Summer Boredom Busting Activities

We are less than a week away from summer break and we are so ready! Summer break, for my teen boys, it’s pretty much just a matter of keeping up with their social schedules.  However, where my daughter is still just 8, I always like to go in to a summer prepared with some boredom busters on slow days. That’s not to say we avoid being bored here. All of my kids have come up with some of the most creative games, etc., when they were bored. However, I like to try to strike a balance and have some things on hand for them to dive in to on their own, when boredom hits. After scouring the internet and recalling some of our tried and true favorites, I’ve compiled a list of ideas:

Plant Growing Kit for Kids– This fun gardening kit is a great way to introduce kids to the fun and excitement of watching their very own plant garden grow and produce.

Ice Cream Slime Kit– The ultimate slime kit, especially if your kids like mixing things into their slime.

Clay Bead Bracelet Making Kit– We can never seem to have enough bracelet making supplies. Emma recently requested clay beads, so we’re giving this kit a try.

Summer Bridge Activity Workbook– I know some kids hate these, but my daughter loves these little workbooks to keep her skills sharp over the summer.

Butterfly Growing Kit– Over the course of approximately 3 weeks, you can look on as caterpillars transform to chrysalides, then finally to beautiful Painted Lady butterflies. Over the years our family has raised quite a few butterflies! Getting these kits is something we’ve done since my boys were little.

How To Draw 101 Cute Stuff For Kids– I got this book for Emma before our Spring Break trip, a couple of months ago, and she has been loving it! It gives you step-by-step instructions on how to draw cute images.

Floor Piano Mat– This was a quarantine purchase, but one that continues to get use.

Air Fort– This is another well-loved quarantine purchase. With it, you can build a fort in 30 seconds, but without the mess of typical fort building.

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty– I love this brand of putty! Emma got this in her Easter basket. There are a bunch of different varieties, but this particular one has 6 themed hidden pieces to find. She enjoys searching for them and then hiding them again.

Hair Chalk– If you’re feeling brave, you and your little can have a lot of fun with temporary hair chalk!

Crystal Mining Kit– I got a couple of these kits a few summers back and they were a huge hit! If your kids like rocks, they’ll love sifting through their bags for treasure.

Pressed Flower Coaster Kit– I think this looks so fun and a craft that has a practical use as well.

Create-Your-Own Clay Characters Kit– We’ve already been through 2 of these buckets. It’s a great value for $15!

Elmer’s Squishies DIY Toy Activity Kit– Emma loves squishy toys and I thought she would especially enjoy making her own with this kit.

The Fuzzies Game– This game is so fun! Think Jenga, but with fuzzy little balls!

Big Gem Diamond Painting Kit– If you haven’t seen these “diamond” painting kits before, they are really cool! You use a stylus to apply gems, one-by-one, on an adhesive color-coded image. I couldn’t believe how in to this Emma was! It kept her busy for hours!