The Boredom Bag
My immediate suggestion is reading a book, quickly followed by playing Legos. When both of those options are refused my kids know that the Boredom Bag is probably on its way.
A couple of years ago I became tired of suggesting a string of activities to my children, only to have them shoot down each one. And so I devised the Boredom Bag. The Boredom Bag is simply a plastic baggie with strips of paper in it. Each strip of paper has an activity that my child must do if he or she is sent to choose from the bored bag. The activity they choose might be super fun, something they love to do. Or, it might be something to dread: a chore.
Because it’s a gamble, my kids think twice before complaining to the point of being sent to choose blindly from the Boredom Bag. Would they rather come up with something to do, on their own, than be assigned a task? Usually. But, if they do persist in voicing their feelings of boredom they know that the result isn’t a punishment, it’s just a way to demonstrate to them that there are always things to do (some fun, some not).
Here’s the list that’s currently in our Boredom Bag.
Recommended for You
- Play outside
- Pull weeds
- Write & illustrate a story
- Read three picture books
- Build legos
- Ask mom for a chore
- Play dolls or Star Wars figures
- Bake a treat
- Dust the furniture
- Clean your room
- Write a letter to a missionary
- Write a letter to a cousin
- Draw a picture for a grandparent
- Take pictures
- Listen to music & dance
- Play computer
- Listen to an audio book
- Wii Fit
Use my list as a starting point and add things that work for your family. Let’s keep those kids busy, for our sanity.
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