book for 60 awesome ideas for getting active during the summer! Want to learn how to make riddles? Make giant bubbles? S'mores? Learn sign language or Morse code? Want to have a backyard scavenger hunt? These activities and many more can be found in the pages of this book.
Cheaper by the Dozen
by Frank B. Gailbreth (4-7)
How big is your family? Can you imagine having 9 brothers and sisters? Read this book for an insight into a family of 12 as they encounter adventure after adventure in this hilarious tale.
Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistle Stop Cafe
by Fannie Flagg (9-12)
This book is set in the 1930s at a small-town Alabama, train stop. The story is told from a variety of perspectives over a wide array of times. The story follows the friendship of two women, Idgie and Ruth, as they run the Whistle Stop. The plot thickens as the reader listens from a booth in the restaurant about a murder in the town.
The Da Vinci Code
by Dan Brown (10-12)
A murder in the Louvre Museum unveils a secret which has been kept for 2,000 years. This thriller will keep a reader turning pages for hours as the main characters try to uncover the murderer and the reasoning behind this series of events before the time runs out!
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