How to Keep Your Kids Busy During the Summer

"I am bored!!!" Have you heard it yet???? I have. I think I heard it on the first day of summer. The pages of their books were barely closed...and they had nothing to do. Then I look in their room that is packed with toys, gadgets and games...and then I see the pool in the backyard glistening in the sun. And then I remember they are bored. LOL

I know things have changed since I was a kid. My mom just released us outside and we found something to do all summer long. We rode bikes, played in creeks, made forts and played house...we came inside only to eat. And we ran until it was almost dark. Summer was fun. And we didn't have any electronics. We were only allowed to watch television on the weekends. TV was never an option. And an iPad wasn't even close to being invented. We had an Atari (remember those), but that wasn't for the every day. We had to keep ourselves busy.

Allowing our kids to be creative creates flexible, self-sufficient adults who can think out of the box. It's not all given to them. Ask them what they want to do? Let them imagine, dream and take initiative.

So, to help, I complied a list for you. Maybe it will give you some ideas to help out your bored kids.

1. Go berry picking.

2. Plant a garden (or just a few pots of different varieties of plants)

3. Play some street games

4. Pull out games from the closet (monopoly will take the whole afternoon)

5. Call your local zoo to see if they have any days that are cheaper or buy a yearly pass...it will pay for itself in the end.

6. Library-check out their library reading program. This is weekly must for us.

7. Pick out a chapter book and read a chapter a day to your kids.

8.  Turn the sprinklers on.

9.  Parks, beach, lake...do some investigating in your community.

10. Plan and prepare a meal together (or on their own if they are old enough),

11. Volunteer (one of my teens is volunteering at the library).

12. Wash the car.

13. Go on a picnic.

14. Play hopscotch.

15.  Make paper boats and race them.

16.  Make a pin cone feeder.

17.  Make an inside or outside obstacle course.

18.  Make cookies.

19.  Write a letter to someone new every week.

20.  Make root beer floats.

21.  Make a photo journal.

22. Collect shells and identify them.

23. Make a book.

24. Color

25. Do ice cream sandwiches for dinner.

26. Make a bird house of Popsicle sticks.

27. Make a dessert for local firefighters or police

28. Legos...give an idea for each and every day.

29.  Visit a local human society and ask about walking dogs or helping out.

30.  Pick one simple arts and crafts off of pinterest or from a library book and do it.