Things to do with bored kids: 51 Amazing Things to Do When Kids Are Bored (The Ultimate List) • Mindfulmazing.com

50 Activities for Bored Kids: The I’m Bored List

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My 5 year old has been driving me BONKERS lately with the “I’m bored” whine. Is there any worse phrase that a parent can hear from their kid? I had to find a way to fix it FAST without resorting to TV and video games. Thank goodness mom has now found 50 activities for her bored kids – and your kids too! Call them rainy day activities (or snow day activities for Colorado families) or whatever you like, this bored list has plenty of ideas to keep kids of all ages busy.

50 Activities for Bored Kids: The I’m Bored List.

Between brainstorming and Pinterest, I compiled a list of things that my 5 year old son could do mostly independently.

Some activities are ones we can do together, but there are times when I’m working or cooking or whatever and I just need him to entertain himself for a while. I included a good mix of both so we have lots to choose from on those dull days. While some include electronics, most don’t involve screen time at all.

After I created this list I thought there may be some other moms who could benefit from some boredom buster ideas as well. So…here you go!!

Get your FREE Activities for Bored Kids Printable below!

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1. Read.

Pretty self-explanatory. We love borrowing books from the library – new titles for free!

If you have lots of books and want to help the boredom factor a little more, keep half packed away and half on the shelves. Then after 6 months, switch out the books so the ones from storage seem “new” again!

Check out ParentingNest.com for lots of great book ideas for kids of all ages!

2. Do chores for mom or dad (with or without pay).

It’s up to you if you decide to pay your kids for extra chores (you can read how we do chores and allowance here). But it’s amazing how a chore can sometimes seem fun – depending on what it is and how you approach the task.

One of our fun favorites – spraying a little water or diluted cleaner on the floor and sliding or skating with rags under our feet. Turn on the music for some tunes while the floor gets clean!

3. Go outside and catch bugs.

Just don’t forget to release them!

4. Write an email or letter to a family member.

Let your child pick a family member, living far away or close, and have them write a letter or note. No family members to write? Make a generic card to drop at a local nursing home to brighten someone’s day!

I keep blank greeting cards that are perfect for this. You can also use colored paper to make it more fun. Let them draw a picture, use a colored pen, or add stickers for some extra pizazz.

5. Use craft items to create a project.

Dig into your box of holiday “stuff” (you do have a box like that, right?) or your collection of craft supplies. Give guidance if you like, or just let their imagination run wild.

Prepare for messes, and for the love of all things – HIDE THE GLITTER FIRST. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Click here for 19 fun and easy toilet paper roll crafts for the kids!

6. Draw a picture.

This can be with pencil, pens, colored pencils, markers, crayons, chalk – whatever you have. Draw on paper, on a brown paper bag, on the back of wrapping paper for a mural, or on the side of a cardboard box.

7. Color in a coloring book.

I keep a stack of coloring books in the cabinet for quick grabbing while I’m cooking dinner. You can also find lots of printable coloring sheets online. My 5 year old loves random color-by-number and dot-to-dot sheets I’ve printed.

Don’t have a printer? Find a coloring app on your phone or tablet and hand it over. The five minutes of quiet is worth it.

Try these 5 activities to get your family active outside!

8. Paint a picture, the side of a box, or your body.

Make sure the paint is safe and protect your house – then let them have fun!

9. Play with your pet.

Here’s a different rainy day activity – my toddler likes to walk the dog… inside the house. It works and the dog tolerates it!

They can also play fetch, encourage some gentle chase if your house has room, or give the dog a bath with supervision.

10.  “Cook” a new recipe

No bake cookies are perfect for little chefs! Another easy one is apple nachos (apple slices topped with warm nut butter drizzle), and fruit salad is a hit. My kids also love chocolate energy bites – and I enjoy them too!

11. Play in a bucket or baby pool of water

This one requires supervision, but can be fun. A little water in a baby pool is great for summertime or if the weather is warm. They can either be in or out of the water and just play with pouring containers.

