SummerTime Boredom!!! Help!!!

My son was pretty good at making things (animals, etc) out of play-doh. And if he got bored with that, we'd have contests to see who could build the tallest/widest/whatever-est Lego building. Often, they would get left up until Dad got home so he could "show and tell" him about it. ;)

When I was growing up, my mom and babysitter always said during summer, if you're bored, you want to do chores! We were rarely bored and learned to entertain ourselves fairly young (but we also had backyards and a safe street to play on).

But, since he's five, make those three hours a time where he helps you out around the house. He's old enough to sort laundry into whites and colors. He's old enough to help you fold laundry and put it in the right room, and even put his away. He's old enough to help you empty the dishwasher (he can hand you things). He's old enough to help you water plants, vacuum, dust baseboards, wipe down the tub, tidy up a room.

Perhaps when given the choice between helping you and doing his quiet activities, those activities won't seem so boring!

If it were me, I'd spend 30-60 minutes of special mommy/eldest one-on-one time, and hour of helping out and maybe an hour of a special movie or tv program. You may also consider making him lie down for "quiet time," as well. Maybe he'll catch a few zzzzz's along with your daughter.

Good luck!

I'm going to assume then there is no back yard for him to run around. Some boys and men just have this nervous energy they don't know what to do with. I know you might be agains video games but a WII is wonderful if you get Wii Sport and Wii Fit.. My daugher even loves the fit games that you have to try to get a ball in whole and walk a tight rope or stay on a slide and catch fish. I'd set the wii up after your daughter goes to sleep and play some Wii Tennis or Wii fit. Its not a regular video game where they just sit and become potatoes they get to jump around and have fun

- Make a giant tent/camp. Cover the tables and chairs with blankets and pretend to have a campout.
- Craft projects. Check out oriental trading or your local craft store for ideas.
- Put on some music and dance. Sing songs.
- Play school. Take turns being the teacher.
- Bake some cookies or brownies

I've seen this same posting about 4 other times this week. All us moms are losing it. I'll check back once others have posted there grand ideas to save the sanity since I'm in the same boat:)

What about Playdoh, watercolors, or those make it and bake it suncatchers? They are all inexpensive and will keep him busy for a little while.

If Heather is right, and the moms are all losing it already, there is a long summer ahead!!!!

I second what Kelly S said - Wii fit is great! Also, Just Dance is a workout! They even make one for younger kids. I would say anything that keeps him moving. I would also do some special mommy & me things. You could take this time to teach him how to learn to cook or bake with you. Have you asked him if there is anything he wants to do with just you? You might be surprised at what he tells you....

Water table (I set mine out for the 16 month old + "grown" 8 yr old on porch and both loved it)

Computer games

Playdates

I agree with other moms, sometimes kids need to go find something to do like play with their toys or draw. I'd put kid down for nap too if run out of ideas.

When I got tired of the"I'm bored, I'd tell them I wasn't the entertainment director and woud give them a book to read. I realise a 5 year old probably can't read enough tobe put out on his own, but there are coloring books, neighborhood children to play with, children in play groups. There are lots to do if they want to. Then if I get really tired of it when they reached 5 or older, I had chores for them to do. . . put the dishes away, pick up the toys, pull weeds out of the garden,etc.

Of course this gives you time to establish a report with your child by playing catch or board games (no pun intended) or reading together.

Good luck to you and yours.

Any time one of my children said they were bored I'd stop, look at them earnestly and say...

"Well, the toilet needs scrubbed, and the dog poop needs picked up out of the yard, and the laundry needs sorted and washed, and the fishtank needs cleaned....You could help me with those things, if you can't find anything else to do."

My kids learned very young to NEVER tell me they were bored! lol They're also great with imaginative play.

When faced with "yucky" chores versus "find something to do", children are really good at entertaining themselves! At 5, he's plenty old enough to learn to solo play. Provide him with the tools to entertain himself (play-doh, paper and art supplies, picture books, legos, wooden blocks, puzzles, dress up clothes, action figures, dolls, whatever), and then make it clear that Mommy isn't there solely to entertain him.

That said, with it being just the two kids, I WOULD take advantage of little sissy's naptime to spend some time reading with your son. Go to the library and let him pick out a bunch of books. Read two or three if they're picture books, or one if they're slightly longer. It's a great time to foster a love of reading! :)

When my kids were this age, I did a lot of play-dates for the older one while the younger one napped. Also, is there a park close by where you could let the older one run around while the younger one napped in the stroller (did that as well). What about legos? My son and his buddies used to play with them for hours.