Bored children are restless children, so rather than dealing with whiny kids all summer or during a long holiday break, find ways to keep them laughing and otherwise entertained. Check out some of our favorite boredom busters and ensure little ones stay occupied:

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“Sumo Wrestling”

Pair extra-large t-shirts with old pillows and have your kids “sumo wrestle.” They’ll have fun for hours, but be sure to move any living room or den furniture that’s in the way before they begin so you don’t have broken coffee tables and similar problems on your hands!

Rainbow Toast

Use condensed milk and food coloring to create all the colors of the rainbow, then have your kids paint their toast before eating it. The toast has a slightly sweet taste, and they’ll marvel over getting to “paint” their food.

Homemade Gak

Remember Gak? It was all the rage among elementary school kids way back in the ‘90s, and if you’d like to make your own version for your children to play with, check out one of the many recipe options available on the vast craft resource that is the internet. Have your kids help make it if desired!

Shoebox Dollhouse

Do your kids’ dolls need a new residence? Give them old shoe boxes as well as supplies such as old wallpaper and felt. Collect doll furniture from garage sales and the like to use, or make your own.

Straw Music Instrument

Use straws of varying sizes and tape to create a whistle instrument for kids. Have them help piece the instrument together, and look for other DIY play instrument options out there, such as drums made from old oatmeal cartons.

Pool Noodle Marble Racetrack

Cut an old pool noodle in two and use the pieces to form a racetrack for your kids’ marble collection. An old shoe box is ideal for collecting the marbles that “finished” the race, and be sure to create a “Finish” flag as well. Kids will spend hours racing their marbles and trying to figure out which ones will win and why.

Bracelet Crafts

Spend time making bracelets, such as friendship bracelets and washi tape wooden bracelets. There’s plenty of tutorials for such bracelets on the Internet, as well as tons of other jewelry options. An afternoon making jewelry will appeal to most children!

These are just some of the ways to stave off boredom in children! Have fun!

What are your favorite boredom busters?