1. Catch the sunset.
Sunset on the Delaware River
Catchin The Suns Rays
- We are fortunate to live close to a park situated on the Delaware River… making an amazing backdrop for the day’s end. The playground provided plenty of entertainment while we waited for each stage of the sun setting. For my toddler is was a great lesson in colors as well, as we watched the sky transform from blues and greens to oranges and purples. Just an amazing summertime thing to do. We didn’t stay long after, but you could certainly take advantage of the light evening darkness for catching fireflies. For more educational ideas, look for shapes in the distance and clouds. For us, the bridge provided angles and triangles. Talk about the different types of clouds, fresh water vs salt bodies of water, and perception of objects (like will that barge fit under the bridge when it looks too large?) Test your little one to find the best angle to go down the slide or why sneakers might make you go slower. And be sure to just sit back and enjoy nature’s beautiful daily artistry.
- Pillow Tower Fun
2. Build a tower of pillows.
Pillow Tower Tumbling
Almost like building blocks but bigger and softer. Bed pillows, sofa pillows, even the decorative throw pillows add a different dimension to your child’s creative structure. How high can they stack? How about tunnels or geometric shapes? Of course they are fun to climb and topple on top of. The bravest moms might allow sofa cushions in the mix and/or pillow tosses and fights. (Confession – I wasn’t that brave mom!)
3. Themed play… in our case it was Star Wars.
These light sabers totally distract kids (and big kids) from unpleasant storms, heat waves or any boredom. Part of the charm is that these toys rarely get played with, especially for the young one… so I encourage parents to dig deep for something that the kids rarely get to lay their hands on.
Everything Barbie
Another suggestion: clear a play area and pull out ALL of something for a huge focused playtime activity. By example, we’ve done this with Barbie… lots and lots of Barbies, furniture, clothes, pets, etc and had one big community of Barbie. Same idea with Little People making a large platform with all the different pieces arranged to create an interactive community (city, farm, circus).
Catching Some Quiet Time
4. Take a trip to your local library.
We enjoyed a variety of picture
Quiet Time At the Library
books and then had some quiet reading time to ourselves. Unfortunately we missed the children’s story hour by 30 minutes but now we know better. Be sure to check out the schedule of events at your library since most have programs for families, especially during the summer.
5. Break away from routine.
Find an opportunity to break your schedule. Enjoy your breakfast outdoors or perhaps an informal dinner on the deck. Put on a bubbles parade with music and dance. Consider summer rain showers as natures sprinklers… and dance in the rain.
Picnic With My Brother
Picnic With My Cousins
6. Create a Fort.
Sharing Our Fort
Pillows, blankets, cushions and large stuffies enable some cool creations. Once complete, grab your flashlight for some 
shadow fun. Pick out some favorite books and read by flashlight in your new cool hiding place. Challenge your kids to build a tunnel, multiple entrances and hideaways within the structure. For added educational fun, consider discussions around the pyramids and ancient castles that were cleverly designed with tunnels, secret spaces and defense in mind.
For more ideas visit Kelly Whalen’s article “25 Frugal Ways To Keep The Kids Busy This Summer” at blog.ableBanking.com. She includes handy tips like finding free camps, discount museum admission, garden tours and so much more. Share with us: What’s your coolest boredom buster?