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Posted

We recently moved to a new country and while that's always an adjustment, I don't think we've ever been as bored as we have been for the past week. I would love some ideas of things we can do.

 

We mostly don't have Internet access and that may not change for a while. We were running out of ebooks to read but I was able to get more yesterday.

 

We don't have many games- we were living out of our suitcases for almost two months and have been in five different countries in the last two weeks so we were packing as lightly as possible and that included no entertainment except for a Skip-bo deck and a geography game my niece made that we've played a million times. Dh is currently begging for games from the neighbors.

 

We cannot go outside much- it's never less than 100 degrees when we are awake. There aren't many entertainment options here and I can't drive.

 

My boys are mostly too old for crafts and I don't have any craft supplies anyway. The 8yo still likes to make stuff but I haven't seen anything worth getting at the stores I've been to. It's hard to get specific supplies because I'm always carpooling to go shopping and I don't have much time to find things. We do have some Legos but even my Lego fanatic ds is getting tired of doing Legos with the limited number he has.

 

No TV connection. We have borrowed a couple of DVDs.

 

All the kids in the neighborhood are at summer camp full time.

 

I honestly can't think of anything for me or the boys to do. I can't work on any of my writing projects because I just have a tablet and it's not good for content creation. One can only read so many books. I can't get online most of the time. I don't have any resources for doing school stuff with the boys. This is like a never-ending plane flight where we've done all the in-flight entertainment and we're still just halfway through the flight. It will be at least another week before any of this changes.

 

Like I said, ideas would be great.

  • Like 1
Posted

Put on a family play (Shakespeare or make your own, or adapt from a book).  Make it a real "thing"- memorize lines, invent costumes from limited supplies, work on line delivery, create an improvised setting, really the whole 9 yards.  Then finally, put on the play in front of a video camera to send to friends and family far away.  

 

:-)  

 

I hope you find things to do soon!

  • Like 8
Posted

Put on a family play (Shakespeare or make your own, or adapt from a book).  Make it a real "thing"- memorize lines, invent costumes from limited supplies, work on line delivery, create an improvised setting, really the whole 9 yards.  Then finally, put on the play in front of a video camera to send to friends and family far away.  

 

:-)  

 

I hope you find things to do soon!

 

Along those lines, a puppet play can be a good option as well. You can make a tabletop version like the Victorians did and create puppets from paper that are extended onto stage with sticks or heavy wire

  • Like 4
Posted

Build a giant rube goldberg machine

Grab the skip-bo cards and make houses

Make dried apple zombie puppets (apples, skewers, glue, and whatever you can find around the house)

Whittle soap bars

Make paper boats and try to sail them across a baking sheet or the dining room table

 

  • Like 4
Posted

Make your own board games? If you have cardboard and crayons, have the kids make a checkerboard, etc. Making the thing is an activity in itself. Then they can play it with it.

 

Make a deck of cards and learn new card games or card tricks. (Maybe you can get instructions during your limited internet access.)

 

Make your own Play Doh-type doh?

 

Learn a new skill that requires limited materials--macrame/knot-tying or something like that.

 

You're experienced travelers. Have them plan an imaginary trip to some exotic location and work out all the details.

 

Is there something they can build/create that will help you get settled? A small bookcase from "found" materials in the house, perhaps?

 

Have them write about their adventures in living in other countries. Everyone has their own chapter(s). Add illustrations. Create a family "book" for a nice keepsake.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 2
Posted (edited)

Take up singing

 

Work on your core and abs and such.  A few minutes of planks will seem like an hour or two

 

Stop motion animation if you've got a digital camera (maybe even a cell phone or computer camera would work)

 

Take night walks when it's cool and sleep in in the morning.  There's a fair amount of nature to see and hear around here at night (and we live in the middle of the city)

 

Origami

Edited by flyingiguana
  • Like 2
Posted

Indoor camp out. Make a tent with sheets, as elaborate as they want, use furniture, couch cushions, whatever. Have a picnic in it. Make various rooms in the house different imaginary places from a book, and "visit" them. 

 

But honestly, I'd go outside no matter how hot I think. At least in the evening. When do your neighbors go outside? I always assumed that people in very hot climates slept a bit in the day, and went outside in the evening?

 

Can you invest in a taxi ride to a mall type area, or site seeing, or something?

  • Like 5
Posted

Get a huge jigsaw puzzle for a family project?

 

Erica in OR

Family jigsaws are the activity of choice in my family for lazy holidays. When space is an issue, we use the eating table, then very carefully eat on top of the puzzle (towels under plates protect the puzzle pieces).

  • Like 2
Posted

Dh and I do go on walks around 9 pm. I am hot and sweaty when we get back, but at least it's not sunny. It doesn't go below 100 degrees until 10 or 11. It is cooler at 5:30 in the morning (maybe below 90) but then the sun is out and that makes me hot.

