Wondering what to do with your free time? These days, kids can easily fill their time with screens. However, there may be times when you either don’t want your kids on screens, or that’s not an option, and finding things to do to keep from being bored requires a little creativity.
Sophia and Bella have put together a list of eight things to do when bored, especially for young girls. Take an idea from their list, or use it as a springboard and come up with something creative of your own!
1. Build a Fort
Everything is more fun in a fort! You can make it as simple as a card table or your dining room table with a sheet over it, or get fancy like Bella does and really glam it up! You can read, write a letter, watch a movie or even take a nap in your fort!
2. Bake Something New
Sophia and Bella both love to get in the kitchen and bake. A simple recipe to learn is cookies made from a cake mix. You can use any flavor or use yellow and add flavoring to it. Here’s the basic recipe:
Cake Mix Cookies
Any flavor cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Preheat oven to 350° and mix the ingredients together. Drop by spoonfuls onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. That’s it!
Tip: Our favorite is to make “snickerdoodles” by either using a lemon cake mix or a yellow cake mix with 1 tsp lemon extract added to it. After placing the dough on the cookie sheet, sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture on top and then bake. Yum!
3. Practice Doing a New Hairstyle
Busy school mornings are not the time for learning new hairstyles, so learning one in your free time is the perfect way to get better at it.
Sophia suggests googling “easy hairstyles for girls” and choosing a couple that you’d like to learn. You can start out simple, like a half pony with a braid, and then get fancier from there.
4. Learn to Play a New Song or Instrument
Playing a new song can be fun! Even if you’re already taking music lessons, learning how to play something that makes you happy is a great way to spend some free time. Ditch the practice books (just for now, of course!) and find a song you really want to learn how to play for your own enjoyment.
YouTube has lots of video lessons for various instruments for free.
5. Exercise or Dance (Get Moving!)
Get up and get moving! Being bored doesn’t mean you have to be lethargic. If you have some exercise equipment you can use, hop on that for a while. Get outside and ride a bike or play ball. (Yes, girls can play ball, too!)
If you have something like Just Dance on your Wii, that can be a lot of fun. YouTube also has a lot of free videos that teach dance and yoga for kids.
The main thing is just to get up and get moving because that always makes us feel better!
6. Enjoy a Great Book
Sophia’s favorite thing to do is to read. That girl loves a good book! If you normally read the same kind of book, try choosing a new genre and read something new. You may find a new favorite!
Listening to books on audible (or something similar) can be fun, too. Here are some of Sophia’s favorite books:
If you have a library card, you can connect your account to OverDrive and listen to books for free on it, too.
Some of Sophia’s favorite books are The Little House on the Prairie series and The Cupcake Diaries.
7. Learn a New Craft
If you’ve been wanting to learn something new, like knitting or crocheting, there’s no time like free time to figure it out! It’s great if you have someone who can teach you, but it’s ok if you don’t. You can go on YouTube or Pinterest and find ideas and lessons for just about anything you want to learn!
8. Practice Your Drawing Skills
If drawing stick figures is your thing, that’s fine, but why not work on getting a little better? There are lots of great step-by-step drawing books that can help you learn to draw just about anything.
There are also some fun online sites for coloring digitally. Whatever you choose, you’ll have plenty to do to keep from being bored!
Bonus: Do a Fun Science Experiment
Have you ever tried making elephant toothpaste? It’s so much fun! Or how about putting Mentos in Dr. Pepper? There are so many fun experiments you can do that you will never run out of ways to fill your time!
Is a Trip to Disney Too Expensive? Here Are 8 Other Award-Winning Amusement Parks
With over 475 amusement parks across America, there are many fun-filled theme park options to make your family and wallet happy. Here are eight award-winning theme parks to consider.
Is a Trip to Disney Too Expensive? Here Are 8 Other Award-Winning Amusement Parks
How Much Is a Trip to Hawaii for a Family of Four: How to Cut Expenses in Half
The weather is perfect, the scenery is top-notch, the people are friendly, and the islands offer non-stop activities for vacationers. There’s only one question to ask: Can you afford a trip to Hawaii?
How Much is a Trip to Hawaii For a Family of Four: How to Cut Expenses in Half
10 Most Popular Theme Parks in America
These are the most visited theme parks in the U.S. Some you can guess, but a few may surprise you!
10 Most Popular Theme Parks in America
Here’s Why Scottsdale May Be the Most Family-Friendly City in America
Scottsdale may well be the family entertainment capital of America. We recently visited the area with our kids—three teenagers and a nine-year-old—and can say without a doubt Scottsdale has plenty to offer that kept each of us happily entertained. Here’s what you need to know.
Here’s Why Scottsdale May Be the Most Family-Friendly City in America
Featured Image Credit: Our Woven Journey.
Karee Blunt is a nationally syndicated travel journalist, focused on discovering destinations and experiences that captivate and inspire others through her writing. She is also the founder of Our Woven Journey, a travel site focused on inspiring others to create memory-making adventures with their loved ones. Karee is passionate about encouraging others to step out of their comfort zone and live the life they dream of. She is the mother of six kids, including four through adoption, and lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest. You can learn more about Karee on her about me page.