Works For Me: The "Mom, I'm Bored!" Edition

It's here!  SUMMER!  Beach towels, sandboxes, sprinkler play...and more than a few complaints of "Mom, I'm bored!" from the peanut gallery. 

This week I invite you to post your ideas for helping kids come up with healthy and creative ways to spend the happy days of summer.  Leave your links below!

As for the Dryer family, we've developed a few ideas to ward off the summer blahs. 

At the beginning of each summer, I sit down with the kids and make a list of every possible thing they could do.  Everything.  Every toy, every board game, every make-believe play is listed separately.  Then I post the list in a central location.  When I can tell they're getting restless, I send them to list.  Works like a charm.

If it doesn't, I remind them that if they can't find something to occupy their time, I will pull from Mom's List Of Horrible Chores for them to do.  That one really does work like a charm.

One of the funniest little games the boys have developed recently--on their own!--is a gargling contest.  They go out in the backyard with a tall glass of water and work on who can gargle the longest, the silliest, the loudest, etc.  You wouldn't believe how long they'd spend on this.  Since no one has drowned so far, I'm considering this a success.

Give us your ideas!  Works-For-Me Wednesday guidelines can be found here.

1. diatribal (Water) 2. Mandy Houk (getting wiggly kids to read) 3. An Ordinary Mom (preventing summer boredom) 4. Many Little Blessings (Family Reading) 5. Sincerely Anna (What Not to Do!) 6. Barbara H. (Summer activities) 7. OW (healthy eating- the plate method) 8. Kelly (Magnetic Letters in the Car) 9. Lynnae (activity sticks) 10. Stuck In North Idaho (a list) 11. Ashley (simple idea) 12. Ogle4 (list) 13. An Iowa Mom (Treasure Hunt) 14. Whymommy (in the garden) 15. Owlhaven (Here, froggy, froggy, froggy!) 16. Ellen B. ~ Calgon take me away 17. Dawn (Memberships) 18. Totallyscrappy (treasure hunts) 19. Blackeyedsue (Summer Stain Removal) 20. Joyful Days (flexibile routine) 21. Pass the Torch (TRAVEL) 22. Jennifer (mom\'s work paying off) 23. Michelle at Scribbit (construct a castle) 24. Summer (turn off the TV) 25. Robin (let \'em run) 26. MamaToo (sunscreen spelling bee) 27. Our Side (dress success) 28. Jane Throw Humpty... 29. Pastormac’s Ann (free movies) 30. Amy Jane (What is Boredom?) 31. Liza\'s Eyeview (Mother\'s Manual For Summer Survival) 32. Mummymac (Delegate daddy) 33. MrsX (fun eXperts) 34. A Juggling Mum (Foam Shapes) 35. Trixie @ Farm Home Life (10 Time Tested Tips) 36. Michelle (Variety of ideas) 37. Stephanie (ending it) 38. Scaling Back (Fairy Houses) 39. Ang (Science Center Fun) 40. Lindsey 9frugal outdoor stuff)

41. MC Milker ( The Digging Place) 42. Song of the Sagebrush (A "Puzzling" Solution) 43. Beth/Mom2TwoVikings 44. At Home with Kris (have a routine) 45. SeaBird (Toddler Summer Fun) 46. Beth/Mom2TwoVikings (Busy Books series) 47. Shelly (water) 48. Carrie (games in the car) 49. Sue G. (Sidewalk Paint) 50. Zoe (more summer ideas) 51. Sarah (vacation) 52. Jill (playgroups) 53. MommaBlogger (Dictionary, Coloring, Etc.) 54. Jessica (free movies and help book) 55. Candace (summer picture remix) 56. GiBee (Water Fun at Grandma\'s House) 57. Just In Case - The busy box and shelf 58. Kathy (pop up tents) 59. Valerie (Rainy Day Gym Class) 60. EmmyJMommy 61. My Twenty Cents Keeps Moving(summer fun) 62. Homeschool Mama (To Do List of Fun) 63. tonsofsons 64. MonkeyKisses (waterfun!) 65. Tiffany (ideas for 1yr old) 66. Elena Fitball 67. Karen (zoo membership) 68. Green Thumn Lady 69. Cammie (camping) 70. Mel 71. Melissa Wiley (toddler nose-blowing) 72. Toni (Free Stuff 4 Kids) 73. Janel (anti-boredom life) 74. Kathleen Marie (Country Doctor Handbook, Eggs...) 75. Mom in Action (Mommy Store) 76. green3 (family baseball) 77. JavaMama 78. Amyswandering(ice cream in a bag) 79. Thoughtfulmom 80. Clemntine (Summer Traditions- Some Work, Some Play)

