Summer begins and kids are like dogs being taken for a walk— little bodies wiggling, squirming, and running free!

Summer is freedom!

Summer is joy!

Summer is the best!

A few weeks pass... they slow to a putter. Toys lose their luster. They drag their miserable bodies to me and moan, “I’m bored.”

Awww, poor you. I wasn’t sarcastic, folks. I was genuinely compassionate. I suggested ideas. They knocked them down. Finally one idea sticks. But day two, three, and four of the I’m bored mantra continues.

“Uggghhhh. I’m SOOOOOO BORED.”

Aww, poor you. Sarcasm was running thick. What once appeared as a request for creative input became whining that screeched in my ears and yanked on my patience. My kids were irritated, I was irritated, and my kids were irritated with my irritation.

Then I implemented the Bored Jar.

It was priceless.

In fact it was almost like magic. My kids stopped whining almost instantly. When a whine did manage to pop out, I had an instant solution. And so did my kid.

Here’s the thing. It doesn’t always cure boredom. In fact, sometimes it is like a consequence for whining. What it DOES do is quell the mantra and get your kids doing something.

But you have to stick with the plan. You will learn how to make your jar. It will be a lifesaver. It will stop the whine. Your kids may actually be happier. But it only works if you stick with the plan. No exceptions.

Make the Jar

Grab some paper, or popsicle sticks, or 3x5 cards, or strips of paper. Write out between 10 to 20 activities. I have a printable list for you, but you can create your own. I strongly suggest having a mixture of fun things and work-related activities. This gives a fun tension of “what am I gonna get…” to the whole ordeal. And honestly, doing a little helping out around the house can give kids much needed purpose in a boredom phase.

Once you’ve written out your activities, pop them into a jar, cup, or basket, and announce to your children the new addition to your home- the Bored Jar.

Stick with the Plan

The rule is this: if your child says “I’m bored,” they MUST draw an activity and do whatever it says. This is essential to the success of the Bored Jar. If they negotiate out of the Bored Jar once, they will do it again, and the mantra will continue its ugly tyrannical reign.

The might be a fun thing they would love, it might be a chore, but they have to do it.

Ideas

Here’s a list of some things you can include:

draw a picture
write a story/poem
build a fort
play outdoors
read 3 picture books
tea party
do dishes
mop floor
sweep kitchen
vacuum
scrub sink
do laundry
organize books
organize junk drawer
dust the house
wash the windows
clean inside the car
ask mom what to clean
clean bathtub/shower
play hide and seek
do 50 jumping jacks
make a sock puppet
do a puzzle
make an obstacle course
take a walk
dance party
make origami
write a letter to a friend
play charades
play cards/monopoly/scrabble/board game
build something out of cardboard
measure water with all the measuring cups
call a grandparent/uncle/aunt/cousin

Another Option

As a mother of creative kids, I modified this with another option- Maker Jars. For your creative kids in a slump, you give them two jars— one with a medium, and the other with an object. They pull one of each, challenging them to create the combo.

They’ll pull out one of these:

Use markers to draw…
Use crayons to draw…
Use colored pencils to draw…
Paint a…
Build a lego…
Build a magnetile…
Build a cardboard…
Build a paper…
Make up a song about a…
Write a poem about a…
Write a story about a…
Make a dance about a…
Do a play about…
Make a sock puppet of a…
Become a…

And match it to one of these: (You can list individually, or have them draw a topic)

Animal (Dinosaur, Pelican, Ostrich, Alligator, Giraffe, Elephant, etc.)
Mode of Transportation (Airplane, Tank, Garbage truck, Firetruck, Train, Boat, Bicycle, etc.)
Buildings (Skyscraper, House, Museum, etc.)
Objects (Table, Chair, Couch, TV, Tablet, Tea Pot, Mug, lightbulb, bed, fork, wrench, etc.)
Famous Artwork (American Gothic, Mona Lisa, Starry Night, Seurat’s Sunday afternoon, etc)
Character (Ninja, Ballerina, Doctor, Fireman, Superhero, Cowboy, Zookeeper, Clown, etc.)
Nature (tree, flower, river, mountain, waterfall, cave)
Someone you know (Brother/sister, Mom, Dad, Relative, Neighbor, Friend, etc.)

So your kid might draw “build a magnetile… ballerina,” or a “write a story about a… teapot.” Whatever it is, they have to do it, because they said those words… “I’m bored.” You can always give a little grace… offer a second draw, or if they are inspired to do their own, let them. Yet the task of having to do something they hadn’t thought of often stirs their creativity, inspiring them to do something they want to do— which is what they were looking for in the first place!

What it Does

I have found that the Bored Jar does two things-

1) It breaks the habit of moaning, and

2) It truly gives them a solution to being bored.

Sometimes they complain about it, but I have found that my kids started liking the Bored Jar, and even added a few ideas of their own! (With mom’s approval, of course).

And if your kids are like mine, and they catch you uttering that phrase “I’m bored...”

Well let’s just say.. the Bored Jar will be ready and waiting.