 

I haven't seen any puzzles here which is sad because we love puzzles. I really don't have anything beyond borrowed linens and basic kitchen supplies so it's hard to make anything fun and I never have much time when I'm shopping to look for anything because I can't set the schedule- I've been shopping for food and trying to get the cell phones set up when I'm out instead of looking for fun things. I hope to get more organized this week.

 

This is temporary- we'll have some games and puzzles arriving hopefully within two weeks and we might have a better internet system this week, although I don't think it will be fast enough to stream videos. An Internet connection would make a huge difference for the two older boys- I can keep the 8yo mostly entertained but not the 17yo and 15yo. It also won't be this hot all year round, and dh will have a driver license in a month, hopefully. We just need to get through the next couple of weeks without oldest ds packing up and going back to the US. I think I'll give him a soap bar to carve. He has a pocketknife and we do have some bars of soap.

  • Like 2
Posted (edited)

Drawing Wars or Drawing Civilizations. Get some large sketchbooks and have the kids take turns adding spaceships/planets/etc. to a space war saga or if they are more peaceful, have them take turns adding citadels, rivers, boats, castles, agricultural fields, etc. to their civilization. The invented worlds can fill the whole sketchbooks over time. Like one of those creative video games, only on paper.

Edited by Kalmia
  • Like 2
Posted

Make musical instruments and play them? Try throat singing? (Although this could impact your sanity!) Hire a neighbour to tutor the local language? Origami? Paper airplane contests? Draw, doodle, make a comic strip? Make some dominoes and play with them? Make a backgammon or mancala game? See if you can find some discarded radio/tv/computer in the trash area and take it apart and put it back together?

 

Boredom is a luxury and I actually think it is a good thing for kids to have to deal with it.

  • Like 1
Posted

Maybe have the older try to cook something? But if it is a safe area, I'd probably let the two olders go out, on their own, to explore. They have to stick together and carry a phone (so this is after you get the phones set up) so they can call you, but even in the heat it might be better than being bored. 

 

What do the locals do to keep busy?

  • Like 1
Posted

Cooking together as a family. Try to make the yummiest food you can. Or have a cooking competition.

 

Is there a community center or recreation center nearby that has activities for the boys? A swimming pool? A library?

 

Can you have discussions with your teens about values, social issues, the big issues facing the country where you are. Can they debate issues? Can you get newspapers and have them do projects with them, cut out articles, summarize main points, etc.?

  • Like 1
Posted

The only entertainment here at this time of year is to shop unless you can get out of the city. Locals spend time with family and friends. No movie theaters, no bowling alleys, no places teenagers can hang out together in mixed-gender groups, no nothing. People drive to a neighboring country five hours away to go to a movie for a birthday party. Most of the expats leave for the summer so there aren't many teens around and the only ones we've met are working during the day (not a possibility for my son for at least 4 weeks). We can't take public transportation or taxis. I cannot get a driver license so I can't rent a car. There is no place we can walk to safely because of the heat- no one goes on even a 10-minute walk during the day. We don't have our bikes yet. The shuttle service I have access to does trips to the grocery store and to the malls and we have to work around multiple closings during the day. I haven't found a store that sells games or puzzles yet, or even art supplies.

 

My boys like to read, play with Legos, write stories, hang out online with friends in other countries, play online games together, play roller hockey, fly quadcopters, play board games and card games, build stuff, fiddle with electronics, etc. We've lived in places without much to do before so they're used to this. They're very used to entertaining themselves. It truly will all be fine soon- I've been looking forward to living here. But I wish I'd known how bad it would be right at the beginning. At least I could have mailed a couple of games and some project stuff so it would be waiting when we arrived.

Posted

Is there a language barrier, or does your family speak the local language? Also, why can't you take taxis or public transport? (just curious, don't have to answer if you don't want to)

  • Like 1
Posted

Another vote for cooking as a family. And the other activities mentioned...great ideas suggested.

 

I was reading your blog for a bit...what an adventure!!!!

 

Hope things get better soon

  • Like 1
Posted

Is there a language barrier, or does your family speak the local language? Also, why can't you take taxis or public transport? (just curious, don't have to answer if you don't want to)

They're the employer's security rules. The buses aren't really an option anyway. I'd love to be able to take a taxi! I speak the local language (not that I've had a chance to speak it much yet) and so does dh, but the boys don't.

Posted

I'd be tempted to invite a neighbor over just the break up the boredom. Are you able to go to your husband's work to use the Internet? Does he have coworkers who may be able to lend you movies or games? I'm sure with living around the world like you have that you will quickly settle into a new routine.

