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!

Tuned Into Fun With the TV Off

Have on Hand:
Nothing special. Maybe a video camera if you want to capture some of the fun.

Boredom Buster Description:
Even if your kids breakfast with Sponge Bob and snack with SportsCenter, TV turnoff time is a perfect time for kids to shine. Here are some ways to let them do just that, and still stay tuned to fun.

Live at Five
Families don't have to travel the globe to report breaking news. Did Spot have puppies? Did sister lose a tooth? Let kids anchor nightly news from around the world or around the block. Remind newscasters to report the “who, what, where, when, why and how." And don't forget the weather.

Only $19.95
Do commercials drive your family crazy? Here's your kids’ chance to pitch their own wacky products. How about brother's stinky sneakers or dad's ugliest tie? Have them compose a jingle to convince viewers that they must have that pre-chewed gum. The funnier, the better.

Junior Jeopardy
Fun is the grand prize on a kid-created game show. Kids can quiz viewers from categories like "Found in my Locker" or "Heard in School Halls." If shopping is their thing, ask viewers to "come on down" and guess prices on products found in catalogs or around the house.

Kids Can Do
Is your kid an expert bubble blower or locker organizer? Have him share his secrets on his own "How To" show. He can break down his skill into short, easy steps and teach viewers one step at the time. No skill too small.

As the School Turns
Let your kids create their own drama of forgotten locker combinations and smoking science labs. A school day provides the plot. Add touches of mystery and suspense. Throw in tears and fainting, and they’ll have their audience crying with laughter.

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.

The Phrase Game

This is a family favorite!

Have on Hand: Pencil and scrap paper for each player.

Boredom Buster Description: This idea is best for larger groups of 4 or more kids. When everyone has a sheet of paper and a pencil instruct them as follows:

1. Write down a favorite phrase or a quote and pass the paper to the person on your left.
2. When you've received the paper from your neighbor, illustrate the new phrase or quote in about one minute.
3. Then fold the original quote under, so that it can't be seen, and pass the illustration to the person on your left.
4. When you've received the  illustration from your neighbor, write a new phrase or quote that best describes or humorously captions the illustration.
5. Fold the illustration under so that it can't be seen and pass your new quote to the left.
6. Draw a new illustration for the new quote and the game continues until all player have their original papers back.
7. In the end, players take turns reading the thread of captions and showing the illustrations. Hilarity not optional!

Make-Your-Own Puppet Show

 Have on Hand:   socks, yarn, felt, glue, paper bags, tongue depressors, fairy tale books

Boredom Buster Description:      What better way to combat boredom than make a puppet show.  Make puppets from socks, paper bags, or sticks and paper.  Fairy tales are a great place to start for the story telling part.  Read a simple story, like The 3 Bears, or the 3 Billy Goats Gruff and retell the story with puppets. Invite a friend to watch or help with the telling.

Boredom Buster Bio:      As a child, my friends and I spent the summers entertaining each other with puppet plays.  I highly recommend it for bumping boredom out of the house. Judith Snyder is the author of What Do You See?  Check out her web site for activities that compliment her book: http//:judithsnyderwrites.com

Thank you, Judith Snyder, for this great idea!

Cardboard Dollhouse

Have on Hand:  Home catalogs or magazines, cardboard or cardboard box, scissors, glue or glue stick.

Boredom Buster Description:  My mom gave me this idea when I was young.I had a large piece of cardboard from a box, probably 3ft by 3ft. I divided it into rooms and them pasted furniture for each type room in the box. A flat dollhouse if you will, with sofas for the living room and rugs and end tables and lamps, baby furniture, etc. I loved playing with it.

Boredom Buster Bio:  I love doing crafts with my 4-year-old granddaughter. Whenever I was bored as a kid, my mother always said, "You could go clean your room!" Some how I always managed to go find something else to do.  Good advice from Mom!

Thank you,  Pat Golding, for your great idea!