Boredom Busters: The Ultimate Summer Activity Jar 

You know that moment. It’s 10:47 AM on a Tuesday in July, you just finished breakfast cleanup, and one of your darling children looks at you with those big innocent eyes and declares, “Mom, I’m BORED.”

And you think to yourself: Child, we have a backyard, a pool, seventeen craft bins, a library’s worth of books, and approximately 4,000 toys scattered throughout this house. HOW are you bored?

But instead of launching into that internal monologue (again), what if you could just point to a magical jar and say, “Pick something!” Welcome to the life-changing world of the Boredom Buster Activity Jar – the parenting hack that will save your summer and possibly your sanity.

Why the Activity Jar Actually Works (When Nothing Else Does)

Here’s the psychology behind it: kids aren’t actually bored – they’re overwhelmed by too many choices. When you ask “What do you want to do?” their little brains short-circuit. But give them a mystery activity from a jar? Suddenly they’re treasure hunters on a mission.

Plus, there’s something magical about random selection. Even folding laundry becomes an adventure when it’s the “secret mission” they just drew from the jar.

Setting Up Your Boredom Buster System

The Jar: Any container works – mason jar, coffee can, decorative box, or that giant pickle jar you’ve been saving for “someday.” Make it special so kids get excited about drawing from it.

The Process: Cut up the activities below, fold them, and toss them in. When someone claims boredom, they draw one slip. No trading, no “can I pick another one,” no negotiations. You draw it, you do it. (This rule saves you from the endless decision-making loop.)

Age Modifications: For younger kids, read the activity aloud and help them understand. For older kids, they’re on their own unless they need supplies.

The Golden Rule: Once you draw an activity, you have to give it an honest try for at least 10 minutes. Amazing how often “this is dumb” turns into “this is actually kind of fun.”

Your Printable Activity List (Cut These Out and Add to Your Jar!)

Creative & Artsy Activities

• Draw a comic strip about your pet (or dream pet)
• Make a friendship bracelet for someone you love
• Create a collage using old magazines
• Paint rocks to hide around the neighborhood
• Design and build a paper airplane fleet
• Make a crown out of newspaper and tape
• Draw your house from the outside
• Create a puppet show with socks
• Make paper snowflakes (yes, in summer!)
• Design your dream bedroom on paper
• Create a restaurant menu for your family
• Make bookmarks for your summer reading
• Draw a map of your backyard with adventure spots marked
• Create a family crest or flag
• Make a time capsule to open next summer

Active & Outdoor Fun

• Do 20 jumping jacks, then teach someone else
• Have a dance party to three songs
• Create an obstacle course in the backyard
• Walk around the block and count red cars
• Do yoga poses you can name after animals
• Play catch with yourself against a wall
• Hopscotch with sidewalk chalk
• Practice cartwheels or handstands
• Have a race: you vs. a sibling doing different activities
• Collect 10 different shaped leaves
• Skip everywhere you go for the next hour
• Practice balancing on one foot with eyes closed
• Do wall push-ups (10 times)
• March around the house like you’re in a parade
• Stretch like different animals for 5 minutes

Solo Chill Activities

• Build a fort in your room
• Listen to music and organize your thoughts
• Practice a talent (singing, whistling, juggling)
• Meditate or do breathing exercises for 5 minutes
• Write in a journal about your day
• Look through old photo albums
• Practice writing your name in cursive
• Learn to tie a new kind of knot
• Do a puzzle
• Practice drawing faces or hands
• Origami with computer paper
• Learn a magic trick from YouTube
• Practice mindful eating with a snack
• Do gentle stretches
• Plan your ideal birthday party on paper

Science & Discovery

• Find 5 things that float and 5 things that sink
• Make a volcano with baking soda and vinegar
• Plant seeds in a small pot
• Observe clouds and guess what shapes they make
• Make slime with just glue and contact solution
• Create a rainbow with the garden hose
• Test which paper airplane design flies farthest
• Make ice cubes with small toys frozen inside
• See how many drops of water fit on a penny
• Create shadow puppets on the wall
• Make a simple bird feeder
• Test what dissolves in water (sugar, salt, oil)
• Grow crystals with salt water and string
• Make butter by shaking heavy cream in a jar
• Create a simple weather station

Helpful House Activities

• Organize one junk drawer
• Wipe down all the light switches in the house
• Match all the socks from the laundry
• Clean all the mirrors in the house
• Organize the book shelf by color
• Set the table for the next meal (fancy style)
• Water all the plants
• Make your bed AND a sibling’s bed
• Wipe down baseboards in one room
• Organize the pantry snack shelf
• Clean up your bedroom
• Dust one room with a microfiber cloth
• Sort through old toys to donate
• Vacuum or sweep your bedroom
• Organize the coat closet
• Clean up your bathroom
• Load or unload the dishwasher

