indigomama Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I am needing some ideas for projects or hobbies that my boys 7 and 10. Something I can direct them to when they whine about be bored. Would like: things they can do independently things that are longer term (not board games, or quick and then done) no videos/t.v. I was thinking perhaps: clay with books on sculpting photography Any other ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korrale Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Crafts. Knitting, crochet, sewing. Knitting loom. They could start making gifts for family and friends for Christmas. Or if your family is altruistic they could start making blankets for the homeless in the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 Soap carving garden patch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmhearn Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Um, I hate to be painfully obvious, but... Legos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ameena Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Would you be open to scouting? Boy Scouts would give them both something to work on {badges, etc}. If you're not that crazy about BSA, you can always just get the merit badge books / handbook & call them boredom busters - that's what I do with my dd & girl scouts. Gardening Volunteer work - does someone in your church / neighborhood / family need a little help with lawn work / making things pretty / odd jobs? They also could do it for hire which might provide more boredom busters & another teaching opportunity. Build a tree fort? Or some type of fort that is semi-permement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco_Clark Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Crocheting (hats?), knitting, sewing, embroidering, carving (soap or balsa wood), simple building projects (bird house?), gardening both indoors and outdoors, sketching, painting ("real" painting like watercolor, oil). If you are comfortable letting them roam a bit bike riding can be a great hobby. Skateboarding or rollerblading could be practiced up and down a short street. They could design board games, if they like playing them. That can take quite a while. Street hockey and basketball can both be played with only two players and limited room. There are lots of other lawn games as well- ring toss, horse shoes, volleyball, croquet. Photography can be fun, especially if you have photo editing software but that of course means computer time. I've seen books on "backyard ballistics" that teach you how to make things with household items. I always direct mine to chores when bored. It fixes things fairly quickly. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 It would require a computer in the long run, but my boys LOVE doing stop-motion with their Legos. They can spend hours playing Legos. Since they're limited in computer time, they've even gone to make their own Lego Minecraft game. The other huge hit right now is Nerf warfare. Not with guns, but with the Nerf swords and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I can't remember who came up with this idea (not me), but you can have a brainstorming session with your children - while they aren't whining - and come up with a list of as many activities as possible that they like to do. Then they print out the list (or write it nicely), decorate it if they like, and put it up somewhere. Next time they complain of having nothing to do, all you need to do is point at the list. If they don't want to do anything on their list, just give them housework / yard work to do instead ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsH Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I always direct mine to chores when bored. It fixes things fairly quickly. ;) Haha I do that, too. My guy likes to build with anything (Fancy marble track, Keva planks towers and bridges, Lego, k'nex...). Science kits are a huge hit, as is his ant farm. I try to leave books lying around and he often becomes interested. Making pots out of clay was a thing for a while. Jigsaws. Mazes and coloring, extreme dot to dots. Spy stuff and secret codes. Hex bugs, bey blades... And anything outside... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Noc Bay has some cool craft kits: http://www.nocbay.com/product.asp?ID=219 This guy sells awesome soap craving tools: https://www.etsy.com/listing/118909975/handmade-soap-carving-tools Zoku Pop Maker, expensive but fun! learning to play a ukulele assembling a tent in the backyard, hanging out in it, disassemble and put away properly, over and over again. :) kite making collect nature specimens: http://www.theprivateeyestore.com/servlet/the-17/do-it-yourself-collection/Detail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer132 Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 How about knot tying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigomama Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 Thanks for all the suggestions. Some of these things they do already, legos, puzzles, reading, playing outside. Of course, I think there are plenty of things they can be doing around the house, and they do help out. I think we just got in a rut with this long winter, it's snowed today and it's May already. I really liked the knot tying, soap carving, perhaps just getting a BS book and working through badges, we don't have time to join another outside activity, but on their own that could be fun. Thanks everyone. I will pick up some of these things and print up a list. It would be helpful to be able to direct them to a list of things and have them choose something, instead of telling them to just go find something to do. I love this board for when my own creativity runs out :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigomama Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 Noc Bay has some cool craft kits: http://www.nocbay.com/product.asp?ID=219 This guy sells awesome soap craving tools: https://www.etsy.com/listing/118909975/handmade-soap-carving-tools Zoku Pop Maker, expensive but fun! learning to play a ukulele assembling a tent in the backyard, hanging out in it, disassemble and put away properly, over and over again. :) kite making collect nature specimens: http://www.theprivateeyestore.com/servlet/the-17/do-it-yourself-collection/Detail All of these are fantastic, just the sort of things I was looking for. Thanks for all the links! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basketcase Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 My 10yo is currently fascinated by the extreme dot-to-dot books, the ones with hundreds of dots on a page. He'll also spend a lot of time on sudoku puzzles and origami. The rainbow loom was a good fit for a while, and he always comes back to snap circuits. Maybe a better fit for the longer-term projects you're looking for are kite-making, making a pinewood derby car or even going for a cardboard boat regatta. I have an awesome mother-in-law, and she made a trapeze for our kids a few years ago and installed it in our play room. It keeps the kids happy, especially on bad-weather days. (No hospital trips yet.) Any kind of indoor equipment might go over big. Baking! Teach a kid how to make cookies, and they're never bored again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymonster Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 We're building this smartphone microscope this week... It looks super cool! Link: http://www.iflscience.com/technology/how-build-smartphone-microscope-stand-10 Oh! And how about a summer business? My son has become quite the capitalist all of the sudden... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Check out DIY.org. Whether you let the kids on the site or just use it for ideas, it will keep your boys busy for a while. There are badges to be earned but no outside activity is required, although DIY clubs are popping up now. https://diy.org/skills/sort/alpha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Scrap wood, nails, a hand saw, and hammer. This is a great age to get them their own real toolbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OtterMommy Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 My son is totally the lego type, and lately he has been making a bull whip out of paracord. It has taken hours of his time and energy. He does like drawing, too, but it needs to be directed usually. I tell him if he can't find something productive to do, then I will find him something :tongue_smilie: ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Electronics. Have them work through this book, or sign up for EEME, or use Snap Circuits. Get a beginner's book on Arduino and let them figure out how to program it and build robots. They could blog about it or sell their creations. What a great idea to collect ideas on the verge of summer. I'm jotting down these ideas, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Himfirst Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Simple science kits in ziplocks, pocket microscope, old electronics to take apart & explore, snap circuits, pool noodles & duct tape (really), Pinterest has tons of ideas- maybe you would want to scroll through some with the boys & see what interests them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaquitita Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Origami. Science experiments. Boxes and tape. Slip n slide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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