Summer Boredom Blasters

Now that we’re halfway through summer vacay, here are two words that every parent dreads hearing: “I’m bored.”

Don’t worry! With so many ways for kids to entertain, educate, and even challenge themselves, it’s easy to find options to keep their brains and bodies from withering away in the hottest months. Your friends at Reunion have come up with a few suggested activities to help ward off the “b” word this summer:

Summer Boredom Blasters

Backyard Balancing

If your kids are complaining and you don’t have time to drive anywhere, try these backyard balance activities that will keep them occupied while improving their motor and coordination skills. These activities can also help build their muscles for sports as they get older.

Make Homemade Ice Cream

If it’s really hot outside, tempt the kids back in with a cool snack. We found this ice cream recipe that will help “chill” them out. It only takes five minutes to make this treat, so you may need to follow it up with an ice cream eating contest!

Summer Reading Challenge

Start a summer reading challenge with your neighbors or fellow parents to encourage literacy — turn it into something fun instead of a chore. You have many ways to structure the challenge, such as reading a book by the same author each day, creating a paper chain with construction paper of how many books were read, or starting a pen pal book club. You can even host “reading time” at the Reunion Coffee House!

Summer Boredom Blasters

Outdoor Games

One of the best ways to get kids motivated is to make them go outside. If you have a house full of little ones or if there are a lot of neighborhood kids around the same age, you can always suggest these classic games to give everyone something fun to do. Don’t forget — Reunion residents have access to an incredible water slide over at the Rec Center, as well as miles and miles of parks and trails to explore that won’t take them too far from home.

As a parent, don’t feel like you need to entertain your kids every hour of every day. Boredom can actually be the kick in the pants your kids need to go out and find something to do — whether it’s making new friends, trying new activities, or even (gasp) learning something new. This is an excellent opportunity for creativity as it allows them to stretch out of their comfort zone and figure out what it is they like to do with their free time.

Reunion parents — what are your suggestions for beating the summertime boredom blues? We’d love to hear.