Reading & Learning

• Read aloud for 15 minutes
• Write a letter to your future self
• Learn 5 words in a different language
• Read the same book as a sibling and discuss
• Write a short story about your day from your pet’s perspective
• Learn a poem by heart
• Read outside under a tree
• Find a book about somewhere you want to travel
• Write thank you notes to family members
• Read a cookbook and pick tomorrow’s dinner
• Learn about a country you’ve never heard of
• Write a song or rap about summer
• Read about your birth month and learn something new
• Interview a family member about their childhood
• Write a review of the last movie you watched

Kitchen Adventures

• Make trail mix with whatever you can find
• Create a new sandwich combination
• Make ice pops with fruit juice
• Bake muffins from a box mix
• Make homemade playdough
• Create fruit kabobs
• Make chocolate milk art (swirl patterns)
• Bake cookies and deliver to neighbors
• Make smoothie bowls with frozen fruit
• Create a snack plate that looks like a face
• Make homemade butter (cream + salt + shaking)
• Try eating lunch with chopsticks
• Make tea party snacks for stuffed animals
• Create edible jewelry with cereal
• Make pizza bagels

Rainy Day Specials

• Build a blanket fort city
• Create an indoor camping experience
• Have a fashion show with clothes from different family members
• Make paper chain decorations
• Create a stop-motion video with toys
• Have an indoor treasure hunt
• Make homemade instruments and have a concert
• Create a restaurant in your dining room
• Build towers with playing cards
• Make and perform a commercial for a household item
• Create an indoor mini golf course
• Have a backwards day (clothes, walking, talking)
• Make shadow puppets and tell stories
• Create an art gallery with your drawings
• Have a spa day with face masks and nail painting

Social & Family Fun

• Teach someone something you know how to do
• Interview a family member about their job
• Plan a surprise for someone in your family
• Write compliments for each family member
• Play 20 questions with someone
• Start a gratitude jar for the family
• Plan a themed dinner night
• Teach a pet a new trick
• Create a family newsletter
• Plan a scavenger hunt for siblings
• Make up a secret handshake with someone
• Practice taking good photos of family members
• Create a family trivia game
• Plan a living room picnic
• Make appreciation cards for your parents

DOWNLOAD OUR ACTIVITY LISTS HERE

JUST PRINT, CUT & ADD THEM TO A JAR

Pro Tips for Activity Jar Success

Refresh Regularly: Add new activities every few weeks. Let kids suggest their own ideas – some of their suggestions might surprise you!

Seasonal Swaps: Switch out weather-dependent activities as needed. Nobody wants to “collect fall leaves” in July.

Supply Station: Keep a bin with basic supplies nearby – paper, crayons, tape, scissors, glue sticks. Nothing kills activity momentum like hunting for supplies.

Family Participation: Sometimes join in! “Clean the mirrors” becomes much more fun when mom is dancing with a paper towel too.

Celebrate Completion: Make a big deal when they finish an activity. Take photos, ask them to teach you what they learned, or display their creations.

The Real Magic Happens

Here’s what I’ve discovered after implementing the activity jar: it’s not just about stopping the “I’m bored” complaints (though that’s nice). It’s about helping kids become more independent, creative, and confident in entertaining themselves.

My kids have discovered they actually enjoy organizing (who knew?), that they’re braver than they thought when trying new recipes, and that helping around the house can feel like an accomplishment rather than a chore.

The jar has also become our secret weapon for transitions – that weird time between lunch and afternoon activities, or when we’re waiting for mom or dad to get home. Instead of defaulting to screens, they grab something from the jar.

Making It Work for Your Crew

Multiple Kids: Make it a rule that if one person draws an activity, everyone nearby has to participate or find their own jar activity. This prevents the dreaded “that’s not fair” meltdown.

Different Ages: Create separate jars for different age groups, or color-code the slips. Green for little kids, blue for older kids, red for “whole family” activities.

Resistance is Normal: Some kids will grumble about their drawn activity. Hold firm! The magic happens when they realize they can handle more than they thought they could.

Remember, the goal isn’t to eliminate all boredom forever (impossible), but to give kids tools to work through it themselves. Boredom is actually good for developing creativity and independence – the jar just gives them a gentle push in the right direction.

DOWNLOAD OUR ACTIVITY LISTS HERE

JUST PRINT, CUT & ADD THEM TO A JAR

Download and print the activity list above, cut them into strips, and start your own family boredom-busting tradition. Your future self will thank you the next time someone says “I’m bored” and you can just smile and point to the jar.

You can also check out our Family Summer Bucket List here, our Free Rainbow Activity Download Here, our Patriotic Scavenger Hunt download Here, our Summer Chore Download Here and our Apple Donut Snack-tivity Here!

What activities would you add to this list? Share your family’s favorite boredom busters in the comments!