Twenty Ideas to Move Bored Kids to Moving Kids!

Are you just a few minutes into spring break and already the kids have spoken those universal words of childhood? “Mom, I’m bored.” Ahhhh, music to a mother’s ear. Not. So here’s a few ideas to get those kids of yours off the computer, away from the television screen, and out of your hair (for a little while anyways LOL).

1. Spring Clean their bedrooms. Before you think I am nuts here, one of the best things you can do to help your children find things to DO, is to ensure they have a place to DO. In most homes, this is their bedroom. Set up the Children’s Spring Cleaning Challenge with them. Let your kids pick out some fun and feisty music to get them going. Choose a few special treats to keep them going. And have fun. While they are spring-cleaning their bedrooms, why don’t you follow along with the game and DO your bedroom as well. Make it fun and the kids will have a hoot!
   
   
2. Go the library and stock up on a pile of free books. Some even have free music, movies, and other activities that the kids can enjoy and sign out. Look for spring programs also offered by the library. Ours has a magician coming in this week. Be sure to curl up with some family reading time with the kids. When they see you read, they will read too.
   
   
3. While at the library, look for some science experiment books (beginner ones – please don’t ask me how I know this LOL). Let your children play with the vinegar and baking soda. Let them learn how to use a lemon to create power. Let your children discover. There are many fantastic, easy to understand science books in the library.
   
   
4. Head out to the park. Depending on where you live, you will either be slathering on the suntan lotion, or piling on the winter woollies. Either way, get the kids out of the house and into the outdoors. Bring a ball – yes you can play catch in the snow – use a bright colored ball so you can find it again (I have even played snowgolf in the past). Be adventuresome. Once you get the kids started, they will create their own ways of enjoying the outsides.
   
   
5. Haul out an old board game. Last year we blew the dust off of one of my brother’s old K-Tel board games. Not only did we have to explain how to play the game, we had to explain a bunch of the “old fashioned – from the 70’s terms” that were part of play. Everyone has an old Monopoly, Scrabble, or Trivial Pursuit game collecting dust in the closet. Haul it out and start playing!
   
   
6. Challenge your kids to build something that uses up every piece of Lego (or other building block system) in the house. After years of picking up buckets of Lego at various garage sales, we have quit a pile of it at home. The kids have yet to achieve this challenge LOL.
   
   
7. Dig out the costume buckets and the video camera. Let your kids create and star in a play. Ours used to invite the neighbors over to join in on the fun. By the time spring break was done, they had full-version movie to send to far away grandmas and grandpas. I still treasure those (The kid’s version of Cinderella staring my three year old daughter will always be my favorite!).
   
   
8. Speaking of grandparents and other far-away relatives. How about asking the kids to write a family letter – complete with photos, artwork and other treasures. Let the kids take turns writing their parts of the letter (and decorating the envelope). For the price of a stamp, your family will be sending a smile to someone who hasn’t seen them in a while.
   
   
9. Take a trip to your local tourism information center. Your community may have a ton of spring activities happening that you don’t even know about. Look for Easter egg hunts, free swims or skates at the local facilities, open houses at museums, tours through universities or colleges, and more. Don’t forget to go though the community events pages in your local newspaper or online. So many events only attract the older crowd – bring your kids along, who knows they may discover an activity new to them.
   
   
10. Plan a beach party in the home – even if there is snow on the ground. Dress in shorts and t-shirts, make popsicles, have potato salad and hot dogs for supper. Put on your shades and enjoy the fun with the kids.
    
    
11. This isn’t new, but it is still fun. Let your kids explore the craft stash. If you haven’t used those supplies in the past five years, you may as well let the kids use them (yup, even the stamping glitters LOL). Perhaps the kids want to make some “Welcome Spring” cards to send to the neighbors (or to a lonely senior around the corner).
    
    
12. Do you have a favorite grandma/grandpa, uncle or aunt nearby. Perhaps the kids would like to spend the night over there? Mine will be heading over to their grandparents for one, maybe two nights. I am always amazed by the things they end up doing over there – including baking my dad’s favorite German tortes! I think they have a few surprises planned with my mom as well. My birthday is coming up during spring break and the kids have been whispering non-stop.
    
    
13. Let your kids plan and cook Friday night supper – right down to the fancy tablecloth that usually only sees daylight during the holiday season. You will amazed by their cooking ideas (just don’t’ be surprised when desert is served first!).
    
    
14. Check out the gardening supply stash. Are there any seeds or bulbs left over from last summer? We moved several geranium plants into the basement over the winter. This week, the kids and I will be rooting them in water and then replanting them into starter pots. Hopefully I will be able to use them this summer in my baskets on the porch.
    
    
15. Homework. Yes, some teachers give out homework over spring break. The kids may as well get it done as soon as possible to avoid the Sunday night panic when they realize a ten-page essay is due the next morning. (And here’s a hint – check out the kid’s backpack early - you also want to avoid finding a two-week old lunch doing the jig at the bottom of the bag – ewwwww!)
    
    
16. Plan a get away. We are headed out for four days over our spring break. The hotel (which comes with breakfast and a swimming pool) won’t cost a dime, since we are cashing in travel points. We’ll pack along lunches, snacks, and our own water bottles for the long drive so we won’t be tempted to stop along the way. We’re planning tons of free exploration – long walks along the beach, touring spring gardens, taking pictures, and yes – even shopping. We’re lucky however, in our family “shopping” doesn’t mean “BUYing.” Since the hotel has a fridge, we’ll pick up some fantastic fresh bread, sandwich fixings, and fresh fruit for a fraction of the cost of “fast food” drive-thrus. During the day, we’ll stop for picnics wherever we happen to be. The only meals we plan on spending extra money on will be supper – a treat that we have saved up for (there is this fantastic Chinese food restaurant that makes the BEST pork buns…. Mmmmm!). Of course, we’ll have to pay for gas, but before I leave I will ensure the tires are at the right pressure and the van isn’t overloaded. I want the best mileage possible. I also know there are a few locations along the route where gas is cheaper than the rest of the way. I plan on refilling there!
    
    
17. Let the kids clean out a closet. Don’t underestimate how much fun a kid has hauling everything out of a closet and then organizing it again. Help them sort through the things you don’t want or need anymore so there is less to put back again. (I think this goes back to the days when they were toddlers and were always trying to re-organize my lower cabinets in the kitchen – hee hee).
    
    
18. Blow the dust off the sports equipment. If the tennis racquets and basketballs have spent the winter hiding behind the bicycles and rollerblades, then haul them out. If you are still a little snow-hampered, then drag out the sleds, cross-country skis (or my personal favorite – the snowshoes). Teaching your children to enjoy moving is one of the best gifts you can give your kids as they move onto adult hood. Letting them see you enjoy moving is a close second!
    
    
19. Let your kids borrow your camera and take some new family pictures (include these in the grandma package – see above). If your family is like mine, all the pictures are missing a parent – the picture taker. If you look at our albums, there are very few pictures of me. The only way the kids will know what I looked like is if I hand the camera over to them. I love digital cameras. Everyone can take as many pictures as they want and it doesn’t cost a dime. Email the end results to old friends and family members. They will love the spring treat!
    
    
20. Let your kids be bored once in awhile. A kid who is daydreaming is thinking. You do not have to plan every minute of every day. Turn off the TV and turn off the computer games. Let your children discover new things.

"Remember, memories are made of the things you DO, not the things you BUY." - Cindy