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50 Things for Kids to Do When They’re Bored

July 12, 2021 By Lisa Mullen Leave a Comment

Tired of hearing the groans of your “bored” kiddos? Want to help them find things to do without stifling their creativity or having to entertain them? Here are some great boredom busters for your kids to do when they’re bored that will foster imagination and problem-solving!

50 Things for Kids to Do When They're Bored | The Merry Momma

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“I’m bored!” How many times have you heard that?? Does it make you cringe? Roll your eyes? 

I’ve written a few times now about how we are NOT our kids’ activities director. We don’t have to schedule every minute, and it’s not our job to keep them entertained. It’s okay for kids to get bored. In fact, it’s good for them to get bored! That’s when they engage their own creativity, problem-solving, and resourcefulness.



That being said, sometimes they need a little help finding (non-destructive 😉) things to do. As imaginative as kids naturally are, creativity is a muscle that needs regular strengthening. Especially if free or unstructured play is new to your family, it may need a little workout.

If your kids are starting to get bored at this point in the summer (or whenever you’re reading this post), there are ways to help them find things to do without doing all the mental work for them. 

Here are 50 “boredom busters” — things for kids to do when they’re bored — that will guide them and provide parameters for their free play while still allowing their creativity to flow.

Kids free play

50 Activities For Kids to Do When They’re Bored

Tired of hearing the groans of your “bored” kiddos? Want to help them without stifling their creativity or having to entertain them? 

Here are some broad ideas of things they can do on their own (depending on their age) that will foster imagination and problem-solving. Give them this list to get their juices flowing, then set them loose to make their own fun!

  1. Read a book
  2. Write a story
  3. Construct a marble run
  4. Make paper airplanes or origami
  5. Build a structure out of blocks, plastic cups, play-doh and toothpicks, a deck of cards, straws, pipe cleaners, household objects, etc.
  6. Create their own recipe (tell them which foods they can use and which ones are off-limits)
  7. Have a nerf gun fight
  8. Draw or color pictures
  9. Make a collage with magazine pictures
  10. Make their own book (I get these for my 7-year-old – He LOVES them!)
  11. Make puppets out of paper bags or socks
  12. Bake cookies
  13. Play in a DIY water table 
  14. Build a fort
  15. Go on a nature scavenger hunt around the yard
  16. Make a craft with popsicle sticks and yarn, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, felt, etc.
  17. Make sidewalk chalk art
  18. Paint rocks
  19. Construct something out of Kleenex boxes, cereal boxes, or other cardboard boxes
  20. Shoot how-to videos or have a photo shoot
  21. Journal
  22. Make friendship bracelets 
  23. Play in a sandbox or dig in the dirt
  24. Put on a talent show
  25. Listen to an audiobook or podcast 
  26. Set up an obstacle course outside
  27. “Wash” the sidewalk, house, or outside toys with paintbrushes and water
  28. Go on virtual tours of national parks on Google Arts & Culture
  29. Play a game like “Red Light, Green Light” or “Hide-n-Go-Seek”
  30. Do a puzzle
  31. Learn to draw with YouTube videos 
  32. Set up a battle reenactment with plastic figurines or stuffed animals
  33. Have a tea party for dolls or stuffed animals
  34. Make jewelry with beads or pasta
  35. Complete a word search (my 7-year-old likes to make his own!)
  36. Play dress-up
  37. Catch bugs and make a bug house 
  38. Play “the floor is lava”
  39. Make instruments from household objects (such as tissue boxes and rubber bands)
  40. Play with Play-Doh or kinetic sand 
  41. Collect nature specimens
  42. Make torn paper art
  43. Build with LEGOs, K’NEX, or magnet tiles (these are our favorites)
  44. Make paper plate masks
  45. Play with toy cars and trucks outside
  46. Create an “All About Me” book
  47. Put on a magic show
  48. Make folded paper chains, paper link chains, or crochet chains 
  49. Build a domino run 
  50. Make paper “bridges” out of paper and see how many pennies it can hold


What fun and creative ideas do you have for kids to do when they’re bored?? Share all your best boredom busters in the comments below!

 

More Kids Activity Ideas:

  • 50+ Indoor/Outdoor Independent Play Ideas for Kids
  • 7 Ways to Encourage Your Kids’ Curiosity (And Why You’d Even Want To)
  • 10 Screen-Free Educational Activities
  • 15 EASY Indoor Activities for Kids (With Little to No Prep)
  • 15 Delightful Spring Outdoor Activities for Kids
  • 30 Winter Activities For Kids (You Can Do in 2021)
  • How to Have Your Own Summer Reading Program at Home

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Hi, I’m Lisa! I am first and foremost a child of God, and secondly a wife and mother of two precious little misters and one sweet little missy.

I'm here to encourage, inspire, and offer practical help for moms to empower them be the joyful, peaceful, and intentional mom they want to be!

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