Daddy's Hair & Nail Salon

Have on Hand:    Nail polish, glitter,  1 dad, (or mom) siblings, hair accessories, wash-out hair color, clips, braids, headbands, combs, brushes, etc.
   
Boredom Buster Description:  Kids love using their imaginations.  At my home we pretend it is "Beauty Day."  My daughter picks up her pretend phone and makes a phone call to the beauty shop.  I answer it and we make an appointment.  I ask her what services she would like, as well as who she would like to perform the services.  My husband, my son, and myself all participate.  We set up a time and write down what services will be preformed.  She then arrives at the "salon" in our living room and receives her day of beauty.  It is a fun activity that the whole family can participate in.

Boredom Buster Bio:  My name is Stacey and I am a mom of two wonderful kids.  Steven is in 1st grade and he is 6 years old.  Alexa is in daycare and she is 3 years old.  I have been married to my wonderful husband, Adam, for 8 years.  I am a full time elementary school teacher.  I love my job and my family.  I think it is important to keep an open mind and always look for new and exciting things to do with my children, both in school and out. :0)

Thank you, Stacey Kevelos, for this great idea!

The 3 Bs

Have on Hand: Books, Board Games, Baking Ingredients

Boredom Buster Description:      Busting boredom is always the same in our house. First, we bake! Once our goodies are in the oven we play board games. When the goodies are done baking, we curl up on the couch and eat them while we read our favorite books.

Boredom Buster Bio:  Katie Clark has been writing stories since she was 7 years old. Her work includes picture books, picture book apps, magazine pieces, and more. She spends her time reading, writing, and of course busting boredom with her two awesome daughters. www.katieclarkbooks.webs.com

Thank you, Katie for this great idea!

Suds 'Em Up Toy Wash

This is one of our family favorites!

Have on Hand: A tub of toys, mild dish soap or liquid baby soap

Boredom Buster Description: This was one of our favorite summer activities. We'd dump all the dusty, dirty toys into the plastic baby pool. Add dish soap, water, and kids. We'd have a splashing good time and clean toys to boot.  Well the idea works in the tub too! You might have to  squelch the splashing just a little but when the toys are clean, the kids are too!

Kaleidoscope Crayon Melting Art

If your kids are like mine, they refuse to use the little leftover nibs of broken crayons. And if you're like me, you refuse to throw them out. Well, a few weeks ago we posted a fun recipe for Broken Crayon Muffins that was one great use for those little buggers. Here's another.

Have on Hand:
Wax paper
Iron
Crayon scraps
Cotton fabric, pillowcase or towel

Boredom Buster Description:

1. Peel paper from crayons.
2. Combine crayon crumbs in interesting color patterns on a sheet of wax paper.
3. Cover with another sheet of wax paper of the same size.
4. Place this wax paper/crayon/wax paper sandwich between two pieces of cotton fabric and press with a hot iron.
5. Allow to cool and unveil your crayon melt masterpiece.

The Star of My Own Story!

Have on Hand:   Photographs of child that can be cut up, glue, blank paper, scissors, markers or crayons, stickers

Boredom Buster Description:   Have your child use old photos to cut and paste into scenes or story pages. Then, write the story together. Use creative words! Your child will be the main character and the star all in one story!

Boredom Buster Bio:  My creative and very artistic daughter, Ella Sophia, is 5 years old. She uses so much paper at the writing and craft table at school that we have started donating some every month. Aria is 3 and still enjoys making a scribble or two and that's all her story entails.
  
Thank you, Beth Terry, for this great idea!

The Feeling Game (Or, How to Boost Your Kid's EQ!)

Have on Hand:    Nothing!

Boredom Buster Description:      This one doesn't last long, but it's great in a pinch because you don't need any supplies, AND it helps teach emotional intelligence, plus it's just darn cute to watch, especially with toddlers (or drama-inclined teenagers!). Have your child do the acting, or take turns by having one of you name an emotion, and then the other acts it out. Start with simple ones like angry, happy, sad. Once they've mastered those, move on to slightly harder ones like sleepy, surprised, or scared. After that, you can start getting more creative and challenging with things like disappointed, perplexed, indignant, repulsed, etc.

Boredom Buster Bio:      Motherhood transformed Laurie Thompson from a mild-mannered, dissatisfied software engineer into a passionate, fulfilled writer. She now strives to create nonfiction that will educate, entertain, and inspire young readers. Laurie’s articles have appeared in ParentMap, Odyssey, Faces, Know, and others, and she is currently working on several nonfiction book manuscripts for various ages. You can read more about Laurie and her work at http://lauriethompson.com.

Thank you, Laurie Thompson for this great idea!

Potato and Gadget Stamping

This is a family favorite!

As a kid I was always doing some kind of art project and stamping was one of my favorites. Of course I was thrilled when my kids  loved it to.


Have on Hand:
Paint
Potatoes
Buttons
Kitchen gadgets
Spools
Erasers
Washable paints.
Paper
Knives or other carving tools.

Boredom Buster Description:
First comb the house and collect items of unique and varied shapes. This can be as fun as the stamping itself. Kitchen gadgets, cookie cutters, fruits and vegetables make for great prints. And don't forget the potato masher - always a favorite.

With adult supervision cut fruits and vegetables in half and carve shapes into the potatoes. Stick with simple shapes for younger kids - hearts, shamrocks, flowers. With older kids you might try letters of the alphabet or more advanced shapes. For reverse prints, try pressing cookie cutters into halved- potatoes to make an impression of the shape, then stamp with the potato.

Then pour  Tempra paints on paper plates and dip your "stamps" right in. You may have to blot a bit  to get a perfect shape. Try different colors. Overlap them or create repeating patterns. Discover the "inner beauty" of fruits and vegetables as their intricate interiors burst forth in full color on the page. And when you're bored with the old, hunt for new gadgets to stamp and open up your art to entirely new designs.

Drive-In Movie Theater

Have on Hand: 
LCD projector (borrow it from the office)
The latest and greatest DVD release
Every ride-on toy in the neighborhood

Boredom Buster Description:   When our kids were young, I worked for a company that produced LCD projectors. Having a movie up on the wall at our house soon hit the Top Ten list of favorite things to do. Today, big screen TVs are everywhere, but kids still love the drive-in movie nights in our basement! We play this one in the basement where there is plenty of space to drive around. You'll need one blank wall to project the movie, and space to line up all the kiddie cars and trikes.  Set up a ticket booth for the "cars" to drive through. And, of course, you'll need a snack stand. Distribute play money and allow everyone to choose a favorite snack to buy. Truly creative types will add parking lines to the floor using masking tape and create "speakers" for each vehicle using Styrofoam cups and some yarn. The older kids can perform the pre-show commercials and trailers. Hit the lights and let the show begin!

Boredom Buster Bio:  Okay, so my kids were toddlers a LONG time ago. This STILL worked over the holidays when we hosted the five kids from next door while their parents went on a Christmas wrapping frenzy.

Thank you, Rosemary Schwendler, for this great idea!

Make a Big Noise!

Have on Hand: Pots and pans and spoons!

Boredom Buster Description: When my son was young, one of our favorite boredom busters was simply to hand him some pots and pans and plastic ware and a wooden spoon. Instant drum set! He loved experimenting with what kinds of different sounds he could make, and, of course, he loved having permission to be LOUD!

Boredom Buster Bio:  Laurie Thompson is a children's book author who specializes in nonfiction about social issues, math, and science. You can find her on Twitter (@LaurieThompson) or on the web (http://lauriethompson.com).

Thank you, Laurie Thompson, for this great idea!