Budget Friendly No-Tech Summer Boredom Busters

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So summer vacations are underway. The sun is out and the long, cold winter is behind us. Nothing but a couple of months of sun and fun ahead of us, right? That would be nice, wouldn’t it. A few things tend to interfere with sun and fun. I’m referring to weather and time.
Weather. We have no control over it. Period, end of story. Not only can we not control it, we can’t even predict it with accuracy! Yet, it’s our job to deal with the fallout that is a long, sad face of a child whose hopes of doing something fun outside are crushed.
Time. Weather isn’t the only thing known to bring a child down. I remember being outside playing and hearing my parents call me to come inside because the sun had gone down. What a bummer. Who wants to go inside and do nothing? We don’t want our children bored or sad, but we also don’t necessarily want them constantly in front of a television or video game.
Once you realize what you’re up against you have an idea of how to head it off at the pass. So, here are some very affordable, things that will help keep your child’s face smiling instead of frowning from boredom on a rainy afternoon or late in the evening before bed. Not a single one of these items requires a plug or batteries. They do require a bit of imagination. And let’s face it. Children should use their imaginations while they can, because before they know it they’ll be out of school and facing the reality of the real world. All of these things can be almost anywhere, whether it be at home, at a relative’s, in a hotel room or even in a camper.

CRAFTING! COLORING!

Here are five projects your kids will love! I personally spent hours doing #1 for years. I would daydream about my perfect house and then draw floorplans and pictures. All of these projects can easily done with a few Crayola supplies that are available just about anywhere.
CONNECT – Crayola website – Crayola on Facebook – Crayola on Twitter – Crayola on Pinterest

1. Draw your dream house with Crayola Washable Watercolors! [Craft details]
2. Turn an old CD case into a bright and bold picture frame with a special message using Crayola’s Washable Window Markers. [Craft Details]
3. Make a 3-D circus using Markers, Crayola Colored Pencils and some recyclables: a shoebox and foam produce tray. [Craft details]
4. Create an Alien Puppet! [Craft details]
5. Make your own board game with Crayola Ultra-Clean Washable Markers. Create and play original games to encourage analytical thinking and improve organization skills! [Craft details]

READING!

I have always loved to read. I’d read when I was supposed to be doing other things, like practicing for dance. Candlewick puts out lots of great children’s books covering a wide span of ages.
CONNECT – Candlewick Press website – Candlewick on Facebook – Candlewick Press on Twitter

Picnic by John Burningham
9780763669454 ∙ May 2014 ∙ Hardcover ∙ $16.99 ∙ 32 pages ∙ Ages 2-5
One day, Boy and Girl head down the hill with a picnic basket and meet a fancily dressed Sheep, Pig, and Duck. They all set off to find the perfect place to sit outside — until they see Bull coming! A short-lived chase segues into a gentle interactive text as the friends wend their way from an idyllic outdoor world to a welcoming house on a hill. In a charmingly understated tale with child-friendly illustrations and a hint of sly humor, John Burningham evokes a perfect summer day with a fresh new picture book. The renowned John Burningham is in classic form with a simple story of a boy, a girl, and some animal friends that invites the child listener to join in.
«“Burningham’s trademark sketchy insouciance, with broken black outlines and dappled marker coloring, establishes a playful, sunny tone that’s perfect for a day in the spring-green countryside.”— Booklist (starred review)
The Almost Fearless Hamilton Squidlegger By Timothy Basil Ering
HC: 9780763623579 ∙ April 2014 ∙ $16.99 ∙ 40 pages ∙ Ages 3-7
Hamilton Squidlegger isn’t afraid of lots of things—not frackensnappers, or skelecragons, or even bracklesneeds. But there is one thing he is afraid of: the dark. In this sweet story set in a fantastical landscape, a boy learns to overcome his bedtime fears with a little help from dad – and the promise of wormcake in the morning!
« “With a wholehearted commitment to silliness, Ering turns a bedtime anxiety tale into a swashbuckling adventure. He paints as exuberantly as he writes, scumbling, dripping, and swabbing mossy green swamps and orange sunsets. … Ering’s (and Hamilton’s) derring-do should make readers forget all about their own anxieties.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

There, There By Sam McBratney, illustrated by Ivan Bates
HC: 9780763667023 ∙ September 2013 ∙ $15.99 ∙ 40 pages ∙ Ages 3-6
Little Hansie the bear loves to play pretend, and too often he gets himself in all sorts of trouble. A hurt knee, sand in his eyes, a bump on the head –but Dad knows just what to do. A big hug and a “there, there”, and everything is alright again. So when Dad hurts his foot on a thorn, Hansie bear knows just what to say! Written by the acclaimed author of Guess How Much I Love You, this cozy book celebrates the bond between father and child.
«“A deeply resonant story.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Mitchell Goes Bowling By Hallie Durand, illustrated by Tony Fucile
HC: 9780763660499 ∙ September 2013 ∙ $15.99 ∙ 40 pages ∙ Ages 3-7
Mitchell and his dad are back in this follow-up to the celebrated Mitchell’s License. Mitchell can’t wait to go to the bowling alley with Dad – after all, he loves knocking things over! But Mitchell soon learns about the gutter, and Dad gets a big X on the scoreboard. Will he ever manage to do the same?
“Durand and Fucile are a winning combination, and their father/son bonding will leave readers in stitches. Loads of fun with a lot of heart.” –Kirkus Reviews

Peppa Pig and the Great Vacation
9780763669867 ∙ May 2014 ∙ Hardcover ∙ $12.99 ∙ 32 pages ∙ Ages 2-5
Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig, Peppa, and George are off to the warm, sunny seaside. It’s too bad Goldie the goldfish can’t come along, but Granny Pig and Grandpa Pig will look after Peppa’s beloved pet. There’s lots to do on vacation — send postcards, have pizza for lunch, take a nature walk, and of course go to the beach. It’s a great vacation indeed, and Granny Pig and Grandpa Pig have taken very good care of Goldie. Maybe too good! Will this be Peppa’s greatest vacation ever?
Jessica Finch in Pig Trouble by Megan McDonald; illustrated by Erwin Madrid
9780763670276 ∙ February 2014 ∙ Paperback ∙ $4.99 ∙ 64 pages ∙ Ages 4-6
With her birthday coming up, Jessica hopes that, just maybe, her present will be a real-live potbellied pig. Jessica can hardly wait for her party with Judy Moody and all their friends. But Judy Moody is acting like a pig-head, and Jessica UN-invites her from the party. To make matters worse, Jessica has snooped around the house and has found zero sign of a pig present. Could her birthday be any more of a disaster? Geared to newly independent readers, this story will have Judy Moody fans in pig heaven.
“McDonald gives emerging readers their own series that offers the same realism and zany humor as her previous “Judy Moody” books.” — School Library Journal

What are your favorite no-tech summer boredom busters? Please leave a comment, I’d really like to know!