12 Unique Activities for Middle Schoolers to Combat Summer Boredom

Summer's here, and although I am thankful for warmer weather and more active daylight hours, I dread three inevitable words: "Mom, I'm bored." When my kids were younger, creative play was always a hit, and it was easy for me to keep them entertained for hours until snack or nap time. Now, with one just about to turn 13 and the other eleven, I am finding my deck of cards without any tricks. My kids have everything I ever wanted: a trampoline, a basketball goal, internet, ample room outdoors, and a dog! Dumbfounded, I ask myself, "How on earth could these boys be bored?" After speaking with a handful of friends and my nieces and nephews, I found that this "boredom problem" is a shared phenomenon among many kids and parents today. Therefore, I searched for fresh ideas to incorporate into our summer routine to ward off those three scary words. Check out these top summer activities for middle schoolers:

Outdoor Ideas:

1. Backyard camping: Children and adults can appreciate the excitement of "surviving" outdoors while setting up shelter in a tent, roasting marshmallows over a fire, and enjoying nature outside. Elements to consider: outdoor speaker for music, card table games, flashlight tag, and snacks (of course).

2. Outdoor movie night: A portable projector can project an outdoor movie on an exterior wall or garage. Add lawn chairs, popcorn, and an intermission time to stock up on snacks, blankets, and drinks.

3. Capture the Flag with Water Guns/Balloons: Capture the flag with water guns. This is a variation of the classic game where teams compete to capture the opposing team's flag while avoiding getting "tagged" by water guns. Players need water guns, a designated area, and the first team to capture and return the opposing flag successfully.

4. Family Scavenger Hunt: Creating an interactive scavenger hunt is a great way to bond with family and friends as you search for items throughout your town, nature, or even while on vacation. If you're a family that strives during competition, add a time clock and try to find all the items before the time runs out. *Be safe and abide by all laws while doing the hunt.

There are endless options for scavenger hunts to prepare for your family. Here's a nature scavenger list to use: https://www.learningresources.com/media/pdf/lr/resources/Scavenger-Hunt-50-Things-to-Find-on-a-Nature-Walk.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOoqQCkTkw_r0b-atmKkRVRvCeLQGNkAMxZPECQ8ugJBrJ6EQ9SUg.

Creative/Artistic Ideas:

1. Have a tie-dye day! Repurpose old clothing, tote bags, or sheets and create colorful patterns. Learn to create designs like a starburst, bullseye, and spiral from here: https://www.tiedyeyoursummer.com/techniques

2. Make a video or slideshow: Using your mobile phone and free apps, create a fun video just for you and your family to enjoy. Record an activity, pretend to be a news anchor, or make a slideshow of pictures you have taken together or separately.

3. Comic-book Challenge: Write and illustrate a comic book with your family. While this activity may not be for everyone, it is fantastic for those who like to express themselves through art and writing.

4. Create art out of nature or newspaper/magazine clippings: Can't draw? Don't worry. Find items from the outdoors or old magazines and make a scene using glue and your selections.

Indoors/At Home

1. Host a board game tournament: Bring out the classics!

2. Escape Room Challenge: Design or print a DIY escape room puzzle. Escape Room puzzles are highly entertaining and exercise your kid's problem-solving skills.

3. At-Home Cooking Challenge: Create your version of the show "Chopped" and provide a basket of mystery ingredients. Allow your kids to try and put something together while you stay on-site for guidance, safety, and instruction.

4. YouTube Skills Challenge: You and your kids try to mimic or learn a new skill as seen on YouTube, such as juggling, magic tricks, balancing skills, or, as my kids like to say, "life hacks."

Some of these ideas may not get more than an eyeroll from your son or daughter. However, with some extra patience and effort, we can feel proud that we have tried to engage with our kids in ways that inspire creativity, movement, and problem-solving. As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, active parenting isn't always easy, but it is always worth the effort. We at Children's Behavioral Services wish you and your families a fun, safe, and memorable summer. If you try some of these activities, please let us know how they went on our Facebook page! We'd love to hear from you.