No pool? Use a bucket. Clean out a mop bucket or other container, add water, toss some measuring cups and spoons their way and kick back!

12.

Practice soccer or football.

It’s up to you if this happens inside or outside. But I am not responsible for broken lamps.

Kids tend to get excited when parents relax the “no balls in the house” rule though, just saying.

13. Call a friend.

I know this means you have to give up your phone for a little while, but it’s pretty cute when kids talk on the phone.

14. Play board games, card games, or dice games.

My son LOVES to play board games. Is it a coincidence that it sounds like “bored games?” I think not. We keep a closet full of games, and Sorry is our favorite.

Twister is great if you want to add in some movement. Go Fish is perfect for elementary age kids, but Solitaire is great for playing solo!

Find our newest game recommendation and other boredom busters for the kids here!

15. Write a story.

They can have free reign here, or you can give them a prompt. They can write a story using a favorite character if they like. Give them lots of paper and staple it into a book when they finish.

16. Play with NERF guns.

Of all my 50 activities for bored kids, having a NERF battle is my son’s favorite. He can play alone or with a friend or parent.

He can even play with the dog if you have this NERF tennis ball blaster!

17. Play bean bag toss.

We used to have a cornhole set in our backyard, but now we just use beanbags inside. They are easy to make with scrap fabric, or you can find them cheap on Amazon.

18. Ride your bike or scooter.

Just remember a helmet!

19. Create a play. Act it out with stuffed animals.

Or just play with stuffed animals. It works either way.

20. Make up a dance.

With the popularity of Fortnite, the kids are doing all kinds of dances these days. Have them make up a new dance and name it.

21. Listen to music.

This can be on the radio, on a phone or tablet, or with an Echo dot. We love dace parties while Alexa plays music!

22.

Sweep the porch or driveway.

Ok this mayyyy not be fun, but it might make them think twice about complaining of being bored again!

23. Play with sidewalk chalk.

Practice writing letters, numbers, or sight words. Identify or draw shapes. Draw a picture.

24. Play with LEGOs.

Even if you don’t have the instructions to make a specific design, there are always castles and spaceships to be built!

Just don’t step on a lego.

25. Make play dough and play with it.

Here’s an easy recipe for play dough, or you can also make slime from glue! Kaiden had fun making galaxy slime here.

Halfway there – here are 25 more activities for bored kids!

26. Create a treasure hunt.

Let your kid create a treasure hunt for you – complete with a treasure map and buried or hidden treasure!

27. Make a fort with pillows and sheets.

Then give them a flashlight and a book – my favorite rainy day activity when I was a kid!

28. Create your own board game.

This can get super interesting. Just make sure they don’t ask for your help every step of the way!

29. Skype or FaceTime with a relative.

As long as grandparents or aunts and uncles know how to video chat, this should be great!

30. Research and animal and create a presentation about it.

Fun facts to share over dinner.

31. Play an instrument.

My kids love playing with their Loog guitars and little harmonicas. Even if you don’t have an instrument, you can make one. Play the spoons, turn over a bucket for a drum, or make maracas.

Check out our favorite educational/homeschool products and activities too!

32. Water the garden or plants outside.

This one could turn your yard into a river or lake if you aren’t watching. And it definitely isn’t a rainy day activity. Or is it?

33. Have a water gun fight.

You’re going to want to be involved in this one. Trust me. Mom shows no mercy.

34. Go on a picture scavenger hunt.

Look through books for pictures of different animals, or look through the house for pictures of different family members.

35. Take silly face pictures.

Two words: Snap. Chat.

36. Jump rope or hop scotch.

These are some of the lowest technology activities for bored kids that I could think of. But hop scotch is still fun!

37. Plan a menu for the day or week.

The easiest way to get kids to NOT complain about dinner is for them to plan it themselves!

38. Play wall ball.

Throw a ball against a wall or garage door. Catch. Repeat.

39. Look through old photo albums.

I did this SO MUCH as a kid. And I still do it.

