30 Summer Boredom Busters for Kids, Indoor and Outdoor Fun!

Two weeks into summer vacation it was apparent we weren't going to survive with my laissez-faire approach to making our own fun. How quickly I'd forgotten how much my kids like schedules, how much they thrive on plans and how their behavior is much less mommy-is-hiding-in-the-bathroom when they have something fun to look forward to each day. 
In order to save my sanity and make the rest of our summer vacation enjoyable for everyone, I quickly put on my cruise director hat, grabbed a pen and paper and sat down with the boys asking each of them to rattle off some things they like to see and do before heading back to school in the fall. While suggestions such as "build a rocket and fly to the moon" didn't necessarily make the cut, the four of us were able to come up with a pretty rockin' list of things to do and we hope that by sharing them you may spend less time hiding from your kids in the bathroom too. The best part? Most of these activities are very affordable, if not free to do! 

Most recently, all three of the boys were able to cross "try paddle-boarding" from their summer boredom buster lists. Being the slightly over-protective mother that I am, I was super hesitant to let our almost-seven-year-old hop on a board all by himself but both my husband and my son reassured me that everything would be okay. 

You want to know what happened?

He had the absolute best time of his life and requested to paddle board every chance he got during our weekend away at the beach.  He listened so intently to my husband as he explained to him the mechanics of climbing onto the board, maintaining a kneeling position until he was centered and ready to stand up and how to keep his balance by engaging his core, head and shoulders as well as how to use his paddle strokes to propel himself through the water in varying directions. 

While our other two boys weren't quite at the level of SUP independence that our oldest is at, they, too, enjoyed a ride around the canal on their dad's paddle board. 

I'm always on the lookout for a rugged waterproof shoe to accompany the boys on their many summer adventures and these fisherman sandals by M.A.P Footwear are the perfect lightweight yet durable sandal to tackle whatever excursion comes their way. With quick-dry technology, these stylish sport sandals can take the kids from beach to mountain top and all of the wild and wettest places in between. 

If indoor fun is more your speed, here's our list of indoor summer boredom busters guaranteed to keep your kids entertained for at least 15 minutes. As for the other 11 or so waking hours of the day? Well, that's on your hands. 

As the month of June comes to a close, we've tackled 10 items on our summer boredom busters list. 

learn a new card game

host a family movie night

eat hot dogs

travel to a new state

fly a kite

go to the beach

catch crabs off the dock

go to a baseball game

plan a water balloon fight

try paddle boarding

Curious as to what's up next for us? Boredom busters number 29 and 30 include attending a neighborhood cookout and making s'mores! Shortly after that we'll be heading to our very first bonfire back at the beach! While I wasn't planning on making any lists this summer outside of grocery lists, I'm so glad the four of us worked together to come up with a fun list of things to keep us entertained, engaged and having fun as a family all summer long! 

What are some of the things on YOUR family's boredom buster list this summer?

I received two pairs of M.A.P footwear in exchange for my honest thoughts 

as expressed above. No additional compensation was given.