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Warm Weather Boredom Busters
by Amanda Formaro
Need ideas for the "I'm bored!" blues? There are tons of things that you
and your children can do that require little or no additional expense. Here
are a few ideas to get you started.
FUN ACTIVITIES
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I Spy - To play this game simply choose an object within eyeshot and
state the letter that it begins with. For example, if your object is a candle
you say "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with 'C' " Each family
member takes turns guessing what object you spied. Whoever guesses the object
gets to go next.
Coloring - It is quite possible that there is not a child on this
planet that does not enjoy coloring with crayons and markers. Pick up coloring
books at the dollar store and keep them up high for special "boredom days".
Hide It - Hide an object in an obvious place. For example, place your
portable telephone on top of the television. The first person to find the
telephone gets to pick the next object and hide it. The only rule is that
the object cannot actually be "hidden", it must be in a visible place and
not hidden from view.
Puzzles - What a great way for the family to spend some relaxing time
together. Puzzles come in all shapes and sizes, different age ranges and
difficulty levels.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
_____________________
Picnic at Home - Have a picnic on the front lawn. Spread a blanket
out and enjoy some sandwiches, fresh fruit, and chips. Don't forget the fruit
juice! If the weather does not permit for such outdoor festivities, you can
enjoy your picnic in the living room.
Backyard Camping - Who says you have to travel and pay for camping
space? Set up your tent in the backyard, roast marshmallows on the grill,
and sit around and tell ghost stories. In
"
The Kids Campfire Book" you will find a variety of stories, songs, games,
and outdoor activities.
Gardening - If possible, allow your children to have their very own
planting area. If space does not allow for it, let the kids help you plant
flowers and potted herbs. Be sure to explain the importance of sunshine and
water for proper growth of your garden.
INDOOR ACTIVITIES
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Family Movie Night - Rent a movie from the video store, or if you
have cable, order a pay per view movie where appropriate. Make popcorn and
snuggle up on the couch with blankets and pillows. If your diet allows for
it, include soda pop as a special family night treat.
Hot Potato - or Hot Beanie Baby, or whatever you have to toss around.
Beanies actually work really well if you aren't a serious collector and worry
about their condition. If you have some of the knockoffs, they work just
fine too. Have everyone sit in a circle and toss the beanie from one person
to another, never knowing where it's going to end up. It's a lot of fun for
all the kids and keeps them occupied for absolutely no money.
Mystery Bag - Place an object inside of a black plastic garbage bag.
First allow the children to feel the object from outside of the bag. If they
are unable to guess what's inside, allow them to reach into the bag and feel
the object. If they still don't know the answer, provide fun clues. For example,
if the object is a framed photo of Mom, give hints such as "who puts bandages
on your scraped knees?" or "Daddy thinks she's picture perfect."
FUN CRAFTS
_____________________
Paper Bag Puppets - Nothing could be easier than taking a brown paper
lunch sack and drawing on a face. Voila, instant puppet. You can add some
color and creativity by bringing out the glue, scissors, yarn, glitter, markers
and buttons. Use buttons for eyes, yarn for hair and markers to decorate
the face.
Paper Loop Caterpillar - You will need colored construction paper,
paper hole punch, glue, and scissors. Cut 1-inch-wide strips of colored
construction paper. Cut and glue the strips into various sized loops. Glue
together small paper loops. Attach paper-punch dots to decorate. Add eyes,
mouth and antennae.
Sidewalk Chalk - This recipe is for sidewalks only. Do not use this
chalk on any other surface. You will need 4-5 eggshells, 1 teaspoon flour,
1 teaspoon very hot tap water, and food coloring (optional). Wash & dry
eggshells. Put into bowl and grind into a powder. A mortar and pestle works
fine for this. Discard any large pieces. Place flour and hot water in another
bowl and add 1 tablespoon eggshell powder & mix until a paste forms.
Add food coloring if desired. Shape & press mixture firmly into the shape
of a chalk stick, and roll up tightly in a strip of paper towel. Allow to
dry approximately 3 days until hard. Remove paper towel and you've got chalk.
Eggshell chalk is for sidewalks only.
FUN FOOD
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Ice Cream in a Baggie - You can make your own sundaes with this fun
ice cream project.
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup half and half
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 sandwich size Ziploc bags
1 one gallon size Ziploc bag
2 cups ice
1 tablespoon coarse salt
Put one small Ziploc bag inside the other and add the milk, half and half,
sugar, and vanilla extract to the inside bag. Seal both bags securely, removing
excess air. Add ice and salt to larger bag and place smaller bag inside.
Seal firmly. Let the kids shake themselves silly -- shaking, tossing, and
turning the bag. Ice cream will be soft and ready to eat in 5 to 10 minutes.
Enjoy!
Top this off with chocolate syrup made from scratch.
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold water
1 tbsp vanilla
Mix together cocoa and sugar; blend until cocoa is smooth and lumps are gone.
Add water and salt; mix thoroughly. Cook over medium heat, bring to a boil.
Boil until thick, keep stirring so that it doesn't burn or overflow! Remove
from heat; let cool. After the mixture has cooled, add the vanilla.
For another refreshing summer treat, try these icy cool drinks.
Slushies
1 package of unsweetened Kool-Aid drink mix, any flavor
2 cups of water
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar
4 cups ice
In a blender, combine Kool-Aid, water and sugar. Blend. Add all the ice and
blend. That's it! Pour into cups, add a straw and enjoy on those hot summer
days. Great for Mom and Dad too. For Coca Cola, simply add one can of Coke
and enough ice to cover and blend.
Here's a great recipe for your family picnic or just snacking after lunch!
Granola Fruit Kabobs
1 cup granola
1 medium apple, cut into chunks
1 small banana, cut into chunks
1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1/2 cup fruit flavored yogurt
Place granola in shallow bowl. Toss fruit with a small amount of lemon juice
to deter browning. Insert toothpicks into each piece of fruit. To serve,
dip fruit in yogurt, coat all sides. Roll in granola. When bringing these
kabobs to a picnic, pack the granola, yogurt and fruit separately in tightly
covered plastic containers. Keep cold in a cooler until ready to serve.
There are so many things that you can do with your kids. Go to the park,
enjoy a nature walk in your own neighborhood, inspect the insects that live
in your yard, identify the different types of flowers blooming on your street.
Kids love word gamefss, brain teasers, math puzzles and much more. Take advantage
of your knowledge and share it with them.
What's Related:
Backyard Discovery Zone
Fun Outdoor Play
Heading Off Summer Boredom
Imagine a Summer: Boredom Busters
About the Author
Amanda Formaro is the mother of four children. and the owner of
FamilyCorner.com
 Recommended Reading: My 4 year old granddaughter and I are having so much fun using the ideas in this book. Most ideas are inexpensive and easy to do, and
new, or with a new twist. It helps using their organizing tips too. I used their ideas for the 'Little World Box' and the 'Craft Box'. We also
created a box for water fun, and one for dress-up. There are plenty of activities that can be done with a child, or that children can do in
their own. The activities encourage original thought and creativity. This book is well organized, fun to read, and I recommend it HIGHLY
to all parents, grandparents and child care providers. (courtesy of Amazon)
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