Now that summer is here, we decided to ready our big gun.  We spent some time yesterday filling up our Boredom Bucket.  I got this idea from a friend and decided to put it into personal use because I currently have one particular child that regularly tells me he’s bored.  He plows through his schoolwork and then doesn’t know what to do with his extra time.  If this is a problem for him during school, I just have this feeling that he might drive me mad with the extra time on his hands during summer vacation!  Thus, I am being pro-active on this issue because I do not care to have a repeatative conversation each day about how we have a house full of things to do and I am not here to entertain him.

In this bucket, we placed 1″ stips of paper that had things to do written on them.  It actually turned out to be an awesome project for the kids to help with because they not only got involved in thinking up some of the ideas, but also they were forced to think through how to spell things and write it out themselves.

The idea is that when someone says they are bored, they are to go to the Boredom Bucket and pick out something to do. If they are so bored that they must partake from the bucket, then they must do what the slip of paper tells them to do.  It’s a risk they take because some of them are great things and some of them are not.

We started out by writing down things we could think of on our own, but then began to resort to our “Family Fun Boredom Busters” book.  We also perused through some of our years and years of old/current Family Fun magazines.  We also put in a few duplicate slips.  In case you wanted to start your own Boredom Bucket (or jar or bottle), here is our exhaustive list to help you get started.  This may be a bit long, but I hate it when people only give a few ideas.  Sometimes I just need more than a few to get my brain jump started!

Write a letter.
Work on the family puzzle (We always have a 1000 piece one going during vacations.)
Make a paperclip chain.
Take out the trash.
Take out the compost.
Do someone’s jobs (chores) for them.
Play Simon Says.
Make a watercolor painting.
Play kitchen with your sister.
Listen to a book on CD.
Dress up in a costume.
Play a board game.
Make a snack for everyone.
Ask Mom if you can make a batch of cookies.
Practice your cursive writing.
Do a Math Facts worksheet.
Make someone’s bed for them.
Make something out of aluminum foil.
Play with Polly Pockets.
Make your bed.
Play in the sand table.
Play lightsabers.
Make something out of recycled items.
Clean your room.
Water the backyard grass.
Write a note of encouragement to a sibling.
Practice your typing.
Listen to music.
Play Penny Basketball.
Do one page in your school workbook.
Play in the backyard.
Use stickers to make a picture.
Sweep the floor.
Make a necklace or bracelet.
Play with hackey sacks.
Time yourself doing something (ie: how many times can you snap your fingers in 1 minute, etc.)
Invent a secret code.
Go bug catching.
Fill in a US States map.
Ride your bike.
Sing your favorite song.
Read your Bible.
Have a Lego contest.
Read a book to your sister.
Make a design with the geometric shape blocks.
Make a book.
Play house with someone.
Clean out the trash from the car.
Clean the mirrors in the bathrooms.
Build a fort.
Create a picnic lunch/dinner for the family.
Play with bubbles outside.
Read outloud to someone.
Draw with stencils.
Organize something.
Practice cartooning.
Sweep and mop the floor.
Pick another card.
Take out the recycling.
Read a book.
Take a nap.
Draw a picture for a friend.
Pretend you are on a bus, train or plane.
Play with Zho Zho pets.
Pull out the Family Fun magazines or book, choose an activity and do it.
Play Legos.
Play a card game.
Play Red Light, Green Light or Duck, Duck, Goose.
Climb a tree.
Play baseball/T-ball.
Get rid of one of your toys or stuffed animals to give to a child in need.
Write 5 things you are thankful for.
Play dodgeball.
Play I-Spy.
Read “find-it” books.
Make something with pipe cleaners.
Play with playdough or modeling clay.
Make something with toothpicks or straws.
Jump rope.
Ask mom to help you make something in the kitchen.
Make up or discover a new game from a book.
Vacuum.
Pretend to be a pet vet.
Make a paper hat.
Clean the toilet.
Pull weeds for 15 minutes.
Memorize a verse or poem.
Water the plants.
Make a treasure hunt.
Make something for one of your siblings.
Write a thank you note.
Play Wii Sports Resort for 15 minutes.
Build with blocks.
Run through the sprinklers.
Make a store or restaurant and invite your siblings to it.
Play soccer.
Make puppets and put on a show.
Pick a “Try This Now” from the back of Family Fun and do it.
Make up words on the calculator.
Make popsicles for the family.
Blow up balloons.
Play with your stuffed animals.
Practice your spelling words.
Pick up things around the house and put them away.
Draw using different techniques.
Rub Mommy or Daddy’s back.
Draw a big picture on butcher paper.
Play Monkey in the Middle.
Ride your scooter.
Run a few laps in the backyard.
Do a craft project.
Use sidewalk chalk.
Fold laundry and put it away.
Listen to KLOVE.
Play with Littlest Pet Shop.
Create an obstacle course for others to play.
Give someone a hug.
Make a bowling game with cups.
Take a bath or shower.
Make a picture with buttons.
Fold the blankets in the living room.
Play frisbee.
Use the dry erase board.  Play tic-tac-toe, etc.
Learn how to make a blade of grass whistle.
Wipe the downstairs bathroom.
Go on a 100 hunt. (Collect 100 of an item.)
Pet the cats and feed them.
Ask Mom if she needs help with anything and do it happily!
Read a Lego magazine.
Do a random act of kindness for someone.
Make a paper airplane.
Use the word magnets to create sentences or even a story.
Turn on the music and dance.
Practice hammering with nails.
Read your school book.
Teach your sister to spell a new word.
Write a story and draw pictures to go with it.
Go on a nature walk in the backyard.  Make something with what you find.
Wipe the fingerprints/dirt off of doorframes.
Play on the computer for 15 minutes.
Make a collage.

This is our complete list for now, but I intend to add in a few more as I think of them.  I also am going to sit down and do this again in about 6 weeks.  We really weren’t done, but figured it was enough for now.  It is enough to get them started, now let’s hope this is enough to get YOU started!

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