How to Prevent Summer Boredom

Summer is finally here! After months of wishing for the last day of school, and a week of sleeping in late the inevitable happens. Your child says to you "I'm bored". Here are some ways to prevent summer sluggishness by providing your kids with planned, inexpensive, activities.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Time set aside on your personal calendar
• a trip to Walmart, your local dollar store chain or art and craft store

1. create your own Encourage your kids to explore their artistic sides. Take about $10-$20 and buy some of the creative markers and wacky art supplies that are not normally used in school. Give them a scrap book project to document the summer. Explain to them, it does not have to be done in one day. The scrapbook will take the entire summer to complete. There are more scrapbook ideas at www.thenewhomemaker.com/scrapbookingwithchildren or click on the resource link below. Include a disposable camera for photos. If this idea doesn't appeal to them, give them a choice of what to do with the "summer fun art kit". Just make sure the project is focused and have a specific outcome. The first project should be a Summer Fun calendar for the refrigerator.
2. Go to the museum/zoo. Check out your local museum or zoo for a list of scheduled exhibits and events. Review these lists with your child to find out what interests them. This is important because taking them to an event they will not interested in will prevent them from wanting to return. Schedule these dates as fun days on your Summer Fun calendar. Your child will look forward to these days.
3. Fun, Healthy, Easy Cook. The summer is a good time to teach them how to cook easy, fun ,healthy meals. Plan out the meals, make a shopping list, mark the shopping day on the Summer Fun calendar, then go to the grocery store together. Allow them to help with the selection of the ingredients. Examples meals; turkey tacos, microwaveable mac 'n' cheese, corn on the cob, jell-o desserts, etc... You can get several recipe ideas from the resources provided below. Plan a menu for a day when they will do all the cooking. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack. Mark this day on the Summer Fun Calendar.
4. Plan a yard sell. Kids like the idea of earning money. Have them to clean out their closets getting rid off all the old making room for the new. This is a great way to get a clean room. This could be done more than once during the summer. It will also give you an opportunity to declutter yourself. Refer to the ehow article on How To Have a Yard Sale by the eHow home and garden editor. It's Great!

Tips & Warnings

• Finished scrapbooks can be used as family room center pieces along with photo albums. Provides for hours of fun and conversation.
• Another benefit of teaching your child to cook is you can practice some very important reading and math skills by having them read, comprehend and follow directions, and measurement of the ingredients without them realizing it.
• These are just a few ideas. Once your child began enjoying these activities they will be eager to add ideas of their own to the Summer Fun Calendar.
• Be sure to supervise all cooking activities.