40. Write a letter to your teacher.

As a former teacher, I can promise that she will love this. Add in a picture or some stickers. And a gift card if you really like her.

Check out this post on creating a thank you gift for your teachers!

41. Write a poem.

Limericks are a lot of fun! Or make a silly Dr. Seuss style poem.

42. Organize DVDs or books.

Um, what does it say about me if this was also one of my favorite activities as a bored kid?

43. Paint rocks for the garden.

Easy way to add some color to the garden – especially in the winter!

44. Do leaf/nature rubbings.

You can repurpose these as art for your house! Add them to a frame with a mat and voila – you have unique decor.

45. Sew a pillow with scraps.

Here we go again – another one of my own favorite activities for bored kids. I even made pillows with old t-shirts and stuffed them with socks that had holes.

But hey – it was fun, I kept myself busy, and I didn’t waste anything!

46. Do a jigsaw puzzle.

These can be fun for kids to do alone, or with a parent.

Here are 30+ print and play activities for kids!

47.

Create your own word search with family members’ names.

There are websites online that help with this, or you can do it on paper! Turn notebook paper sideways and use a ruler to add lines, or use grid paper.

Write in the names first and then fill in extra spaces with random letters. So fun!

48. Make bubbles.

Here’s an easy recipe for bubbles – but watch out for slippery floors!

49. Play dress up or give someone a silly makeover.

You can really go wild with this one.

And the final activity for bored kids…

50. Take a bath with bathtub crayons.

Bathtub crayons and colored bath drops are awesome! Or just let the kids take a bath! A bath in the middle of the day is a fun change in routine and it keeps the kids contained in one spot.

I also have this rainy day activity list as a PDF if you want to print it. We printed ours onto cardstock and hung it on the side of the fridge. You can also cut it into strips and put the strips in a “bored jar” for kids to pull from. Then the activity is more of a surprise!

Click here to download —> I’m Bored List

Related Posts You May Like:

Cardboard Craft Ideas

Home Workouts for Kids

Playroom Ideas for Toddlers

Non-Toy Gift Ideas for Kids

If you have any other favorite activities for bored kids, please leave your suggestions in a comment below! I’d love to be able to add more options or maybe switch out the list later for variety. 😉

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52 Things To Do When Kids Say “I’m Bored” – Okayest Moms

A common struggle of everyone being home 24/7, is definitely the struggle of having bored kids. Raise your hand if you’ve heard “I’m bored” eleventy billion times? Very few things send me in to a frenzy of frustration and annoyance than when I hear my kids are bored again. There is so much to do around here! In an attempt to combat this, we hope these boredom-busting activities help!

As many of us are navigating this brand new arrangement of no school and being home 24/7 during the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to share our list of boredom-busting ideas for kids. The goal is to list things that require little to no parental involvement. I certainly think the elaborate crafts and activities have their place, but this list specifically is meant to encourage independent play and creative thinking.

DOWNLOAD YOUR BOREDOM-BUSTING FREE PRINTABLE

I also would like to add a note that I know it’s good for kids to feel boredom. This is part of the reason a lot of the ideas are very general and meant to spark ideas for my kids. I believe wholeheartedly that kids should have unstructured time but I also know some kids (ahem, mine) need a jumping off point.

Start a free 30 day trial of HOMER, an ad free early learning site specifically designed for kids 2-8!

