Fighting the "I'm Bored" Summer Blues
Children look forward to it for months. The day that school finally gets out for summer! But what are the two words that are inevitably always heard from kids after about the first week of summer vacation?
"I'm bored."
Summer boredom should never be a problem in the Wichita area. There are plenty of fun events and things to keep little minds busy this summer!
One thing that I like to do with my kids in May is starting a Summer Bucket List. We write down all of the fun things we would like to do in the summer in a checklist and post it on the refrigerator. It not only helps with summer boredom, it's also a great incentive for kids to keep the house clean and get along!
The Summer Bucket List does not have to be full of expensive things to do. There are plenty of free and cheap events and also fun activities to do at home.
Free or Cheap Events in Wichita this Summer
Ballet in the Park
Ballet Wichita is performing The Little Mermaid at various parks in and around the Wichita area this summer. Check out their schedule here! Bring a blanket and some snacks and enjoy the ballet with your family. It's always a fun event and sometimes the characters stick around after the show for pictures!
Summer Reading Programs
Check out any Wichita Public Library location (or area libraries) for a list of their Summer Reading Program events or here online. There is everything from puppet shows to fun learning activities all summer long!
Rock Hunting
One of our family favorite activities last summer was hunting for painted rocks. There are several groups in Wichita such as ICT Area Rocks on Facebook that paint and hide rocks around the city. Our favorite location to hunt for rocks is at the Keeper of the Plains. The kids love seeing the Keeper and the River, so take in the scenery while you send the kids on a scavenger hunt for some of the amazing rocks painted by local residents.
Kids Bowl Free
Go to KidsBowlFree.com and sign your kids up for the free summer bowling program. Each child that is signed up gets two free games of bowling every day of the summer. Shoe rental is not included, but this still makes for a cheap and fun indoor activity for those rainy, or really hot, summer days. There are four Wichita bowling alleys that accept the Kids Bowl Free Coupons: Northrock Lanes, Seneca Bowl, The Alley and West Acres Bowl.
Wichita's Old Cowtown Museum
For some good ole free Sunday fun, Cowtown is offering free admission thanks to a donation by Colby Sandlian. Every Sunday between April and October admission is completely free! Enjoy some old-fashioned fun in the sun at the museum from 12-5 p.m.
Fun Activities At Home
Building Forts
A kid favorite at our house is building forts out of blankets and chairs. They love to spend the day in the air conditioning and watch a movie from their fort. Sometimes we even hang up twinkling lights inside for a fun night-time effect. This activity is great for rainy days! Rent a movie and relax while the kids have some fun!
Water Activities
There are lots of great outdoor water activities that are cheap to set up for the kids:
- Fill up water balloons and let them have an afternoon water fight.
- Wet some sponges and make a target on the driveway with chalk and see who gets closest to a bulls-eye.
- Have the kids wash your car (trust me, kids love this and it works out for adults because you will end up with a clean car, for free!).
Themed Nights
We like to do several themed nights as part of our summer bucket list, such as family game night, cooking-dinner-with-mom night, and dessert-for-dinner night. Be creative! Not every activity on the bucket list has to cost money. Kids love to help out and do fun things around the house!
No more hearing "I'm Bored!" Create your summer bucket list tonight and you will no longer be searching for ways to keep the kids busy this summer!
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