Shockingly simple idea to fight kids’ boredom

by Emma Lee, Yahoo Special Projects


Ever been caught out by Singapore’s rain or a cancelled play date only to find yourself stumped for ideas on how to keep your child entertained for the rest of the afternoon? The ‘boredom jar’ is your answer!

Making a boredom jar is simple. All you need is a large empty glass jar with a lid, a sticky label, a pen and lots and lots of small pieces of paper. If you want to make your jar look super-smart, use coloured paper and pens. Then get creative!

Fill your jar with as many boredom-busting ideas as you can think up. Pack it with fun things and some chores as well. Keep your kids’ hobbies and ages in mind, but don’t be afraid to stretch them a little or to get them to do something useful with their time. Also bear in mind that whatever goes in the jar has to suit you too.

If you don’t want your little ones redecorating the house or digging up the garden, steer clear of anything that might be interpreted as either of those! The ideas can be for both you and your child to do together or depending on the age of the child, they might be able to complete the task by themselves with some supervision. Put one idea on each piece of paper, pop it into your jar and wait for your first customer.

If it helps you to come up with ideas, think in terms of helpful, creative, physical and outdoor activities that will pass the time. Here are some ideas to consider.

Helpful
Water the plants, brush the dog, tidy your room, put the books on the shelf, fold the washing, help Mum make lunch, load the washing machine or set the table for dinner.

Creative
Draw a picture of your favourite toy, write a spooky story, do Mum’s hair, paint your nails, build a scene out of Lego, make your teacher a thank-you card, have a teddy bear’s picnic or bake cupcakes with Mum and Dad.

Physical
Go for a ride on the bike or scooter, play hopscotch (teach them hopscotch if they don’t know it!), skip for 10 minutes, practice your soccer skills for half an hour, have a splash in the pool, go for a walk or do five star jumps, five forward rolls and five minutes of running on the spot, then repeat three times.

Outdoors
Water the plants, build a sandcastle at East Coast Park or Sentosa, fly a kite at Marina Barrage or West Coast Park, pick flowers from your garden and arrange them in a vase, feed the birds, find a shady spot under the tree in the park and read a book for half an hour or gather your siblings or friends and go for a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood.

The jar is your weapon against your kids’ boredom, so every time you hear the words “I’m bored”, reach for the boredom jar. This will encourage them to find things to entertain themselves on their own.