Things To Do When Kids Are Bored

1. Make a bracelet or necklace
2. Listen to a podcast
3. Ask Alexa questions
4. Geography workbooks: a few of our favorites linked here and here.
5. Write a letter to a friend
6. Do a research project (animal, place, person)
7. Build a LEGO city
8. Prodigy
9. Listen to free audio books
10. Read
11. Make your own comic book
12. Mad Libs
13. Word search
14. Color in a coloring book
15. Board game 
16. Hide and seek
17. Dance party
18. Chores
19. Make a fort
20. Cincinnati Zoo YouTube
21. Learn to draw something new
22. Draw a map of the house
23. Indoor obstacle course
24. Butcher paper art: Theme ideas are city, space, under the sea, dinosaurs, things that go, geography, bugs, on the farm
25. Chalk a driveway mural
26. Learn a magic trick
27. Walk/scooters/bikes
28. Live streams of Monterey Bay Aquarium
29. FaceTime friends or family
30. Play cards
31. Sami Circuit workout
32. Hide the sticker
33. Hangman
34. Virtual tour of the Great Wall of China
35. Learn to cook something
36. Jump rope
37. Watch butterflies grow, draw their life cycles
38. Bubbles
39. Dress up
40. GoNoodle
41. Toothpick tower: all you need are toothpicks and small marshmallows
42. Give the dog a bath
43. Tour the Winchester Mystery House
44. Pull weeds
45. Scroll NASA’s complete online image library
46. Hogwarts digital escape room
47. Lunch doodles with Mo Willems
48. Take a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace
49. Go on Disney rides
50. Free science lessons from Mystery Science
51. Listen to an astronaut read a story
52. Take a virtual farm tour

Click image above to download free printable.

Get Creative

There are a lot of creative ways to implement these too! You can keep the numbered list on your phone and as soon as you hear that dreaded “B” word from your kid, ask them to pick a number between 1 and 52. Whatever number they pick, they do!

Another great idea is to put all of these ideas on popsicle sticks and have your child choose a stick every time every time they’re bored. The possibilities are endless!

We’d love to hear your ideas on what kids can do when they exclaim, “I’m bored!” Add yours in the comments below. Want to see our ideas in action? Follow us on Instagram!

Ideas for holidays: What to do with a bored (on the phone) child

What to do with children during forced idleness so that the holidays are memorable, active and creative? We asked this super-relevant question for all parents to Amir Tagiev, a psychologist, a specialist in working with children and adolescents, and the organizer of the Kavardak children’s camp (formerly Nikola-Lenivets).

Illustrations: Asya Aleksandrova

Karina Chumakova

Arrange a fight in the snow fortress
“The year before last, during the winter holidays, we threw a cry among the families of our acquaintances and together with a gang of children – they were literally 5-6 years old – built a fortress and fell into snowball fights. The snow forts looked like medium-height fences. But for the children it was serious work – we built two “fences” with them for four hours, no less. How was it built? They put snow in a box, rammed it, made snow bricks and laid a wall out of them. Children come to an indescribable delight! nine0003

Any plastic container of a convenient size can be used as a mold for making snow bricks. Ideally, the snow should be wet, but if it is dry, you can pour a little water on it to make it better shaped.

Build a real igloo
The Eskimo Hut is a more advanced version of the snow brick building. There are plenty of needle schemes on the Internet, study them; it is important that the bricks have a non-standard shape and are laid out according to a certain pattern during the construction process. A large company of children and adults will build such a house very, very quickly. nine0003

Dig a hole in a snowdrift
At Nikola [Nikola-Lenivets children’s camp in the Kaluga region — approx. ed. ] we raked a huge pile of snow in the clearing, rammed it from above, then from below the children paved the entrance to it. Then I explained to them that if they all climb there and actively breathe, then a hole of the correct form will form inside, and they will be happy and healthy in it. Of course, they did not have the patience to sit and wait for a long time, and they simply shoveled the snow by force. The more children and parents in the game, the more fun the construction. nine0003

Karina Chumakova

Build your own race track
Choose a “wild” slope and roll a new slide on it. It is important that by arranging their own descent and planning a route, the child will learn to modify the environment “for themselves”. Do not lay out the slalom course among the trees (yes, you can go around some tree for the sake of adrenaline). Then you don’t have to put helmets on children – a warm hat and hood for many decades was quite enough when riding downhill. nine0003

Try riding on a large piece of linoleum instead of a regular sled (unmanaged on ice, with dangerous skids). Even if you roll over or roll head over heels from a piece of linoleum, nothing terrible will happen – you are at ground level. An important bonus of linoleum is that it paves the track well. So, choose a slope, sit down with the whole crowd on a piece of linoleum and move down. At the same time, your “flying carpet” levels the track like a grader.

