06 July 2013

There's nothing to do - What to do when holiday boredom sets in


With three very normal children in the house,  there's nothing to do  became a catchphrase during the holidays.  Coming up with ways to keep them amused that were constructive, educational, fun and cheap kept me busy for weeks before school ends.

I asked friends what they did with their kids, read everything I could on the subject, searched the Internet, watched current affairs shows to get inspiration.  And most of the time I succeeded.  It wasn't often that we had a really boring day; we could always find something to do from "The List".

"The List" is just that:  a great, big list of things that just about anyone can do.  There is always something to be found on The List .  As most of the country is either in or about to start third term holidays, I thought it would be helpful to share The List  with Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing readers.

There are over 200 different things to do on The List.  I had it printed and stuck on the corkboard in the family room ready for the holidays.  You may like to do the same thing.  Then the kids can look at The List  and choose an activity, or you may like to make it a family decision.  Either way, it really does spell the end of the  "I can't think of anything to dos"!

Here is The List:

  • ride bikes 
  • roller blade 
  • basketball 
  • play board games 
  • make a tent out of blankets 
  • squirt with hoses  - but don t waste water
  • run through the sprinkler 
  • have a skip-a-thon
  • start researching your family tree
  • start documenting your family tree
  • organise and plan a family reunion
  • hold a family reunion
  • read books  - visit your local library and try some you haven t read before
  • blow bubbles 
  • color
  • play with play dough 
  • press flowers 
  • do crafts with pressed flowers  - make a start on your Christmas cards
  • write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal 
  • clean bedroom  (one of my favourites)
  • vacuum living room 
  • clean bathroom 
  • make a craft  - try something new
  • draw 
  • make homemade play dough
  • paint 
  • pull weeds 
  • give your favourite person a surprise party
  • watch a movie 
  • write stories 
  • use binoculars - look for as many different things as you can
  • use magnifying glass 
  • use microscope 
  • bird watching  - how many different breeds can you find in your backyard?
  • write a play 
  • act out a play 
  • invent circus acts 
  • perform a circus 
  • play card games  (snap, old maid, go fish)
  • make art on the footpath with chalk 
  • play catch 
  • play baseball 
  • collect rocks 
  • collect leaves 
  • collect feathers 
  • play Frisbee 
  • make Frisbee's out of old plastic lids, decorate with markers 
  • dust the house 
  • brush the pet 
  • write letters  to the editor of your local newspaper about articles you are interested in
  • read a magazine 
  • play dress-up 
  • play Cowboys 
  • pick vegetables  and then help Mum cook dinner
  • play outside with the pet 
  • build a fort in your rooms 
  • build a fort in the backyard 
  • do a jigsaw puzzle 
  • play on the computer 
  • surprise Mum and Dad with breakfast in bed
  • listen to a story or book on tape 
  • do extra schoolwork to get ahead 
  • do brain teasers (i.e.: crosswords, word searches, hidden pictures, mazes, etc.) 
  • cook 
  • prepare lunch 
  • surprise a neighbour with a good deed 
  • play shops
  • prepare a "restaurant" lunch with menus 
  • hold a tea party 
  • have a Teddy bear picnic 
  • play with toy cars 
  • play dolls 
  • play house 
  • chase butterflies 
  • collect caterpillars and bugs
  • plant a garden or a pot 
  • collect seeds 
  • hunt for four-leaf clovers 
  • learn magic tricks 
  • put on a magic show 
  • plant a container garden 
  • sprout seeds or beans 
  • make sock puppets 
  • put on a puppet show 
  • make Christmas presents 
  • make homemade wrapping paper 
  • make homemade gift cards 
  • make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard 
  • crochet or knit 
  • make doll clothes 
  • sew buttons in designs on old shirts 
  • run relay races 
  • make bookmarks 
  • take a quiet rest time 
  • take a shower or bath 
  • bath a pet 
  • feed the birds
  • watch the clouds 
  • organise a dresser drawer 
  • clean under the bed 
  • empty dishwasher 
  • vacuum under the couch cushions and keep any change found 
  • write these ideas on pieces of paper and pick out one or two to do 
  • whittle 
  • whittle bars of soap 
  • practice musical instruments
