9 Fun Boredom Busters that Kids Actually Love!
Summer is coming up and the last thing parents want to hear is their kids singing “I’m bored in the house and I’m in the house bored” on repeat. Am I right? Of course I am. I’ve been there! This list of 9 boredom busters is guaranteed to have activities that your school-age kids will actually love and enjoy this summer! Watch out – you might just enjoy them too.
This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx, but all opinions are my own.
Disney Hits by Disney Music
One of our favorite activities when we are bored is to have a dance party! With Disney Hits, kids can have a dance or singing party whenever they want.
Teach your kids how to get the happiest playlist on earth just by saying, “Alexa, play Disney Hits!” or you can access it on all other music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. You can download the Disney Hits Playlist here!
Be sure to check out the other Disney Playlists like Disney Lullaby, Disney Piano, and Disney Junior. We also printed a few coloring sheets to enjoy while we sang our favorite songs – great for when you want to keep things a little more calm!
Feeling Through Colors activity from Action for Healthy Kids
Kids tend to have difficulty understanding and expressing their emotions, and right now emotional health is more important than ever. Action for Healthy Kids has created a Feeling Through Colors activity that guides kids in using art to help recognize, identify, and label their feelings.
We completed the Feeling Through Colors activity together, and it was a surprisingly helpful way for us to have a better understanding of feelings and emotional health! My kids enjoyed exploring their feelings through art and color, and I had a peek into their current feelings and state of emotional well-being.
You can take action for your kids by joining the movement with us. Sign up for Action for Healthy Kids news, updates, and more at-home kids’ activity resources today. Together we can grow healthy, happy kids – and keep them from being bored at the same time!
STEM Activity – A Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky
We are big into STEM in our house, and without any complaint from the kids! They love experimenting and learning about all kinds of science and math-based activities and topics.
A Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky is a book that is perfect for kids 8 and up who are interested in learning about the stars, planets, and constellations. With beautiful illustrations, kids can read what astronomers have learned and what astronauts and scientists explore. They can also learn what they are able to find by gazing up into the sky at night!
Each book comes with a star finder wheel and glow-in-the-dark stickers, providing an exploration experience beyond just reading the book.
Hand your older kid this book, a blanket, and a clear view of the night sky, and let them learn! Who knows – this boredom buster could guide your child to becoming a future astronaut!
Magic Sketch from Boogie Board
Ok all you 80s parents out there. I bet you remember a similar toy when you were a kid. How much fun did you have creating a picture on your “magical” device only to erase it once you were done and start over again?
Kids today can do the same – only with a way cooler tool!
The Magic Sketch lets kids write electronically and erases at the touch of a button. It’s endless fun, mess-free, and doesn’t waste all of mom’s paper!
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just want to let my kids be creative without wondering where the crayons, paints, and markers may end up.
Beyond just a drawing pad, the Magic Sketch is also educational. Use the ABC templates to help your young ones learn to write their letters, or create your own templates for your kids to trace!
The Feel Better Box from Open the Joy
“Mom, I’m bored. Can I play with the Feel Better Box?” – direct quote from my 10 year old son.
Open the Joy has done what all moms everywhere wanted to do but just didn’t have the time. They curated the first ever “Feel Better Collection” filled with origami, magic, painting activities, conversation cards, games, and more. It’s the ultimate get well soon activity kit!
But no need to get sick to enjoy The Feel Better Box. Combat the boredom and cabin fever with 100+ boredom busters to keep the kids occupied while you work or prepare dinner, or any time your kid starts to say that dreaded “b” word!
Designed by child therapists to promote conversation and healing through play, The Feel Better Box isn’t just for kids. It’s a great tool for families to bond together as you reach new levels of connectivity. (My favorite is the “Would You Rather” game.)
Open the Joy also partners with Spread the Joy Foundation to distribute joy boxes to hospitalized children across America.
Head over to Open the Joy and grab your Feel Better Box so you’ll be prepared when the boredom hits!
STEM Puzzle Games: Smart Farmer and Jump In’
Ok, I actually had to stop my kids from playing these games so we could eat dinner. They have so much fun playing that they lose track of time!
Not a bad problem when they are absorbed in brainteasing fun.
SmartGames Smart Farmer is a preschool game that can be enjoyed by kids as young as 4 years old. Aren is almost 4 and is starting to understand how the puzzle works, but still needs a little help. Kids can have fun with the soft animal pieces as they learn problem solving and spatial insight. Smart Farmer is a great introduction to SmartGames and all of the other skill-building fun they can eventually enjoy as they grow older!
SmartGames Jump In’ is one of the compact, portable games that is perfect for travel or even for screen-free entertainment while waiting for food at a restaurant. Kids can work on logic, planning, and problem solving skills as they have fun with the sliding foxes and jumping rabbits. Even I enjoyed the challenge as I learned how to play right along with Kaiden!
Find them at the SmartGames Amazon Store.
Vtech KidiGo Walkie Talkies
If you have more than one child, these walkie talkies are a MUST HAVE boredom buster. I wish I had figured this out years ago!
KidiGo Walkie Talkies let kids chat up to 500 feet away over a secure digital connection, preventing other users from listening in or communicating with them. Kids can also send preset animated messages and play four 2-player games over the walkie talkies!
Kaiden and Aren love playing with their KidiGo Walkie Talkies on different floors indoors on rainy days, and outside when the weather is nice. They really let their imaginations run wild! It’s so fun to see their creativity as they come up with games and scenarios together.
VTech KidiGo Walkie Talkies are available at Target and Walmart.
LeapFrog LeapStart 3D Learning System from VTech
Another amazing VTech toy, the LeapFrog LeapStart 3D Learning System gets kids excited about learning by combining real books with touch-and-talk games. Plus it has 3D-like animations that bring the activities in the book to life!
Kids of all ages can enhance their reading and math skills with engaging activities and fun animations. The LeapStart library, which includes the LeapStart Math in Action and Toys Save the Day books (sold separately), provides 30+activities in every book for preschool through 1st grade subjects.
Aren has asked to do her “school activity” almost every day, and has really been proud to show me what she has learned to do! Although Rowen isn’t quite old enough yet, he is anxious to be able to do the activities like his big sister. I can tell we will need another one of these soon!
Let them decide!
In addition to the amazing ideas I’ve listed, I have found one pretty fool-proof boredom buster:
Let the kids call the shots and decide what fun activity to do!
Have your kids make a list of things they would like to do, either independently or as a family. Tell them to let their imaginations run wild and come up with as many ideas as they can for things they’d like to do when they are bored.
First – They are going to be busy writing this list for a while. So that’s win #1 for you.
Second – Every now and then, our kids can surprise us. They sometimes come up with great ideas that parents miss!
If they need a little help getting those ideas flowing, you can share my bored list or our list of ways to be active at home. Feel free to use my ideas but I’m sure you can come up with lots more! (And when you do, share some of those great ideas with me too, ok? Moms have to stick together!)
MEET AMANDA
Amanda is a mom of 4 living a mostly crunchy lifestyle outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband, 2 dogs, and a cat. As a former special education teacher who also has her personal training certification — Amanda really enjoys teaching others how to do things!
When she’s not working, Amanda enjoys DIY projects, exercising, photography, hiking, and long walks through Target.
