We are midway through summer and the kids are stating to get bored.
Most summer activities are also halfway to being done.If not, some are finished already with the courses being offered.
Let’s face it, not everyone can afford sending their children to summer activities. Apart from the expenses these will incur (enrollment fees, transportation, food, and necessary materials to be purchased like shoes and necessary clothes), plotting the logistics regarding who and when who will bring the children to the place where they will get their summer enrichment activities also needs to be done.
Most children stay at home during these days that they don’t have to go to school.
So what could be done so that they will not feel bored and restless?
Clockwise from upper right, books that teach how they can draw things, a board game, digital scrapbooking, chess and jigsaw puzzle.
These are just some of the activities that these children can do at home aside from the usual electronic hand held video games that they get to play from morning till night time:
- Play board games
- Learn to draw
- Do digital scrap booking or other photo shop applications
- Learn to play mind games such as chess and/or sungka.
- Do jigsaw puzzles. Challenge them to do the 300 or 500 or even the 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles
- Learn to cook and bake simple dishes
- Help in the gardening chores
- Do crafts like papier mache or finger painting or origami or their own kites to fly or basket weaving using old phone books
- Give them chores to do around the house like making their beds or grooming the pets
- Ask them to create their own games instead of playing games that can be bought
- Go backyard camping
- Learn how to climb a tree
The list is endless and the possibilities are a-plenty.
I am sure parents would be able to re-create their own enjoyable summer activities with their children 
8:17 pm on May 25th, 2009
Awww I miss summer! Ever since highschool, I haven’t had any summer vacations. I studied every summer during college, and after that started working!
I can’t wait to spend summers with this little boy of mine
11:31 am on May 27th, 2009
My son is turning three this July. He finished his five-week summer class last May 15, and I think he’s getting bored staying at home, although there are things to keep him busy. He has coloring books and crayons, paper and pencils, he has his own VCDs/DVDs, he even plays with an old cellphone model the following games (Snakes, Bantumi (Sungka) and Space Impact). When I’m done with work in the afternoon, he takes my place in front of the computer and plays online games or puzzles. I also bought him a few story books. But they don’t seem to be enough. I think he’s ready for regular school come June. That will provide him with more fun and stimulating activities.
3:33 pm on May 27th, 2009
Thanks for this wonderful tips. Useful for my child.
1:15 am on June 6th, 2009
This summer is all about learning for us and getting ahead for next year. I found a VERY COOL e-learning site called http://www.BigIQkids.com that is offering a 3 month summer special for $29.99 that includes all their K-7 learning programs.
My children think it’s the GREATEST and are so happy to be “online”. I can’t believe they’re having fun learning spelling words, vocabulary, math and US geography. Club Penguin good riddance!!
7:12 am on June 22nd, 2009
I have not been blogging lately and honestly, I am just catching up on reading blogs I hoped to follow - including yours. I like this particular topic you posted. Being a work-at-home mom in this crazy economic times, our budget for activities have been trimmed dramatically. After some major analysis, we found a Legoland annual pass is cost-effective considering my son is totally into Legos right now. However, we did not renew our Disneyland annual passes albeit it being only half an hour away from our house.
We found great activities that are not only free, but excellent bonding experiences with our son. Lowe’s and Home Depot have weekend craft clinics, which are free. It does not only teaches our son to use his hands to build stuff (not just buying stuff), but he and his dad are able to work together. They also go to a nearby golf course where they have a special spot for children to play golf at and it’s free to the public. They just have to bring their own clubs.
So do check out your local hardware stores and golf courses to see if they have similar activities.
2:01 am on July 11th, 2009
Hello to all filipino moms =]
I am not a mommy but A psuedo mom to all my little nephews and neices. I moved here when I was 7 and my tagalog is very rusty. My older sister just had a baby and her friends gave her little boy two tagalog learning books (which I learned from myself). As I read through them, surprisingly, they were more educational than interesting. They were straight to business and unlike mainstream the children’s books on shelves. My nephew just turned one and that is beyond his level. We live in New Jersey and although there are many asian stores, I hardly see a good filipino children’s book out there.
I noticed this since I also read to my other nephew who is five. So, I put two and two together and decided to write a book of my own. One with more adventures like Dora and Deigo the explorer. This book will be fun while still learning. They’ll learn the basics such as colors, time, numbers and body parts. Right now, I am working on colors. This book is still in process but will soon be published. I don’t mean to sound business hungry on this friendly communal page, I am sorry, but, I do feel like filipino children in America are losing touch with their language. I’m only 23 but I’ve seen nephews and neices grow since I was 11. The oldest nephew who is now 11, is very curious about the filipino culture and I know his younger cousins will follow his curiousity. So, I wish to costruct books to fulfill their appetite for knowledge of their own cultures and traditions.
Just for reference, I am writing this book with my partner. I will soon have english degree from Rutgers University this January and my partner, who is helping me, is also an English grad. with soon to have a masters in Education K-12. I hope you guys are interested or can give me some feedback. Thanks!
11:34 am on September 15th, 2009
Rosa, do send us a copy when your book is finished!
We would love to see the book. I wish you the best in your endeavor 