Search Results for: blog holiday boredom busters

Christmas Break Boredom Busters

Today is the last day of school for many kids in our area.  Their Christmas break begins this afternoon and I’m sure they couldn’t be happier.  Their parents, on the other hand, may not share the same feeling. A week from now those same kids may be climbing the walls looking for ways to keep busy.  If you fear boredom will get the best of your brood before Santa flies into town, consider putting your kids to work making these simple and inexpensive holiday decorations that you can use to brighten up your home or give as gifts: Pretty Presents:  … Continue reading →

Ways to Keep Kids Busy During Their Holiday Break

  Tis the season for parents to rack their brains coming up with ways to keep their children busy during the extended holiday break from school. Whether you will be home alone with two kids or you’re hosting a house full of hooligans in the days leading up to Santa’s arrival, consider the following holiday-themed boredom busters to keep your sanity intact: Activity Pages:  Print out free Christmas coloring pages from the Internet.  Not only do the jolly images provide for hours of holiday fun, but also, they’ll save you precious cash during a time when most moms and dads … Continue reading →

Dressing Up for the Holidays

About a decade ago I scored an invitation to a huge New Year’s Eve masquerade ball. The annual shindig is a fundraising event for the Boys and Girls Club and is held at the swankiest hotel in our city. It is one of the hottest social events of the year, so dressing down is not an option. Actually, if you are a female, all you have to wear to get in is a formal dress topped with a masquerade mask that matches your outfit. Men don tuxedos and throw on a small mask to cover their eyes. In some cases, … Continue reading →

Holiday Sanity Savers for Parents

The countdown is on. In just a few days my daughter’s Christmas break will commence. She delights in telling people that soon she won’t have to endure seven looooong hours a day in a classroom until 2012. I too am thrilled that she will be home, though I know better than to count on the time being stress-free. The first few days of the holiday hiatus from school is filled with giggles and grins, but by day three, I hear more, “Mom, I’m bo-bo-bored!” than “Ho, ho, ho!” Over the years, I’ve learned to prepare for periods of whines and … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Boredom Busters for Kids

Today was the last day of school for many kids in our area. Thanksgiving break is now officially underway. That’s great news for students, but for harried parents trying to prepare their homes for Turkey Day guests having a bunch of bored children underfoot can be a holiday nightmare. If you are looking for ways to preserve your sanity while the kids are home next week, consider these fun Thanksgiving-themed activities that will yield hours of fun and some nifty holiday decorations in the process: HOMEMADE INDIAN CORN Materials: Green and yellow construction paper Scissors Craft glue Dried beans Pencil … Continue reading →

Easter Boredom Busters

Easter egg hunts are not the only way to keep kids’ boredom at bay this holiday weekend. Your children will love partaking in the following Easter-themed games and activities while they wait for the bunny to deliver their sweet treats: Bunny Hop: This simple activity is a classic and takes its cue from a traditional wedding dance song. Simply line up the kids inside or out and let them hop like a bunny once you turn on the music. You can give prizes to the child who has the funniest hop or the one who lasts the longest. Bunny-Pokey: This … Continue reading →

Post Holiday Boredom Busters for Kids

The clichés are true; kids really do enjoy playing with boxes more than their contents and wrapping paper really can fly if folded just right. Prior to becoming a mother I never gave much thought to boxes, paper and tape in regards to keeping kids busy. How quickly things change. This year I seriously contemplated purchasing my 6-year-old a case of Scotch tape and calling it a Christmas. The kid burns through tape like she’s possessed by Martha Stewart. Still, I don’t expect her to sit in a room designing Scotch tape chotskis for the remainder of her Christmas break … Continue reading →

Make Your Own Holiday Decorations

If you are on a fixed income, but you still want your home to look festive during the holiday season, then consider making your own Christmas decorations. Doing so will help you save money, avoid chaotic shopping malls, and allow you to exercise your creative side. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a craft queen to piece together stunning seasonal decorations. There a thousands of simple projects that can be made with just a few materials and little if any skill. For example, last year my five-year-old helped me make a sensational centerpiece for our dining room table. All we … Continue reading →

Educational Holiday Getaways

Who says kids can’t learn something while on Christmas vacation… besides not licking frozen lamp posts? The United States is home to a number of award-winning educational facilities designed to make learning fun for kids of all ages. If you are looking for tried and true boredom busters this holiday season, consider traveling to the following: Experience Music Project The Seattle-based Frank Gehry-designed music mecca is a haven for rock stars in the making. Experience Music Project boasts equipment that your tween can use for his fantasy jam session, plus there’s a section that showcases the likes of Seattle’s own … Continue reading →

Fun with Holiday Leftovers

I’m not talking turkey here. With Christmas just a few weeks away I am desperately trying to purge my home of leftover Halloween candy and remnants of our Thanksgiving feast, so I figured why not have a little fun in the process. If you have kids at home the following projects make for excellent boredom busters during the holiday break from school: CANDY SAND ART Materials: Pixy Stixs Clean baby food jars Gummy worms or fish Small plastic castle or scuba guy Directions: To make sweet sand art, layer the colored sugar from the Pixy Stix into a clean baby … Continue reading →