BEATING SUMMER BOREDOM: THINGS TO DO

It's that time of year -- the long days of summer have begun. Your children are already chanting, "I'm bored!" Fear not, parents. The kids are not really bored, they just can't think of anything to do. The following updated and revised list of activities focuses on creativity and getting the children outside. Only three of the 116 activities require an electrical plug. If there is ever a column to clip out and post on your fridge, this is it.
  • Take advantage of the local tourist sites
  • Take a tour of the best playgrounds in your town
  • Plant a garden and take care of it
  • Put up a tent in your backyard or living room
  • Have a pizza-decorating contest at a slumber party
  • Take a factory tour
  • Go to a town festival
  • Make your own play dough
  • Make tie-dye shirts
  • Buy or build a sandbox
  • Play hide-and-seek
  • Have a tea party
  • Eat popcorn and play board games
  • Make a collage from old magazines
  • Open a lemonade stand
  • Make brownies
  • Feed the ducks at a local pond
  • Cook something together
  • Play dress-up
  • Make a Cheerios necklace
  • Put on a show in your garage
  • Enroll the kids in a YMCA, YWCA, church, 4H or scouting program
  • Teach your kids how to play kick the can
  • Go to the rodeo, ballpark, library, beach, movie theater, craft store, park, county fair, bowling alley, water slides, zoo, amusement park, aquarium, museum and observatory
  • Become a volunteer
  • Learn about nature
  • Take a drive to the country
  • Visit a farm
  • Do weekly science experiments
  • Play with two or more small magnets
  • Go berry-picking
  • Finger-paint
  • Blow bubbles
  • Design and build a LEGO structure
  • Make homemade ice cream
  • Throw a theme party
  • Line up and knock down dominoes
  • Take a short train ride
  • Make a cardboard city out of large, empty boxes (free from appliance stores)
  • Design your own board game
  • Play "Concentration" by matching pairs of playing cards
  • Have a progressive kids' party (snacks and games at each home for 90 minutes)
  • Create sidewalk art using chalk or Crayola sidewalk paint
  • Design your own Web site
  • Organize a field trip
  • Start a play group
  • Rent a canoe
  • Organize a toy exchange with four or five families
  • Play "Post Office" with junk mail
  • Have a sand-castle-building contest between two families
  • Write and/or draw your own storybook
  • Start a summer journal
  • Roller-blade at a scenic location
  • Buy a kiddie pool
  • Play in a mud puddle
  • Start a collection (coins, cards, leaves, etc.)
  • Make a home movie
  • Play catch
  • Make sock puppets
  • Color paper doilies
  • Complete a challenging puzzle
  • Enroll the kids in a recreation class or summer day camp (call the Parks and Recreation Department in your city)
  • Play "Twister"
  • Go fishing
  • Take a hike or go biking
  • Play ping-pong
  • Wash the car -- squirt each other
  • Take a boat, ferry, train or bus ride
  • Play miniature golf
  • Go camping
  • Become a bookworm
  • Make mud pies
  • Have a picnic
  • Go tide-pooling
  • Play croquet
  • Star-gaze
  • Watch family vacation videos
  • Have a face-painting party
  • Start a hobby
  • Look through family photo albums
  • Go on a treasure or scavenger hunt
  • Do a craft project
  • Read stories
  • "Paint" the exterior walls of the house with water
  • Throw a Frisbee
  • Fly a kite
  • Have a kids' garage sale
  • Throw a pool party
  • Build a fort
  • Bring out the water toys (small containers, basters, funnels, etc.)
  • Throw water balloons
  • Go to a children's theater production.

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