  • perform a family concert
  • teach yourself to play musical instrument (recorder, harmonica, guitar) 
  • fold clean washing
  • sweep kitchen or bathroom floors 
  • sweep front paths
  • sweep back verandah
  • sweep driveway 
  • wash car  - on the grass, of course!
  • vacuum car 
  • vacuum or dust window blinds
  • clean bathroom mirrors 
  • clean sliding glass doors 
  • clean inside of car windows 
  • wash bicycles 
  • clean garage 
  • play in the sandpit
  • build a sandcastle 
  • work with clay 
  • copy your favorite book illustration
  • design your own game 
  • build with blocks or Legos 
  • create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and-ends of things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn, etc.) 
  • plan a neighbourhood or family Olympics 
  • have a marble tournament
  • find a model train club and see if they have visitors at their running days
  • take your bikes to the local BMX park and have a picnic and a day of riding
  • spend an hour or two at the local skateboard park learning some new tricks  
  • paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang it in a sunny window and see what happens in a few days 
  • finger paint with instant pudding 
  • make dessert 
  • make dinner 
  • have a sleepover
  • make popcorn and watch an old movie
  • make toffee with Mum
  • give your pet a party 
  • start a nature diary 
  • have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling 
  • have a neighbourhood bike wash 
  • play Kick the Can 
  • check out a science book and try some experiments 
  • make up a story 
  • catch butterflies and then let them go
  • arrange photo albums 
  • find bugs and start a collection 
  • do some stargazing 
  • decorate bikes or scooters and have a neighbourhood parade 
  • play hide-and-seek
  • create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands 
  • listen to the birds sing 
  • try to imitate bird calls 
  • read a story to a younger child 
  • find shapes in the clouds 
  • string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace 
  • put together a family newsletter 
  • write reviews of movies, plays, TV shows or concerts you see during the summer 
  • bake a cake 
  • bake a batch of biscuits
  • decorate a shoe box to hold your treasures 
  • create family scrapbooks with old photos
  • glue noodles into a design on paper
  • play hopscotch
  • play jacks
  • make up a song
  • make a teepee out of blankets
  • write in your diary
  • find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens
  • play charades
  • make up a story by drawing pictures
  • draw a cartoon strip
  • make a map of your bedroom, house or neighbourhood
  • call a friend
  • cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
  • make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines
  • do a secret service for a neighbour
  • plan a treasure hunt
  • make a treasure map
  • make up a "Bored List" of things to do
  • plan a special activity for your family
  • search your house for items made in other countries and then learn about those countries from the encyclopaedia or online
  • plan an imaginary trip to the moon
  • plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you want to go
  • write a science-fiction story
  • find a new pen pal
  • make up a play using old clothes as costumes
  • make up a game for practicing math facts
  • have a Spelling Bee
  • make up a game for practicing spelling
  • surprise an elderly neighbour or relative by weeding his/her garden
  • Finger paint with shaving cream
  • collect sticks and mud and build a bird's nest
  • write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper
  • make a hideout or clubhouse
  • make paper airplanes
  • have paper airplane races
  • learn origami
  • make an obstacle course in your backyard

With a list of things to do this long, one of the things that kept my children amused for a good half hour each day was choosing what to do! They loved reading The List and debating the benefits of each and every activity before deciding on one big one, or three smaller activities for the day.

I'm sure it will keep your children busy for a while too or at the very least give you and them some ideas for fun school holiday activities.


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2 comments:

  1. Thankyou for this list!
    With only one day left of school and me absolutely exhausted, I can't summon the mental energy to write my own.
    SANITY SAVING! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

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