āIām bored,ā are often two of the most terrifying words heard by parents. But with a little brainstorming, they donāt have to be. Instead, you can turn boring into a wonderful time of fun, learning and adventure!

Growing up my parents didnāt allow āboredomā. Any time I even acted sort of bored they would āfind something for me to do!ā(some of the most terrifying words to a child!) As a result, I never developed an aptitude for boredom⦠at least not that I would admit! This list has grown out of many of those early boredom busters.
Saying NO to Boredom and YES to Fun
I love to brainstorm and brainstorming with kids takes it to the next level. āPlayā is their language and their brains are hardwired to process through play and fun. They are the worldās most natural brainstormers which, of course, makes the prep part as much fun as the doing.

Getting Ready
There are lots of ways to make Boredom Busters. Letās start with the easiest. For that, you will need to print out the Boredom Busters and cut them out. Youāll notice there are several blank cards for the brilliant ideas you and your kids will come up with. Add more if there arenāt enough and remove any that arenāt appropriate for your situation.
Fold or roll them up and put them in a large plastic jar with a lid. Then whenever boredom raises its ugly head all a child has to do is reach in and draw out a fun activity. Some kids may want a little more choice so in that case let them draw two or three and choose which they like the best.

Fancier Versions
I recommend using what you have on hand if possible to make an upgraded Boredom Buster. Some things you could useā¦
- Popsicle sticks or ping pong balls, or smallish smooth rocks or brightly colored paper
- Something to put them in like a flowerpot, old coffee cup, canning jar for sticks and a big plastic jar with a lid for pebbles and ping pong balls⦠you get the idea. Bonus points if you have a bingo tumbler hanging around your house.
- Permanent markers (thin line) if you will be writing the activities on something. If writing out everything is too much you could write numbers 1-150+ on sticks, balls or rocks and then match the number they draw to the activity list

FAQ:
Some of this is too old (or too young) for us.Ā Now what?Ā What a great opportunity!Ā Most of the more challenging activities could be explored with a parent or possibly an older sibling or deleted from the list and replaced with other activities.Ā As for the easier activities, your child can draw again or do the activity with a younger sibling or just enjoy doing an easier activity.Ā You may be surprised by what they come up with!
Get The Printable List!
Grab our printable list of all the ideas so that you can quickly print and paste them! Easy!
Here It Is, Friends: The Massive List of 150 Fun Things for Kids to Do
- Put together a puzzle
- Make a puzzle
- Do a word search
- Make a treasure map leading to a treasure youāve made
- Cast actors for a movie of your favorite book
- Make and fly a paper airplane. Whatās the furthest it can go?
- Make a garden in a pot for someone
- Put together a purchased model
- Make a model of something from things around your house
- Read a book
- Make a cartoon strip about your favorite joke
- Cloud watch and see what crazy things you see in their shapes.
- Swing
- Play fetch with the dog
- Teach your dog a new trick
- Make a picnic lunch for your family
- Invent a board game
- Invent a card game
- Decorate envelopes/cards/stationery for yourself or someone else
- Write and send a letter/card
- Paint a watercolor picture of something unexpected
- Go on an imaginary adventure in your backyard.
- Shoot hoops
- Play catch with a parent or friend
- Make an RC car track/obstacle course
- Write a song
- Learn a new song on an instrument
- Put on a play with others or one where you play ALL the characters
- Learn three basic embroidery stitches and decorate something with it (napkin, handkerchief, jeans, t-shirt
- Make a banner to celebrate the next holiday
- Make a bracelet or necklace
- Make cookies
- Make a rag doll
- Make puppets
- Put on a puppet play of an original or favorite story
- Build a Lego town
- Build a Lego robot
- Watch a movie
- Watch a documentary
- Do a chore as a surprise that is normally done by someone else
- Plant flowers
- Plan and start a vegetable garden
- Pretend you are going to Mars and make a supply list of all the things you will need/want to take with you.