  • Like 1
Posted

A couple games you can play with just pen/paper:

"Eat Poop You Cat" (the DIY version of Telestrations, basically a picture version of the old Telephone game. Explanation here: http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/eat-poop-you-cat-telestrations-review/ )

 

DIY Pictionary

 

A game I used to play with my Language Arts students was to give them a picture as inspiration. I would use anything from classic works of art to ads from magazines to coloring book pages. They had to write the beginning of a story based on the picturefor 2 minutes or so, then when time was up pass it to another person who would read what was written then continue the story for another 2 minutes or so. After a few rounds we'd read some aloud and try to come up with good conclusions.

 

Story cubes: there are story cubes you can buy, but you could definitely make your own. Even if you don't have access to cubes, you could make your own out of paper. Draw figures on each side and roll to come up with written or spoken stories.

 

If you have regular playing cards, Spades, Hearts, and Egyptian Rat Screw are our favorites. If you can get dice, Farkle is fun.

  • Like 2
Posted

All I can say is..that sucks.

 

Sorry. It just reminds me of my childhood. I got sent to my grandparents house during the summers. It was a very small town rural area. My grandparents did not drive anywhere or spend money. I got to walk to the library for books. That was it. I played school sometimes or played with 20-30 yr old toys my grandma had saved. But all these years later, I still can remember the absolute sheer boredom. 

 

Sorry I was no help. I hope things get better for you. May you all grow closer during this time!

  • Like 1
Posted

When we home schooled one time, we planned a trip to the other side of the world, buy digging a hole.  We planned the trip like the book Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. I am not sure if we ever finished our journey or not, but we had fun planning all the things we would need to take and how to have enough space for them. We used a bit of fanciful writing, but didn't use magic.  So, a tool may be able to accomplish great tasks beyond its normal limts , but it couldn't just make things happen on its own.  So a shovel may help in digging and being a lever beyond its normal work load, but it couldn't dig the hole itself.

 

 

We also one time make a 4ft pirate ship on the wall.  We used math to get the proportions and sails correct and then made the boat itself stick out from the wall, like the boat was cut in half and stuck to the wall.  One of her smaller stuffed animals could fit in it, so he was the captain. DD was about 1st grade at the time, and that ship was used in her play for months. 

 

 

  • Like 2
Posted

Make a chess set with Lego pieces and play.

 

Round robin story telling: first person says a sentence, next person says the next sentence, etc.

 

Start teaching your DC the local language and have a contest who can name the most things in the home, a picture, etc.

 

Make domino type pieces with Legos and play dominos or chain effect of tipping them over.

  • Like 1
Posted

This is probably a dumb question, but can you order anything 2 day Prime shipping there? Is there even an Amazon site for your country? I'd be tempted to order the puzzle or games or whatever if they could get there relatively fast. But when you say it will be another week before anything changes I don't know if you mean your location will change or other items will arrive or what.

 

Paper/pencils for writing? Have the kids write short stories and illustrate them? If that would interest them. Then everyone shares their stories aloud.

  • Like 1
Posted

I "liked" your original post, but at the moment, I am sad for you and for your family.  Sounds bad, but hopefully it will get better, as time goes on. Is there a U.S. base nearby that you can get access to?  If you have your school things available now (I don't think you do, if you are living out of suitcases) have your DC spend some of their time studying.  It doesn't sound like there is much of a U.S. presence, where your DC might find other kids who are not away at Summer Camps.   Investigate new countries, for your next assignment!   Hopefully, your next country will be a country like Colombia, where women can not only drive, they can be (and are) airline pilots, and where there are lots of places to go and lots of things to do.  I wish I had some suggestions about how you can spend your time now and keep your DC occupied, but it sounds a little like being in jail. Try to keep your spirits up and this too shall pass...  Be careful...

  • Like 1
Posted

It looks like we might get the temporary internet fix soon and the older boys might be able to volunteer at a summer camp (and maybe the youngest can join too for a bit).

 

Anything we order from the US will take longer to arrive than our shipment will so we'll wait for our stuff to arrive.

 

Replenishing the ebooks made a huge difference for everyone. Youngest ds had a great time carving a soap bar this morning.

  • Like 9
Posted

Carving soap bars sounds good.

 

Volunteering sounds good, are your older kids interested in studying the language?

 

My dh was contacted recently about a job in the country you are in. Much as I like adventure I don't think I could do it--I hate heat and no driving would just not be good. I admire you!

  • Like 1
Posted

It's not hot here all year round and it's not at all humid. Overall, I think I have a better weather deal than my SIL in Singapore. It's just miserable right now.

 

The no driving thing is complicated, plus the extra layers of clothing and myriad other rules. But how could I pass up a chance to live here? It's so different from all the other Muslim countries we've been to.