81. Jennifer (library reading programs) 82. Connie 83. His Girl (make boredom more uncomfortable!) 84. Karen L (beat it with books) 85. GP in Montana 86. chilihead (change it up) 87. Family Quilt (summer serving) 88. Carrie J ( older kids) 89. Alexandra(cooking potatoes) 90. Stacey (preschooler tips) 91. Mira (whole grain breakfast) 92. Spice 93. Pieces (pulling grass) 94. Semicolon (June Is) 95. ChoosingHome (crafts/pen-pals) 96. Kara (contests) 97. Mrs Pear (water table bubbles) 98. Darcy (Homemade Playdough Recipe) 99. Amy W (activities & work lists) 100. jen (keep it going) 101. Shelly(cheap entertainment) 102. Heather L(summer car essentials) 103. The Estrogen Files (varied) 104. ABC (Six Variations on Hide and Seek) 105. Liz (old new toys) 106. Cherie (summer movie matinees) 107. Melissa (Spreading out the Fun and Toy Rotation) 108. Kim - Fun at the Spray Park 109. Shirley (watermelon popsicle fun) 110. Christine (cookies and firemen - w00t!) 111. Christine (Two from Mom of Five) 112. Joo (Barnyard Animal Karaoke) 113. Sandy(ice fun, reading fun etc) 114. Connie (letterboxing) 115. Tracy (candles) 116. fruit basket 117. Liza (for Family with kids with Learning Difference) 118. lindsay g 119. Get Into Academy

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Comments

[Mandy]

I can't wait to read everyone's tips, because my girls are having a rough time already! Seems like all their friends' grandmothers decided to visit at the same time, so nobody has time to play.

I'll have to tell them about the gargling thing, Shannon-sounds fun!

[Barbara H.]

I use the "If you can't find something to do, I have some jobs you could work on" too. :) Somehow they're never interested....

[Overwhelmed With Joy!]

Ooops, I forgot about this themed edition this week. Sorry, mine is a bit different. Hope that's okay.

I love your list idea and the gargling contest sounds fun. :)

[Lynnae]

I can't wait to read everyone's tips! I know I'll need them this summer!

[An Iowa Mom]

I so can't wait to get all the tips from this week's I'm Bored Edition. What a great idea!!!

I'm all over finding fun things to help create the wonderful summertime childhood memories all kids deserve to have. :)

Love the gargling thing ... I know my boys would have a blast with that ... or should I say they WILL have a blast with that.

Have a great summer!

[Michelle]

Excellent topic, one I'm thrilled to see and could really use.

[Mummymac]

Great idea re the list Shannon.

Ta for that

[Carrie]

Lots of creative ideas--thanks!

[Jill]

Pretty sure I posted mine too late, but thanks for the great ideas. Looking forward to participating each week.

[Dolly Acosta]

Love th list idea-

[Ellen B.]

I'm cheating and offering a tip for a poor overworked bored with her kids mom! Blessings...

[momrn2]

A gargling contest?? Definitely boys! :-)

[Toni]

Hmm, "Mom's List Of Horrible Chores" I need one of those. :)

[ThoughtfulMom]

I'm excited to come back this evening and read everyone else's ideas! Mine really isn't that original. But it works - at the moment.

[Clemntine]

We were usually flat broke, so my mom came up with a summer-full of worthwhile and fun activities that cost little or nothing to do - and a few that actually earned us a little here and there!

[Connie]

Love this idea. I forgot to put next to my name what my topic was. Ooops.

[Karen L]

Wow...I need to make one of those lists...laundry is going to be #1!!!

[Maine Mom]

Thank you for this Works for Me summer edition. Your idea is great! And I will have all the other ideas to refer to throughout the summer :-)

[Joyful Days]

Gargling--lots of possible gross noises. Plenty of mess potential. Really goofy. Plus if they learn how it is helpful if they are ill and need to do salt water gargles. Sounds like a winner to me!!! I will have to suggest that.

I have the work list for a boredom buster too.

As always, thanks for hosting.

[Spice]

I LOVE your ideas!!! I'm going to have to keep a list of everyones I read. Mine is kind of along the same lines with playing, etc. only using those admit-one tickets.

[MrsX]

I've heard of burping contests, but never gargling, LOL! Kudos for such creativity. I'll have to add this to my repertoire of "if all else fails...just add water" fun. ThanX for hosting another great WFMW. :-)

[ABC]

These are all great... I'll have to save them for when our Love Bug (and hopefully future children) get bigger! Thanks again for doing this. I love WFMW!

[Ann Kroeker]

Gargling! Love it! Someone earlier commented that it must be a boy thing...well, I think my girls will LOVE this suggestion. Should I be ashamed at their uncouth upbringing?

[Faerylandmom]

LOL! Typical boys...how wonderful! I'm happy that my kids' favorite toys still consist mainly of sticks, dirt, bubbles, and army men.

[Joo]

Great idea - I'll try to remember the lists when the time comes for our little one. I think my husbnad and I would like the gargling contest ourselves!

[Sandy]

Great idea!! I will need to check out everyone's list.
I am a teacher, and trust me my "teacher brain" is always on the prowl for fun ideas. I also just posted a ton of fun ideas. Beware thou they sneak in learning, but don't worry the kids will never know, they will be having so much fun!!

[Pudellvr]

We had a lot of fun!

[Tom]

I am a dad, and also a teacher, who gets to stay home for the summer with my 2 girls, 6 and 3. In looking through the links above, most (if not all) seem to be written and added by moms. As a dad, I just wanted to say that I have taken tons of great ideas from the list, and I plan to implement a bunch of them soon, and hopefully my girls will have a super-fun summer. Thanks a ton!