- Watch a NASA or SpaceX launch. What questions do you have about it?
- Design and draw a space suit. What special features does it have?
- Make a tangram puzzle and use it to make pictures for someone else to solve
- Make a costume.
- Write a funny story
- Learn to moonwalk
- Make popsicles
- Learn a new dance by watching a YouTube video (with parental approval)
- Learn to say hello, my name is _______, and whatās your name in as many languages as you can
- Vacuum or sweep a room like Mrs. Doubtfire
- Put on a fashion show
- Play in the sprinklers
- Water the garden, flowerbeds etc
- Make a pinch pot with clay, Playdoh, or even plain olā mud.
- Make garden markers
- Start a family cookbook with everyoneās favorite recipes
- Adapt a Guess Who game to your friends, classmates or family
- Make mini games that fit in a mint tin
- Whittle something useful (with prior parent approval/supervision)
- Give a kazoo concert
- Make a book
- Make lemonade
- Write and send a thank you card to someone who probably doesnāt get thanked.
- Run around the house five times
- Play hopscotch
- Jump rope
- Make a map of your neighborhood
- Take 30 digital pictures. Experiment with lighting, distance, composition, color vs black and white. Pick out your favorite one. Get others to pick their favorites.
- What can you make out of a cardboard box?
- What can you make using a mint tin? A dollhouse, a sewing kit, fishing kit, repair kit, game box or something else? (Pinterest and Google are great places to get even more ideas)
- Learn Morse code
- Explore your yard with a pair of binoculars
- Make a wind chime out of everyday objects (check before using things that itās okay)
- Draw or paint a picture of your pet (or the pet you wish you had or maybe an imaginary one⦠dragons, unicorns, talking frog?)
- Make a list of one item from each room in your house then write a silly poem, song or story about one of them.
- Pretend you are an alien from another planet visiting your Earth friends. What are some things you are curious about Earth that are different from your world?
- Make garden stepping stones LINK
- Make a hot weather treat for your backyard chickens LINK
- Water paint LINK
- Play Corn Hole alone or with a friend
- Play Frisbee with a friend
- Paint and decorate a flowerpot (terra cotta works great for this) and then plant something.
- Learn to play the harmonica or the kazoo
- Watch a how-to video and practice juggling
- Make and fly a model rocket (May need supervision and permission to launch)
- Read a book or story aloud to a younger child
- Build a rubber band airplane, boat or car.
- Use a balloon to propel a small car.
- See how many different kinds of birds you can spot in your yard
- How many trees are in your yard⦠bonus points if you can name them!
- Make a Shrinky Dink charm bracelet LINK
- Practice soccer moves
- Practice free throws
- Play badminton with a friend
- Play a dice game
- Make two encoder/decoder devices and send one and a secret message to a friend.
- Use scraps of colored paper to make a mosaic picture
- Make bookmarks
- Make a video of you singing a song
- FaceTime with your grandparents
- Play with trains
- Play house
- Help someone learn a new skill that you already know
- Make a garden fairy house
- Use a stop action app on a phone to do a stop action video with your toys
- Look at photo albums/scrapbooks
- Play restaurant
- Paint your fingernails
- Play James Bond card game LINK
- Listen to music (maybe try a new kind of music)
- Set up a fun course and play miniature golf
- Make a quilt for a doll or stuffed animal
- Do forward or backward somersaults, cartwheels, or stand on your head
- Fly a kite
- Weed the garden or flowerbed
- Play with bubbles
- Play Chicken Foot or Mexican Train
- Make a giant bubble wand
- Play with PlayDoh or make homemade play dough
- Make snowcones with fruit juice or drink mix
- Make flower pencils or pens
- Tie dye a t-shirt with koolaid or Sharpie markers (get permission first)
- Read about an animal
- Create a business
- Use your name to create a piece of art
- Build the tallest tower you can with blocks
- Make an ABC book around a theme
- Brush the cat or dog
- Play in the bathtub
- Take a nap
- Finger paint a picture
- Play Solitaire
- Play chess
- Make up a story with Story Cubes
- Read about a famous person
- Make a flower arrangement
- Look at a map and plan a road trip to go somewhere fun
- Color
- Make an acrostic poem
- Play with Magnetic Poetry
- Make a poster
- Make a pirate hat
- Pretend youāre an astronaut traveling to a new planet
- Draw pictures of your emotions
- Set the table and make a centerpiece
- Make a recording of you singing someoneās favorite song and send it to them
- Make a suncatcher with colored tissue paper
- Play Jacks or marblesPlay with a yo-yo
- Bounce a ball
Love this idea! We could really use a jar of idea sticks this morning š
Thank you thank you thank you, Crystal!!! Totally appreciate your feedback and please let me know if you have any ideas to add!!
