By: Amy Miller
Woo Hoo!!! Summer is here!!!
My favorite season is summer. I can’t wait to find a cute summer dress, matching pair of flip flops- I could wear flip flops all year long-, and sit by the pool with a good book and glass of lemonade. Yes, I love summer! However, as a nanny (along with millions of parents) I am aware with summer comes summer break, which comes the dreaded B-word.
Bored… Bored… Bored!!!
What to do with those summer boredom blues?
Let’s make a “What To Do” Jar or “I’m Bored” Jar. The girls and I made a list of things they love to do- play outside, ride bikes, blow bubbles, color, watch a movie etc.. (This is an activity in it self that will occupy the kiddos for a while) Then we wrote each fun activity on a sticky note. Stuffing the notes inside a jar, we now had our “What To Do” (when I’m bored) Jar.
Whenever I hear the B-word I send the girls to the jar. Most of the time, we pull out 2 or 3 activities and the girls chose. Giving kids a few ideas instead of a whole list will make it easier for them to decide. Sometimes, we trust in the luck of the draw. Whatever activity we pull out first is the one that will scare away the boredom monster.
Here is a suggestion I read online from a parent with older children… If they complain of boredom, offer some chores to keep them busy. I’m sure they will find something to do quickly and the complaining will disappear.
Hopefully no one has summer boredom blues. Happy Summer Everyone!
Great idea! I read about this somewhere recently, but had forgitten. And the assigning chores if they say they’re bored–we did that this winter with a 3.5 year old and it worked like a charm! I haven’t heard that word in months.
I also think it’s important to note that pre-planning can really help with boredom. I try to plan at least 2 unique activities a day which helps to break up the long day.
Great post, Amy! Welcome to the writing team!