After the end of the school year excitement fades and the thrill of a trip to the pool wears off, I begin to notice the first signs of summer boredom settling in. The kids start to bicker, they seem to be drawn more to electronics and less to fun outings, and getting them to pitch in around the house is a chore in of itself. After checking the calendar and noting that the first day of school is still weeks away, something has to be done to battle the boredom.

Change the scenery

            When the kids seem antsy and bored, try a change of scenery for a quick mood adjustment. Go for a walk, play in the backyard, hop into the car and do some errands, or even play in a area of the house that you don’t commonly use for play. We all get stir crazy if we stay in the same place too long.

Take a day trip

            Speaking of changing the scenery, consider taking a day trip to break up the long summer days. Explore local attractions or travel a few hours to visit a nearby city. A trip to the zoo, amusement park, museum, or water park can give you and the kids something to look forward to and break up the boredom. If a bigger day trip isn’t in the budget, pack a lunch and spend the day at neighboring town’s park. Google to see what free activities are in your area. There are often seasonal activities that you may not be aware of.

Give in to electronics

            It won’t hurt to give in to the desire to play on tablets and watch TV once in awhile. Plan a movie marathon or let the kids have extra screen time to help kill the boredom of the end of summer days. Take a trip to the library to get some new books and exchange reading minutes for extra screen time. The kids will be happy with their bonus game time and they will sharpen their reading skills before school starts.