Keep “I’m bored” Out Of Their Vocabulary

There is nothing worse than hearing a child utter the words “I’m bored”, particularly on a rainy day. Young children can become burned out quickly on the same toys and games that are meant for indoor play, and sometimes going outside is not an option. When the weather is not cooperating, try some of these activities to keep the boredom at bay.

· Have an indoor campout. This is especially fun on a rainy, cloudy day. Use the kitchen table and chairs as a tent. Take a large blanket and spread it over the table. Break out the extra flashlights for hours of fun. Tell ghost stories (not too scary; keep them age appropriate), have a “campfire” by rigging a flashlight with some orange strips of paper, and have sing alongs. Top off the camp out by having smores. Smores are easily made in either the microwave or the toaster oven. For more of an authentic feel, roast the marshmallows in the fireplace. This, of course, requires supervision. If the children are very young, just stick with the microwave.

· Homemade Jenga. This is a variation on the board game Jenga, in which the goal is to remove blocks from the bottom of a tower of blocks and put them on top without toppling the tower. A kid-friendly version of this game can be made at home with old oatmeal containers, tissue boxes, formula containers, etc. Stack the items just tall enough so the child can reach the top, then help the child remove one of the items in the stack and place it on the top of the tower. The items will likely fall, which children get a kick out of.

· Put on a Play. Take a favorite story or book and turn it into a play, complete with costumes. Raid your closet for old costume jewelry, hats, dresses, and search Dad’s closet for suit jackets and ties.

· Have an Indoor Scavenger Hunt. This is so much fun, especially for older children. Make up a set of clues and hide them throughout the house. At the end of the hunt, there should be a prize. It does not have to be anything extravagant. It could be a simple plate of homemade cookies or brownies.

· Make a Music Video. Get out the video camera and have the kids make a music video to one of their favorite songs. Get really creative and make backgrounds on poster board or old boxes. Let the kids dress up and lip sing to songs on an age-appropriate CD. Watch the video as a family and be ready to laugh!

· Indoor Hopscotch. This is so easy and fun for kids. Take masking tape and create a hopscotch game on the floor. This works best on carpet, as the tape may be difficult to remove from wood or tiled surfaces.

· Bake and Decorate Cookies. So simple, this is one of the best ways to entertain children on a rainy day. Let the children help cut out cookies with cookie cutters. To turn it into an educational experience, use shape cookie cutters, such as squares, circles, etc. Once the cookies are baked and cooled, let the children decorate with icing, colored sugar, or sprinkles.

· Paint with Fruit. Cut apples and oranges in half and use them as stamps. Dip the fruit halves in paint and let the kids stamp paper with them. Encourage them to make pictures as well. For example, have them make a snowman with the cut oranges. Just stamp the paper with three orange circles on top of each other, paint on a hat, a face, arms, buttons, and whatever else your child would like.

· Make Paper dolls. Go through some old magazines and cut out pictures of people. Then find some pictures of clothing, accessories, pets, etc. and make paper dolls. It is also fun to glue the pictures of people on popsicle sticks and have a puppet show.

· Go Bowling. Utilize some old soda or juice bottles and make a bowling alley. Set up the bottles at the end of the hallway, and then use a ball to knock them down. Make sure the ball is soft and encourage the children to roll it on the floor rather than throwing it, risking a broken vase or picture frame.

Fun can be had each and every day, no matter what the weatherman says. These are just a few tips that can be utilized, and they are mostly free, or very low cost. Take a few minutes and encourage creativity and dramatic play with your kids. You’ll never hear the words “I’m bored” again!