Screen-Free Summer Boredom Busters for Kids That Actually Work

Every summer, without fail, it happens. School gets out, the novelty of freedom lasts about four days, and then somebody wanders into the kitchen with that look on their face and says it. “Mom, I’m bored.”

And y’all — my answer was always the same. Go play outside. Or, if it’s raining: it’s okay to be bored.

Boredom is not a problem to solve. It’s actually where creativity lives. Give a child enough unstructured time and they will eventually figure out something to do — and it’ll be something you never would have thought of for them.

Of course, my children are grown now, but I say the same thing to my grandkids. One of my greatest passions in life is getting kids off screens and outside. And a little boredom never hurt anyone.

That said, having the right supplies on hand doesn’t hurt. There’s a difference between a child who is bored with nothing around and a child who is bored with a bug catcher, a box of chalk, and a backyard. One of those children will find something wonderful to do.

Summer Boredom Busters for Kids

I’ve rounded up some of my favorite screen-free boredom busters for kids from Amazon. Keep a few of these tucked away and pull them out on those long July afternoons when the heat is high and everyone has run out of ideas.

#1 Send them outside and turn on the water

When it’s hot and they’re restless, water solves everything. This Kids Sprinkler for the Yard hooks right up to your garden hose and can keep kids running and laughing for hours. No splash pad required. No planning required. Just point them toward the backyard.

#2 A mud kitchen for the littles

Oh, this one. The Hape Outdoor Mud Kitchen Wooden Toy Playset is for ages 3 and up and it is exactly what it sounds like — a little outdoor kitchen for making mud pies, leaf soup, and whatever else a child’s imagination comes up with. This is old school summer at its finest. Let them get dirty. It washes off.

#3 Bug catchers and nature exploration

There is something so right about a child with a bug catcher and nowhere particular to be. I linked two options — this Bug Catcher Kit that comes in a little backpack style, and a 2-Set Bug Catching Kit with Butterfly Net and Tweezers for when you have siblings who each need their own (and they always do). Pair either one with the Exploring Nature Activity Book for Kids — 50 creative outdoor projects — and you’ve got a full afternoon of backyard nature study without doing a single thing yourself.

#4 Real art supplies

There is a difference between handing a child a dried-out marker and giving them supplies that feel worth using. These are the kind that actually inspire something:

These 16-Color Glitter Markers are shimmer paint pens that feel special just to look at. The Air Dry Clay Kit in 60 Colors air dries with no oven required — just shape, set, and done. And the Crayola Marker and Watercolor Pad with 50 blank pages is perfect for a child who just wants to make something without being told what to make.

For an older child who wants to learn an actual skill, My First Watercolor Painting beginner workbook pairs nicely with these 48-Color Non-Toxic Watercolor Paints. Teaching a child to paint is teaching them to slow down and make something beautiful — and that’s never wasted time.

#5 Sidewalk chalk

Old school. Always right. This Jumbo Sidewalk Chalk Set with Storage has jumbo pieces that are easier for little hands, plus storage to keep it all together. Hand it over and walk away.

#6 Tie-dye

The Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit for 5 is a whole afternoon in a box. Grab some old white t-shirts, lay a plastic tablecloth on the grass, and let them at it. Yes, it’s messy. That’s part of it. They will wear those shirts all summer and be proud of every single one.

#7 Fort building

This Fort Building Kit lets kids build their own forts and structures — ages 3 through 8. The kind of open-ended toy that sparks real play rather than just keeping them occupied. There is a difference, and kids know it.

#8 A stepping stone keepsake

This might be my favorite thing on the list because it makes something you keep. I plan to do these with my youngest grandkids this summer! The DIY Stepping Stone Kit lets kids press their handprint or footprint into a garden stone. Little hands in concrete. Twenty years from now you will be glad you did this one.

#9 Bubbles

Big Bubble Wands make giant bubbles and require exactly zero effort on your part. Simple. Joyful. No batteries. No screens. Just big beautiful bubbles in the summer air.

You’ll find the whole list on my LTK shop – come follow me over there!

Here’s what I want to leave you with: you don’t have to entertain your children every minute of the summer. In fact, I’d argue you shouldn’t. Let them be bored for a little while. Let them wander and wonder and figure it out. But when they’re ready to make something, have the supplies waiting.

That’s the old school summer we’re building. Not perfectly planned. Just well-supplied and full of room to play.

Find more family life resources inside The Homemaker’s Society membership — including printables, activity pages, and seasonal resources for your whole family.

Screen-Free Summer Boredom Busters for Kids That Actually Work

Summer Boredom Busters for Kids