Amir’s advice: In any hardware store there are always leftover linoleum, which are sold for mere pennies. Take the cheapest and thinnest – it is usually the most slippery, that is, ideal for skiing. nine0003

Karina Chumakova

Use the chance to let go of childhood fears
Snowmen are a very cool pedagogical topic. It is not necessary to make classic “snowwomen” (although this is a pleasure). You can sculpt everything that gives rise to children’s imagination – animals, monsters, cartoon characters.

Have your child mold their own fear. Talk to him about what he looks like, what shape he has, and then mold him out of the snow, stick a bunch of sticks into him … And if, for example, I know that today there is still snow, and tomorrow there will be a thaw, I will boldly go to play such a game. Then I will confidently explain to the child that fears can melt like snow, disappearing without a trace. nine0003

Karina Chumakova

Release your energy: destroy everything you have built
Many children enjoy building snowmen, but then destroy them with no less joy. Do not interfere with the child – it is his right to destroy what he has created. At school, they are told: “what are you, this is so bad” – to destroy what you have been doing for so long. And objects made of snow a priori imply that it’s not you, so nature will destroy them.

Participants of the first Archstoyanie festivals promoted a similar idea: they burned their objects to the ground, saying “what’s the difference, art should not be eternal”. It’s the same here – let the child express himself. In the end, you don’t know what exactly he invested: he suddenly sculpted some kind of reptile or enemy, and therefore destroys him with such joy. It’s good when some kind of aggression inherent in all of us can be channeled through the game. Perhaps, by destroying the snowman, the child will remove some other internal conflict. In this sense, winter is an absolutely brilliant time of the year. nine0003

Karina Chumakova

What to do if the child absolutely does not want to go for a walk (stuck on the tablet)
Teachers have long been advising that there is no point in blaming a child: get involved and share his interests. If I had the task of pulling a computer child out into the street, I would not make snowballs with him, but birds, like in Angry Birds – bigger, smaller, you can even paint them simply from a spray bottle with water and food coloring. And then it remains only to figure out how to shoot these snowballs. nine0003

Dad can become a pig himself for a while, and then you can switch roles. In any case, the game that was virtual will become real, and the child will see that gadgets are by no means necessary for fun, that life is no less interesting. And in this way you can interpret almost any game!

What if there is no snow?
It’s great to play winter quests with at least two or three children. For this, snow is optional – only the imagination of the parents is needed. At first it seems that all this is terribly complicated. But believe me: as soon as parents sit down to come up with a script, it’s hard to just stop your imagination later. Especially if you get together with friends the night before, drink mulled wine and try to come up with something amazing for your children together. For age 9-13 years old need at least 10-13 points. You can come to the park before the children and hide notes with tasks and puzzles for them. In principle, you can arrange a quest even at your own summer cottage. And I can say for sure that one such game will be remembered by your children for a whole year – if not for a lifetime.

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Things to do with your child on a rainy day – Child development

Rainy weather can spoil the mood for you and your child. But much worse is that on such a day the whole house turns into a playground. We offer some interesting ideas for activities with a child on a rainy day. nine0003

1. Make a “rainy day box”

When you have to stay at home, it’s hard to think of a suitable activity for your child. Therefore, collect various interesting games and materials in one box. Take out the box only when it is raining outside. It has to be large enough to fit a lot of materials. Don’t forget to replenish your supplies from time to time.

The box can contain:

• paints, colored paper, plasticine, etc.; nine0093
• coloring books;
• pencils, markers and crayons;
• items of clothing you were about to throw away;
• puzzles;
• old newspapers and magazines for papier-mâché or collages;
• decorations or balloons left over from a children’s party;
• deck of cards;
• board games.

