| Being a stay-at-home mother of 3 kids I constantly | | | | * Have a picnic inside. |
| hear "We're bored", so I created a list of things we | | | | * Tell them a story. Your favorite trip, holiday, a |
| can do for no money (or almost no money). I've | | | | funny event, etc. |
| broken it down into 2 categories: inside and outside. | | | | * Color with crayons or color pencils. There are tons |
| Inside Activities: | | | | of site online to print out free color pages with every |
| * Go on a treasure hunt - look for a missing sock or | | | | cartoon character you can imagine. Another option is |
| toy, or just hide something for them to find. You can | | | | draw your own pictures that tell a story. |
| even draw a map to find the treasure. | | | | * Get a cardboard box and let them play. Depending |
| * Read a book - Go to your local library and check | | | | on the size it could become a car, house, space ship, |
| out a book then read it together. Talk about what | | | | train, castle, etc. Many grocery stores will give you |
| happened in the story. | | | | boxes if you ask. |
| * Make a collage from old magazines, photos, junk | | | | Outside Activities: |
| mail, newspapers or anything else you have around | | | | * Visit a local or state park. |
| the house. | | | | * Visit a local playground. Many apartment complexes |
| * Play post office. Using some of the junk mail we all | | | | have playgrounds for their tenants which anyone can |
| get pretend to send and receive letters. You can also | | | | use unless it says for tenants only. |
| write your own letter or draw pictures and pretend | | | | * Play tag - our favorite is freeze tag. |
| to mail them. | | | | * Search for acorns, leaves, flowers, seeds, or four |
| * Play store. Pretend to shop for groceries, clothes, | | | | leaf clovers, etc. See who can find the most or find |
| or anything else you can think of. One person can be | | | | one first. |
| the salesperson and the other person can be the | | | | * Go for a walk in the snow. |
| customer. | | | | * Make a snowman or snow family or anything out |
| * Play restaurant. One person can be the waiter and | | | | of snow. Check out my aunt's site at for really neat |
| the other person can be the customer. Pretend to | | | | snow creations using food coloring. |
| take the order, prepare the food, serve the food | | | | * Watch the sunset in the evening or sun rise in the |
| and collect payment. | | | | morning. |
| * Let the kids help you cook. Even the littlest kids | | | | * Look for stars or planets in the night sky. |
| can help pour or stir under your supervision. | | | | * Have a snowball fight. |
| * Watch a movie together. Check out one from your | | | | * Search for tracks - squirrel, deer, dog, cat, people, |
| local library or rent one from a video rental store. | | | | bird, etc. |
| Then break out the popcorn and enjoy the show. | | | | * Plant seeds and help them grow. One inexpensive |
| * Play hot and cold. One person hides an object and | | | | way to get seeds is to get them out of pumpkins, |
| the other has to find it. When the seeker gets close | | | | watermelons, apples, cucumbers, peppers and then |
| the are getting warmer and when they are moving | | | | plant them outside or in a plastic cup. |
| away from the object they are getting colder. | | | | * Visit friends or neighbors. |
| * Start your own band. Use pots and pans for drums. | | | | * Have a picnic outside. |
| Pizza pans, pot lids and wooden spoons work well | | | | * Go to the beach, a lake, a river and enjoy the |
| also. | | | | view or go for a swim. |
| * Act out a story. Many people know Little Red | | | | * Make mud pies. |
| Riding Hood or Three Little Pigs. | | | | * Play in a sprinkler or in a baby pool. |
| * Make a fort using pillows, blankets and sofa | | | | * Go for a walk. |
| cushions. | | | | * Rake leaves into a big pile and jump in. |
| * Put together a puzzle. You can also make a puzzle | | | | Most kids just want to spend time with people who |
| of your own by drawing a picture, cutting it into | | | | care about them. If you include them in some of |
| pieces, and then have fun putting it together again. | | | | what you do each day it will help them learn about |
| * Play dress-up. Let them wear your clothes, shoes | | | | this great, big world around them. |
| and make-up. | | | | |