Dreamstime
My kids have a history of getting bored fairly early in their summer vacation. Could you please give me a list of some boredom busters?
— Avoiding Boredom
It doesn’t take too long for some children to lament, “I’m bored.” There are many activities — from sports to summer school — in every community that can keep them interested. Here are some of our suggestions to keep your children busy when boredom sets in.
Neighborhood movie night. Your children will have a lot to do to set it up. First, they must transform the backyard into a movie theater. This can be done with only a projector and a large bed sheet. They also need to select a movie to show, make posters to advertise, and create tickets for admission. A decision needs to be made on whether to have refreshments available and what type of seating there will be.
Lunchtime book club. Children will pack up their favorite lunch, get a bottle of water, and grab a good book. Next, they head to a community swimming pool or the local park. Reading outside in the summer is great. Everyone can read and eat their lunch. At the end of each chapter, the group can discuss what they have read (if all have read the same book) and predict what they think will happen in the next chapter. If the children are reading different books, they can tell the group about the book they are reading.
Adventure Day. Select one day a week as the day when you and your children will do something out of the ordinary. The choices are absolutely endless. Visit a museum, a train or bus station, a fire station, city hall, the state capitol, a planetarium, an aquarium, or a factory that offers tours. Ride a bus or trolley to somewhere they have never been before.
Scavenger hunts with a theme (such as plants) and geocaching for hidden treasure are also great boredom-fighting activities.
Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com or to the Dear Teacher website.
Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2018
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