2. Put together puzzles

Puzzles are fun. By bringing them together as a family, you strengthen the bond between you and the children. Let everyone put together part of the big picture according to their skills. Help each other in the build process. You can create your own family puzzle: print a large family photo and cut it into pieces.

3. Build a castle out of blankets

Children love to build castles out of blankets and pillows. Find a room where you can do a little rearrangement for a few hours. Use blankets, sheets, pillows and clothespins. The walls of your castle can be pieces of furniture (sofa, table or chairs). Let your child use their imagination and make rooms with towels. Play scenes from your favorite books in the castle. You can even have a small picnic. This activity will give you hours of fun. It will appeal to children of all ages. nine0003

4. Watch movies as a family

Instead of watching cartoons all day long, watch movies as a family. You can make popcorn for this. If you wish, you can show your creative abilities and make a film yourself, in which each family member has his own role. It will be good entertainment for the whole family.

5. Have a family tea party

Cooking with the kids can be a bit of a mess, but it’s good fun for all of you. Let the children help you prepare sweets for the tea party. Let the child seat their favorite toys at the table. Agree with your child that the tea party will take place if then he will help you clear the table and wash the dishes. This will teach him to compromise and take responsibility. However, do not forget that the main purpose of tea drinking is to have fun. nine0003

6. Treasure hunting

Children of all ages love this game. Hide treats or toys around the house (use a specific set of toys to let your child know what to look for, such as Barbie items, a set of cars, or balloons). Give each child a box to put the items they find in. You can also make multi-colored cards with the children that will play the role of “treasures”. The one who collects the most “treasures” wins a prize (there may be some treat as a prize). You can play this exciting game for hours. nine0003

7. Host a fashion show

This is a great way to sort through your child’s clothes. Install additional lighting in the corridor, turn on fun music and let the child show off their outfits. At this time, you must sit on a chair at the end of the corridor. Your task is to decide whether this or that piece of clothing is suitable for the new season, whether it needs to be repaired or it is time to throw it away. Organizing your child’s wardrobe can be fun!

8. Write a story book

Have your child write stories and then make a story book out of them. This activity will appeal to children of all ages and will be a wonderful memory of a rainy day. Staple a few sheets of paper together and let your child use their imagination to design the cover for a future book. Encourage him to use photos of family, friends, or pets for this purpose. Old magazines can also come in handy: the child can cut out the pictures they like from them and decorate the pages of the book with them. If the child does not know where to start, you can offer him some simple topics for stories. It can be a fairy tale, a story about how he spent his birthday or a story about a pet. nine0003

9. Take a walk in the rain

A walk in the rain is a great way to deal with the irritation of rainy weather, entertain bored children, and get some fresh air. Put on your rubber boots and raincoats, take your umbrellas and go discover the world! You can go to your favorite park, take a walk around the neighborhood, or just explore your yard. Do not worry if the child gets a little wet during the walk – after the walk, let him take a hot bath. This will help to avoid a cold, as well as calm the child after such an adventure. nine0003

10. Sort through the toys with your child

This activity can not only lead to a mess in the room, but also bring a lot of fun. Spend a few hours sorting through the toys with your child and sorting them into boxes. If you have several children, you can arrange a competition to see who can put the toys into boxes the fastest. For additional motivation, you can establish a prize for the winner. In addition, if you arrange such a competition, you will not have to argue with the children and force them to clean up the room. nine0003

Each child should be given a box to store toys in. You can write the name of the child on the box – this will be a box for his personal toys. You can have a similar competition in different forms:

• Give each child a box of his brother or sister. From the general pile of toys, they should choose those that belong to a brother or sister. The one who fills the box first wins;
• Let the children take turns picking toys from the community pile, identifying who owns or sharing them, and putting them in the appropriate box. After that, count how many toys are left in the common box; nine0093
• Sit the children on the floor near the common heap of toys and blindfold them. The boxes should be at some distance. Let them take turns pulling out one toy and groping to determine who it belongs to. For each correct answer, the child receives one point.