While we’re all stuck at home social distancing thanks to Coronavirus, boredom busters for kids are truly coming in handy.
The funny thing about school is that, though your kids are at it for six hours each day, a lot of their time spent there is NOT spent actively learning – they spend time moving from place to place, socializing, eating, and engaging in various classroom management and busy work activities.
Of course you can fill your child’s day with word searches and other activities that I, as a former teacher, felt were largely a waste of time educationally, if you need them quiet and still so you can get through a work meeting, but at the end of the day, you’ll also want to have some activities they can do that are stimulating, engaging, and fun to them too.
After combing through my house and gift guides of the past, I’ve put together this list of products I’ve used over the years that are surefire boredom busters for kids.
50 Boredom Busters for Kids of All Ages
Indoor Boredom Busters for Kids
Games and Puzzles for Kids
Exploding Kittens. The perfect card game for adults, teens and kids who are into kittens and explosions and laser beams and sometimes goats.
Kanoodle 3D Puzzle Game. Brain teasing, puzzle game for ages 7 and up.
Bears vs Babies. Super fun competitive card game.
Spot it. One of our all time favorite games.
Books and Educational Items
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
Illustrated Harry Potter Series
The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs
Educational Websites for Kids
Highlights for Kids – we love the daily schedule for kids they have set up.
BrainPOP – this awesome website is offering free access during school closures.
Time for Kids – great content for kids to read about current events.
BBC for Kids – we like the history section.
Online Courses for Kids
Learn to decorate cakes and cookies. Brit + Co is offering their course for free right now (use code SELFCARE). Some of them are perfect for kids like cookie decorating, cake decorating, and a number of cool watercolor courses. You can see them all here: Brit + Co Classes
Outschool. They offer over 10,000 courses on hundreds of topics. A couple that stood out: Video Game Design, Beginning Reading: From Phonics to Fluency, and American Sign Language
Tynker. It’s a site that teaches kids about coding and it’s free for kids now while school closures are happening.
Virtual Tours to try.
San Diego Zoo. Tons of webcams, videos, activities, games, and more.
The Nature Conservancy. Take a virtual field trip or learn about nature via their curriculum.
Smithsonian National History Museum. This is one of our favorite places to visit and they have great virtual experiences as well.
Fun activities your kids will love.
Watergun Painting from Somewhat Simple
Paper Bag Ice Cream from TeachMama
DIY Moon Sand from Happiness is Homemade
Homemade Floam from Growing a Jeweled Rose
Homemade Gak from Lil Luna
Make Your Own Bouncy Balls from Life’s Carousel
Painted Salt Sculptures from Having Fun with Kids at Home
Things to do around the house.
Bake something.
Reorganize your room.
Make a blanket fort.
Build an obstacle course.
Perform a skit.
Write a story.
Help with household chores.
Color. We have one of these extra large posters so we can stop by and color any time we want.
Make your own slime. Here’s our YouTube tutorial showing you how easy it is:
Learn a new dance. Head to TikTok for some ideas.
Outdoor Boredom Busters for Kids
Become a ninja warrior. You can set up your own ninja warrior course in your yard.
Start a garden. Be sure you add some things your kids might like to eat so they can enjoy the fruits of their labor in the near future.
Go treasure hunting. This affordable metal detector will help you make some cool discoveries.
Try geocaching. It’s known as the world’s largest treasure hunt! You can learn more about it here: Try Geocaching
Paint bird houses. And hang them in your yard.
Go stargazing. This stargazing app makes it easy.
Pitch a tent. And sleep in your backyard. This two man tent is perfect for a yard over nighter.
Outdoor games and toys we love.
Cornhole. Or horse shoes, or whatever yard game you and your family enjoy.