Boredom hitting your home? We’ve got 10 ideas for boredom busters for together time with your family including games and activites at home.
Sometimes boredom is a reality. While, as parents, we know that some boredom is good for kids, we want to keep everyone sane and help them use this time constructively and wisely.
When the kids are bored out of their mind, it’s the perfect chance to turn that restless energy into memorable family fun! Why not dive into one of our Top 10 Boredom Busters? You could create a backyard obstacle course that doubles as a mini adventure, or set up a cozy family movie night with homemade snacks to snuggle up and recharge together. Feeling curious? Try some hands-on science experiments that might get a little messy but guarantee big laughs and learning. Or, take a break from screens and explore your backyard or a nearby park—count birds, collect leaves, and watch the world come alive. Whether you’re crafting, playing games, or even baking treats to share with neighbors, boredom can be the gateway to creative memories and a little bit of magic right at home.
Looking for Indoor Boredom Busters: GO TO THE INDOOR FAMILY FUN HUB
Ideas for Implementing These Boredom Busters
1. Create an Experience
Our homes provide a safe haven, but after a while the same ol’ thing bores even the most patient person. Try creating these experiences:
- Set up an obstacle course in your backyard (or even in the living room, if you’re up to it.)
- Create a spa in your bathroom.
- Have a soda taste test.
- Build a library complete with a shelving and cataloging system.Â
- Get out paper, colored pencils, crayons, etc and make your own Zines or Comic Strips.
- Write Short Stories and read them to each other.
- Or, I don’t know, clean out the fridge!
2. Explore Your Own Backyard or a Park
When we are able to go outside, find a patch of green grass, pull out a magnifying glass and observe the trees, count the birds each day and create a chart. Whip out our big list of 65 Fun Nature Play Ideas for Kids.
You can do this in a nearby patch of nature if you don’t have a yard. Or, at parks across the Twin Cities are great for the exploring. Experts recommend we take at least 20 minutes every day to get outside. Explore new parks: Twin Cities Parks & Playgrounds
3. Watch Airplanes
Drive to your local airport and watch the airplanes take off and land. Pack a lunch and count the number of planes that land in 10 minutes. I love going to Post Road, a designated aircraft viewing spot near the Minneapolis-St Paul airport, where you can watch all the action. There are no restroom facilities, so plan accordingly. This fantastic activity gets you out of the house but not into the middle of the masses.
4. Do Science Experiments
While the thought of this makes me cringe, if you can get past the imminent mess this will probably be one of the most thrilling things you do with your kids. We are big fans of Minnesota’s own Liz Heinecke, The Kitchen Pantry Scientist. You can find her books at the library or through our Bookshop Shop:
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5. Play Games or Do Puzzles
Both indoor games and puzzles and outdoor games! We love playing different games as a family. Many times we need to set our own house rules for games to help our kids feel like they’ve got a chance. But as they get older, we can readjust those rules. Here are some of our ideas.
Outdoor Games – Kickball, Four Square, hopscotch and jump roping are just the beginning. We have 60 games or activities on this list that will keep them entertained outdoors for hours. Or, ’tis the season for spring yard cleanup and gardening prep!
Try also our list of 45 Fun Physical Activities For All Ages! It’s got tons more ideas on getting the heart pumping.
Indoor Games – Balloon games, tape games, indoor scavenger hunts, charades and dozens more. This massive list of 75 indoor games and activities will banish boredom for a long stretch.
6. Try Something New
This is the perfect time to learn how to do something alongside our kids. Need some ideas?
- Finger knitting (<– YouTube Video)
- Basketweaving (I’m not even joking)
- Write a poem or a script to perform
- Learn a foreign language together
- Choreograph a dance routine
- Try a new recipe
- Scrapbook a memorable family vacation
- Create your own “bucket list” of new things to try.
7. Read!
Create your own family book club. Read a book together, make a snack that would fit the book’s theme, and while you are eating your snack, chat about your book. So much good comes from families bonding over stories (and food).
8. Family Movie Time
Pop some corn, break out the movie candy/healthy snacks. Whether you binge-watch Marvel movies, pull up a classic on a streaming app or the library, or even watch the movies you already own, this is a great time to snuggle on the couch and a fun family way to relax and enjoy each other’s company.Â
Make it Dinner and a Movie by making some homemade pizza or nachos to eat while you watch.
Our friends at Doing Good Together have some ideas for turning movie night into an opportunity to give back to the community:
9. Make a Craft
The great thing about crafts is that there are lots of different kids of crafts you can make simply out of paper. Or order in a few supplies from Amazon. I’m really excited to have a reason to do some of these crafts together, especially seasonal crafts to celebrate the current time of year!
We’ve collected a lot of ideas to keep you busy at home or in the classroom in our Arts and Crafts Throughout the Year article.
10. Serve Others
Times of boredom can be times to think of others. How can your family serve those you love and/or are around you? Serving others helps us to keep busy and active.
Bake cookies for your neighbors (instructions below). Make a grocery run for your grandparents. Write a letter to your cousins (yes, an actual letter! Resist the email or text, if possible.)
More Boredom Busting Resources for the Whole Family
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