30 brilliant boredom busters for kids: 2023 update

boredom busters for kids
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This is part of a paid promotion with MAGconnexx

Today I wanted to talk boredom busters for kids. As I write this, the nation continues to be shut away in their homes due to the Coronavirus pandemic. With that said, now more than ever do we need a list of boredom busters for kids we can call upon. That’s why I’ve teamed up with MAGconnexx – THE must-have magnetic build blocks which enhance and develop the brain through play – to put together this list of boredom busters for kids below. These are all things we’ve been doing to keep boredom at bay of late which you can keep coming back to when you are all out of ideas!

About MAGconnexx

Did you know that magnetic shapes have been proven to improve children’s inventiveness? With MAGconnexx, children can make numerous 2D & 3D shapes quickly, which can then be transformed into exciting 3D geometric structures. When building blocks by hand, this will naturally develop their motor skills, and enhance your child’s understanding of 3D configuration.

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Perfect for both boys and girls, our daughter has spent hours playing and making different magnetic shapes with her MAGconnexx set. I’ve really loved seeing how she has been using her imagination, critical thinking and creative skills to make lots of different objects including rockets, castles, fish, cars, and a whole host of other things that she has been busy creating!

Every morning she has been racing down to create with her MAGconnexx and during her “golden time” aka free time there has been no mention of bored because she has been busy dreaming up and creating new creations. The pleasure the set has been giving her has been endless so far!

30 brilliant boredom busters for kids

1. Make as many different magnetic shapes with MAGconnexx as you can

2. Build a den

3. Hold a hula hooping challenge

4. Write a story/diary

5. Act out a play

6. Play a board game

7. Set up an obstacle course

8. Go on a house scavenger hunt

9. Play hide and seek

10. Slime play

11. Kinetic sand play

12. Play Twister

13. Wrestle

14. Swordfight

15. Have a dance party

Brilliant boredom busters for kids #parenting #kids
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16. Play an Alexa game

17. Play a card game

18. Have an indoor snowball fight with rolled-up socks

19. Write/draw a comic strip

20. Write and perform a song

21. Play balloon keepy-uppy with wooden spoons

22. Have a Play-Doh sculpting competition

23. Having a staring competition

24. Have a tea party/indoor picnic

25. Try some origami

26. Pillow fight!

27. Plant or sprout some seeds – or have a go at growing mushrooms using a starter kit

28. Do a workout altogether

29. Play charades

30. Make paper airplanes

You could even take all of the above items and write them on separate pieces of paper and pop them all in a “Bored Jar” which your children can pick an activity out from when they feel boredom creeping in.

So there you go, our list of 30 boredom busters for kids. Which of these would make your list of boredom busters for kids, and what else would you add to the list? You can leave your suggestions in a comment below!

Where to buy

MAGconnexx is available to buy at Amazon for £18.99 for a limited time only here (RRP £24.99).

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51 comments

  1. We have done most of these ideas, along with playing shuttle cock over the washing line, set up an obstacle course in the garden, painted rainbows on the windows and enjoyed a couple of picnics in the garden!

  2. We have done, painting, setting up the tent, riding the bike, scooter and water games. Most enjoyable has been weeding and planting.

  3. We have been doing fun lessons by writing stories and nature poems , baking , baking and more baking , We have done the Hold a hula hooping challenge oooh I am so bad. We have built about 3 dens now we have the tent up. We build an Set up an obstacle course for the rabbit and cat. The cat would paly ball but rabbit had a go. The kids did a house scavenger hunt, I turned this in a bit of a lesson where they had to read clues, problem solve and add up. We have done a few more things my Children planted forget me not seeds for nanna and grumps for when we can see them again.

  4. I think we’ve done most of these over the past couple of weeks! My girls are really enjoying wrestling and sword fighting with Daddy – who knew!

  5. MAGConnexx set looks like such fun! My nephew would love this as he likes to build and create things. We are also doing stuff like reading and painting. This list does help because goodness knows children are not that into staying inside all day! I like the staring competition and slime making and the Play-doh sculpture competition.

  6. Wow there are so many things for kids to do with these magnetic build blocks! I can imagine it isn’t easy keeping the kids occupied during lockdown.

