Bored No More: Short on Time and High on Energy

"I'm bored! Mommy what can I play?" How many times have we hear this as parents? It inevitably happens when we are at our busiest moment of the day. There is laundry that needs folding, dinner on the stove that is about to burn, and a sink full of dishes. What do you do when time is short, but your kids keep asking what they can do? Here are some great ideas that can keep them entertained with minimal prep. I love to make these into kits to save even more time. I use shoe boxes or other small plastic containers and pre-make these for moments of need. They are simiple and require minimal hands-on time. They are also great for building fine motor skills.

1. Leaf and Rock Painting: Go on a nature hunt and collect leaves and small rocks. Paint them with watercolors or acrylics to create unique artwork.

2. Paper Plate Masks: Decorate paper plates with markers, paint, or glued-on craft materials to make fun masks.

3. String Art: Use a piece of wood, a small hammer, and some nails to create a simple string art project. Kids can weave colorful string around the nails to make designs. I have also included a string art kit that's already put together.

4. Collage Creations: Collect old magazines, newspapers, and colored paper. Let kids cut out images and arrange them on a piece of cardboard or paper to create collages.

5. Sidewalk Chalk Art: Take the art outside! Let kids draw on the sidewalk or driveway with chalk.

6. Origami: All you need is paper to create origami animals, flowers, or other shapes.

7. Salt Dough Creations: Make salt dough using flour, salt, and water. Kids can shape it into sculptures, bake them, and then paint the hardened creations. Here is a great salt dough kit already put together!

8. Bubble Wrap Printing: Dip a piece of bubble wrap in paint and press it onto paper for a textured effect.

9. Nature Rubbings: Place leaves, bark, or textured objects under a piece of paper and rub crayons or colored pencils over them to reveal the textures.

10. Tissue Paper Stained Glass: Cut or tear colorful tissue paper into small pieces and let kids create "stained glass" by arranging them on a sheet of clear contact paper.

These activities encourage creativity and can be done with items commonly found at home. Enjoy the art-making process!

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