I love the idea of having a “bored jar.” I still remember my 4th grade teacher had a poster in her room that said “gifted people are never bored.” They still need some inspiration sometimes, though.
Kristin! I love that–and I agree–sometimes we all need a little inspiration or a kick start, right? Thanks so much for reading, my friend, and huge thanks for writing!!
Swiffer the floors caught my attention as yes, children love to do that. First graders thought it was an honor to use the hokey (carpet sweeper) on the carpet! Whatever the children think is a good idea is an excellent attitude and is what works. Thanks for the printable and all the ideas and the wonderful explanation! Carolyn
Carolyn! So funny that kids like to do these ‘novelty’ things sometimes, right? I agree–whatever works for the kids and gets them excited. Many thanks for reading–and huge thanks for writing, my friend!!
I used a similar idea for when we are on a long trip and need things to do at rest areas. I had a show box packed under the seat, that had all of the supplies for activities, like bubbles, chalk, helicopter, gliders, jump ropes etc. I then made sticks with each rest area safe activitiy and the boys took turns pulling a stick when we stopped. Then we would pull out the supplies and take a little break from traveling. This was great for getting the wiggles out of kids and it also controlled the fighting over what to do while we were at the rest areas. I stored the sticks in the glovebox in a baggie. Worked great!
Robin–SO, so, so smart!! I LOVE that idea!! What a super-smart one, especially for long trips. Totally going to do the same!! Thanks, friend!
Thank you for posting this idea. Our children need to know all the things they CAN do. I am sure Owen was amazed at the list which is probably growing. I will share this with many.
thanks so much, Rita!! totally appreciate you reading–and taking the time to write!!
Fantastic!!! This is SO perfect–need lots of ideas to have ready when baby number three arrives in a few weeks. We have an “I’m bored” jar that we made a few years ago–desperately needs updating and this is going to be just what we needed. Thank you, thank you thank you! So kind of you to share all your ideas! Can’t wait to spend more time exploring your blog. Really excited!
Julie–Congratulations on baby #3 and thank YOU for reading and taking the time to write–cannot tell you how much it means to me!!! Best to you, my friend!
Thanks a ton. I love the idea and LOVE that they are already in label format. We have labels, sticks and tape. Thanks a TON!
super!! please do let me know how it goes for you, Sarah!!
WOW this website is really good/cool and really creative what is the girl called who made thiswebsit just so I can speak to her in person and tell her how pleasured I am to read her loovely ideas for board kids.
Sorry about my spelling mistakes I think I might of rewind your website I’m so verry sorry I hope you forgive me š x
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What an awesome list! I made a bored jar earlier this year, and my 5-year-old is loving it. I just got a whole TON of more ideas for it from this post, thank you! Pinning it now. š
thank you thank you, Kelly!! totally appreciate it!
I love this idea! We are just starting to do the “I’m bored…” thing around here. Going to make some of these and nip it in the bud early!
thanks so much, my friend! let me know how it goes!!
This is a really great idea, thanks for sharing!