  7. We have played card games and done origami off the list, some little fun ideas though

  8. We’ve done quite a few of these but haven’t had a snowball fight with socks – that could be tomorrows idea! Also, Leo lay on the white side of some left over wallpaper and Daisy drew around him, then they coloured it to add a face, fair, clothes, etc. They then wrote along the top – dear Grandma and Grumps, we miss you so here is a big hug to keep you going until we see you. It as then delivered to Grandma’s house and left on the doorstep for her. Grandma then rang on messenger to say how thrilled she was with it!

  9. These are amazing ideas indeed! I flipped your article to my friend Alice who’s been having a hard time to keep her kid entertained.

  10. My niece and nephew have been keeping me up to date with their fort building whilst we’re in lockdown. It is hard for them, they don’t understand but I am glad they are having fun and making the most of it.

  11. As a mum of two who is running out of ideas to keep my kids entertained, these are great play ideas for kids. Thanks for the share as we have not done some of the items you have listed here.

  12. I am sending the link to this post to my daughter. She needs to find new things to do to keep her son entertained during this lock down period. Thanks for writing this post. Really helpful!

  13. Keep coming back to this post for inspiration – Have an indoor snowball fight with rolled-up socks – we tried it with the toddler this afternoon and laughed and laughed – such fun! Making playdough is a winner and then playing Playdough Boules – put an object in the middle of the kitchen floor, roll playdough towards it, whoever gets closest wins! An easy 22 minutes filled! Cecily x

  14. After children then grandchildren I think I can safely say I’ve tried pretty much all of those. But we always come back to crayons, paper, scissors and glue. One favourite is to draw a large house on scrap paper and then use old magazines or catalogues to cut out pictures to make furniture and equipment for each room then stick them in place.
    Jane Willis

  15. Pinterest has a wealth of ideas
    Write to do lists
    I have been walking, listening to podcasts and cooking

  16. Lots of great ideas here! We go into the garden and find ladybirds and spiders. It’s a good way for him to learn to count.

  17. My daughter has tried most of these. They have used old car tires filled with compost to make make fairy gardens. They have cut old pop bottles in half and painted them like the minions and popped plants in them.

  18. This would help break the boredom for my 4 year old granddaughter, but it would also help with her learning

  19. We have done loads of these, we have put up a tent in the yard, put up a dartboard, played on the trampoline.

  20. We’ve built a den, done baking, gardening, board games, spent ages playing in the garden and done some crafts too

  21. There are some really good ideas here. Building a den was my favourite thing to do as a child so we have done that.

  22. We’ve been spending a lot of time in the garden, planting up seeds, making and painting cement toadstools, and generally just enjoying the fresh air and good weather we’re having.

  23. We’ve done a lot of colouring, baking, digging in places he shouldn’t and playing with trains! The Magconnex look fab!

  24. We have been doing a lot of baking and cookery and exercise. Would love to try some kinetic sand.

  25. Lots of great ideas and some we have also done. Twister, made a den, played board games etc. Its fun to make use of all the wonderful things we have around us.

  26. I’ve found the back garden a real asset to teach about nature and have some fun just running around letting off steam.

  27. We play hide and seek in the garden, go on a scavenger hunt, play board games and read stories together.

  28. We’ve done Slime play (with disastrous results – turns out it stays on top of grass for days!) but would enjoy balloon keepy-ups with wooden spoons!

  29. My daughter has been baking with my granddaughter, held scavenger hunts in the garden and when out for a daily walk, and has drawn portraits of all her princess dolls.

  30. We have done most of those ideas now. my son’s school did an activity to see who could build the highest tower with items from home which was fun 🙂

  31. we have done so much , from crafts to baking , building dens, role play, facetiming , there is always lots of ideas via the school website

  32. My kids are getting to old for most of this but I, now have, a six month old, grandson. Occupying him has been difficult within four walls at a time when we should be taking him to the park, showing him flowers , lambs, ducks among all the other things we do in better weather. My daughter has been able to make a really good job of filling his baby books and scrap books which, has helped her boredom.

  33. I have done most of these activities over the years with both children and grandchildren. I would add baking and cooking to the list.

  34. We have baked cookies and fudge, played a treasure hunt, hide and seek in the garden, drawing, painting, going for daily bike ride.

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