 

The older boys have zero interest in the language, although I'll probably require one of them to do some. Because I love the language.

  • Like 2
Posted

They're the employer's security rules. The buses aren't really an option anyway. I'd love to be able to take a taxi! I speak the local language (not that I've had a chance to speak it much yet) and so does dh, but the boys don't.

Could you teach the boys a little of the language during this time?

  • Like 2
Posted

I would start language lessons, 30 min twice a day is not going to kill them. And they can do a bit of homework indipendent of you besides.

Just the script would take a while... Maybe a calligraphy thing as well.

I've been wanting to teach my DS some recipes...this might be an opportunity for your kids to plan, research and execute a multi-course meal for their parents :)

  • Like 2
Posted

Is there a hotel with a pool somewhere close? That would be my daily thing to do along with language/history lessons.

 

Also, I would PM Kate in Arabia for local ideas. I haven't seen her here in a while, but you never know.

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

Do you have access to paper and pens/pencils? You can play the sentence game.

 

Everyone gets a sheet of paper.

Everyone writes down the opening line of a story.

Then you pass your papers to the left.

Read the sentence at the top of the page and then write the second sentence in the story on the paper in front of you.

Here's the good part: FOLD over the paper, so that when you pass it, the next person will see ONLY your sentence.

Pass the papers to the left.

You will now be reading the 2nd sentence of the story, with no idea of how the story started.

Write a 3rd sentence to the story, based on what you read in the 2nd sentence, and without knowing what the first sentenct was.

FOLD the paper again, so that the next person can see ONLY the 3rd sentence.

 

And so forth. You can only write one sentence at a time and that sentence can be as long or short as you like, but only one sentence long. And you only ever have one sentence to work from.

 

My kids LOVE this game and play it at their birthday parties with their friends. Note: when playing with kids there are a lot of sentences like, "And then everyone died." But if they keep at it, it can be loads of fun.

 

My mom and dad and aunt and uncle LOVE to play this game with us. They're in their 60s and 70s. However, they are story tellers so this sort of thing is right up their alley.

 

You can go around as many times as you need. With a group of 7 or more, just go around once. With 5 or less, you can go around twice.

 

Sometimes we add extras to the game, like in the 4th sentence everyone has to use the word "clown" in some way in the story.

 

My dad did a thing where he wrote, "And then a shot rang out" for his sentence every time a paper was passed to him. It was kinda funny, but really hard on the person who came after him and had only "and then a shot rang out" to work with 7 times in a row.

Edited by Garga
  • Like 2
Posted (edited)

I feel for you, btdt. Spent my last 2 years of high school in North Africa.

 

Pre- Internet, ebooks, etc.

 

Was bored, a lot.

 

I remember waiting for our shipment to arrive. And watching local TV soaps in the language I didn't speak, lol. Or waiting for my dad to bring home the english newspaper at the end of the day from the embassy.

School started soon after we arrived though. So, then we had school & sports & some other equally as bored teens to hang out with. And an english language small school library.

The next summer I got a job working pt at the embassy (ones they created just to keep bored teens more happy, I'm sure).

 

does the american school (or whatever you guys have) have a library you can use to check out books at? Definately ask the other families if you can borrow games, puzzles, movies, books. If you're in an American compound, is there a library or lending room/ rec center there? (If not, that might be a good project to start for future new families- books, games, cards, puzzles- people could leave them behind when they head to their next post)

 

Enjoy your adventure!

Edited by Hilltopmom
  • Like 1
Posted

We like to play a game where you turn the radio dial all the way to the left and stop at each radio station. Someone has to dance to every song you hit. You can change it when you've had enough of each song. It's most fun when there's lots of different types of music. Here we have english variety, spanish, vietnamese, etc.

The secret is to really get into it, like through your back out silly. We're sweaty and laughing by the end. You'll be ready for zoned out boredom then . :)

 

You can do a free version of Hedbanz: http://happilyblended.com/2014/11/hedbanz-game-home/

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

Make a mancala board out of an egg carton and coins or beans? http://www.timeforkids.com/news/make-your-own-mancala-board/76371

 

Miniature twister board? https://www.pinterest.com/pin/244320348508917565/

 

Make a sequence came board? You could hand draw everything, and use beans or coins for cover pieces. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/260153315944458349/

 

Ski-ball once the boxes arrive: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/135178426289190628/

 

Homemade settlers of Catan? https://www.pinterest.com/pin/AQMyoxXR-69SU2e-T7t_Hwqn6ij8zFXeuYbq_kXxmOuGGlTCyGgkFhk/  I realize you probably don't have a printer, but a stack of paper and some markers/colored pencils/crayons could keep my teen busy making the board pieces and cards for a couple of days.

 

 

edited to fix a link

Edited by kbeal
  • Like 1

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