We all just spent the last 15 months living in our own personal bubbles because of COVID. One of the biggest things I’ve heard people talk about is how thankful they are that their children are going to, or already have gone, back to school. Of course, parents love their kids, but after being stuck in the house with them almost continuously for the past year, they’re happy for them to spend time away.
It’s hard to keep kids occupied for 8 hours a day. I have worked with kids in some capacity for the past 14 years, and I still find there are times when the kids are running around being crazy, screaming “I’m bored!”. Let me tell you, that is not a fun thing to hear (insert eye roll). So I’m going to give you five fun activities that you can use next time you find yourself in the “I’m bored” space. Some of these you may have heard of, or played when you were younger, but they have since slipped your mind. These are some of the activities I like to do with the kids I work with and, for the most part, are really well received.
1. Four Corners- This is one of my all-time favorite games. It can be played outside or inside, and there’s no set-up/clean-up or necessary supplies. All you need is somewhere that you can designate four corners and some kids to play with. First, you want to number your designated corners (1, 2, 3, and 4). Then you decide which child is going to be “it”. This child will stand in the middle of the playing area, cover/close their eyes, and count to 10 (or 20). The other children will pick a corner to stand in while the child that’s “it” is counting. Once they’re done counting, they keep their eyes covered/closed and pick a corner. Any and all children who are in the corner they pick are out. Each round lasts until there’s one kid left standing. I always tell the kids once we get down to 4 or less that there can’t be more than one person in a corner. Then, the last child standing gets to be it for the next round.
I’ve found that this game is fun for most elementary-aged kids, and even some younger junior-high-aged kids enjoy it. One of the best parts about this game is that it’s beneficial if the kids play quietly because they don’t want the child who’s “it” to hear where they’re going. So if you just need a little more quiet time, this is a good option.
2. Science Experiments- These are good for kids of all ages. I’m going to give you a couple that I’ve found to be really interesting for the kids.
Homemade Lava Lamps- All you need for these are a drinking glass (clear), canola oil (or some other kind of cooking oil), water, effervescent tablets (such as Alka-seltzer), and food coloring. You pour oil in the glass until it’s about half full, then pour water in until it’s about half an inch from the top. Then you add whatever color you want to it and let it settle into the water at the bottom of the cup. Then you add the effervescent tablet and watch the magic happen!
Running Colors- This one you may have heard of before, but it is always a favorite with the kids. What you need for this one is a white plate (can be paper but if it is then make sure it’s a sturdier paper plate), skittles or m&m’s, and some warm water. Line the skittles or m&m’s along the entire outside of the plate. This experiment can become a lesson in colors and patterns as well because using a pattern makes the experiment even cooler. Then you gently pour the warm water until all of the skittles or m&m’s are sitting in it. *Be careful that you don’t pour too quickly because then the skittles or m&m’s will float out of position.* Now watch what happens! It’s pretty cool.
3. Easy Mosaics- This one is always good if you’re short on craft supplies because all you really need is some white pieces of paper, construction paper, some sort of writing utensil, and a glue stick. The kids can decide what shape or picture they want to make a mosaic and then they draw its outline onto the white paper. Then they can either rip or cut the construction paper into little pieces and glue them onto their picture. This is another one where you can incorporate some color lessons in, because the more colors you use, the cooler the final product will look!
4. Water Games- Sometimes you find yourself in an “I’m bored” space on a hot day without any ideas for things to do. These are the perfect days to take some buckets, fill them with water, and play some water games.
Drip Drip Drop- This one is always fun. It’s the normal version of duck duck goose with a little twist. Instead of tapping the kids in the circle on the head, the child who’s it carries a sponge full of water. They go around the circle with the sponge over the kid’s heads saying drip, drip, drip until they decide who they want to chase them. Then they squeeze the sponge out over that child’s head and say drop!
Over Under- This one is an older game that I’m sure lots of people have played. The kids line up in teams with a bucket full of water with a sponge in it in front of the first person and an empty bucket behind the last child. When you say go, the first child reaches into the bucket and grabs the sponge, then passes it over their head. The second child passes it under their legs. Keep repeating this pattern until the sponge has made its way to the back of the line, where the last child squeezes the water out of the sponge and into the empty bucket behind them. Then that child takes the empty sponge and runs up to the front of the line to start the process over again. Allow each of the children to be the first in line and, once they have, the team with the most water in their bucket wins.
5. Dance Party- This one’s fairly simple and straightforward. Throw on some fun music, even some with some dance moves, and let the kids have a dance party. You’ll probably have some who think they’re too cool to do it, but after they sit there and watch for a while, they tend to join eventually
Boredom is always going to happen when it comes to working with kids. I don’t think it’s possible to go a whole day without at least one of them saying, “I’m bored”. You do the best you can and sometimes you have to get creative. But if you can get the kids moving or using their minds, they tend to stay occupied for a longer amount of time than if they’re left to their own devices. So hopefully these ideas come in handy. Now go out and have some fun!
