“Mom, I’m bored!”
Oh, those dreaded words…
I decided to compile a list of things that have successfully kept my son busy, busy, busy this past summer.
These things have literally kept him busy for HOURS.
And parental involvement? Not a requirement.
No homemade play dough.
No homemade bubbles.
No homemade slime.
No homemade water colors.
No nothing you have to mix up, make, and then clean-up.
Because all those things are fantastic fun activities but sometimes Mom needs a break too.
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Odyssey Adventure Club
Our first month of membership to the Odyssey Adventure Club was only five dollars and it was the best five dollars that I’ve ever spent.
In return, my son enjoyed unlimited streaming of the Adventures in Odyssey Library, which contains over 740 episodes.
I actually had to limit how much he listened because, if he could, he would listen to episodes all day long.
The membership also includes devotions, newsletters, a magazine subscription, and lots of other goodies.
Zoob
Zoob looks like it could quite possibly end up being just another dumb toy that will just add to the already too many toys pile, but it’s not.
Zoob building blocks are crazy awesome, according to my son. The Zoob blocks come with instructions for making all kinds of awesomeness but my son is always inspired to use his imagination with these toys as well.
These have provided hours of fun! (Daddies loves them, too!)
Lego Building Instructions
I’m not saying to go buy more Legos! We all have enough Legos already, right? But I wasn’t very good at saving all those instruction booklets. And the ones we do have are ripped and missing a few pages.
But old Legos have become new with this huge database of building instructions! You can look up a keyword or select a theme to find the instructions you need! And instead of printing the instructions out, my son uses the iPad to just flip through the instruction booklet in his room.
Encyclopedia Brown
Encyclopedia Brown books have been a great way to get my son reading for FUN!
These books are about a boy detective named Encyclopedia Brown. What’s cool about these books is that is that your child can collect clues and solve the mysteries right alongside the character.
The answers to all the mysteries are in the back of the book. These are super fun!
Get Outside
When my son is bored, he often tells me, “I don’t want to go outside.”
I have found, though, that if I give him things like string, rope, shovels, buckets, pieces of wood, old sheets, a wheelbarrow, and other “real boy things” he is content to play for hours.
My son has created cool forts and hideouts with materials like these.
Cooking
I like to collect recipes that don’t require the use of a stove or oven for my son to make in the kitchen. He enjoys being independent in the kitchen and we love it when he surprises us with treats!
He especially likes to make these Peanut Butter Balls. We’ve changed this recipe so many times. If you have nut allergies like we do now, you can easily use sunbutter in place of the peanut butter.
Exploring Interests
I’ve been reading, The Spark by Kristine Barnett. In her book, Kristine talks about how she has been able to help autistic children develop and grow by finding their “spark”. She learns about each child and discovers what makes them tick, what inspires them, and where their passions lie. By following the passions of these children, she has been able to overcome huge odds. This book is absolutely fantastic and such an inspiration.
This summer I’ve tried to help my son pursue his passions, one of which is learning to become a detective.
I asked to borrow these two older Usborne books from my mom. They are probably out of print now but if your son is also interested in this area you may be able to find these books on e-bay or from other sellers on amazon. These books don’t disappoint! Along with a fingerprinting kit, he’s ready to go exploring and spying!
We’ve had a great summer this year but it always goes too fast!
How have you kept your kids busy this summer?
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