"I'm bored" - How to tackle the endless requests for entertainment

Long weekends, school holidays, and rainy afternoons often start with good intentions — and end with bored children, endless snack requests, and the familiar phrase “I'm bored. There is nothing to do.” Even with toys, games, and craft materials available, the constant need to come up with ideas can feel exhausting.

One simple idea that has helped me out in this situation is creating an activity/boredom jar — a
collection of easy, age-appropriate activities written down and pulled out at random whenever boredom sets in. It’s low-effort, flexible, and surprisingly effective at keeping young children engaged without relying on screens. 

The beauty of an activity jar is that it removes decision-making in the moment. When everyone’s tired or the weather isn’t cooperating, you don’t need to think — you simply pull an idea and go.

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Why an Activity Jar Works So Well

Children often struggle with open-ended time, especially during holidays or weekends when routines change. Too many choices can feel just as overwhelming as too few. An activity jar narrows the options while still keeping things fun and unpredictable.

For parents, it takes the pressure off constantly coming up with ideas. Once the jar is set up, the work is mostly done. You can reuse it again and again, adding or swapping activities as children grow or interests change.

It also encourages variety. Instead of defaulting to the same few activities, children are gently nudged to try something different — which often leads to more creative play.

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How to Set Up Your Activity Jar

An activity jar doesn’t need to be fancy. A jar, box, or even an envelope works just fine. Write each activity on a small piece of paper and fold it up so the choice feels special.

We tend to colour-code activities to match the weather — for example, one blue for indoor or rainy-day ideas and yellow for outdoor or sunny-day activities. For ease, you can keep everything together and let the weather decide whether to redraw.

The best thing - everyone can join in and add ideas to the list. Letting your children help choose activities makes them more excited to use it — and more likely to accept what gets pulled out.

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Rainy Day Activity Ideas to Get You Started

Indoor days don’t need to be loud or complicated to be fun. Here are a few simple ideas that work well for young children:

• Build a blanket fort or den

• Create a drawing challenge (draw your favourite animal, house, or story)

• Make paper planes and test which flies the furthest

• Do a puzzle together

• Have a “toy rotation” afternoon — bring out toys that haven’t been used in a while

• Bake something simple or help prepare a snack

• Put on music and have a short dance break

These activities are easy to prepare and can be adapted depending on energy levels.

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Sunny Day Activity Ideas for Outdoor Play

When the weather allows, outdoor activities can help children burn energy and reset their mood. A few simple ideas include:

• A nature walk with a small scavenger hunt

• Chalk drawing on the pavement

• Water play with cups, buckets, or spray bottles

• A picnic, even if it’s just in the garden

• A ball game or obstacle course

• Bubble blowing

• A bike or scooter ride

These don’t need to be long outings — even 20–30 minutes outside can make a big difference.

If you need some inspiration, why not download our Free printable scavenger hunt?

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Keeping the Jar Fresh and Stress-Free

The activity jar should feel like support, not another thing to manage. Activities don’t need to be elaborate or perfectly planned. Some days, the jar might offer something quick and calm;
other days, something more active.

As time goes on, you can quietly remove activities that no longer work and add new ones based on your children’s interests. The goal isn’t constant entertainment — it’s having a gentle fallback for those moments when boredom hits and everyone’s patience is low.

You can find more ideas together with a list of holiday challenges in our holiday planner.

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A Little Less Pressure, A Little More Calm

Keeping young children busy doesn’t mean filling every moment or planning perfect days. Sometimes, having a few simple ideas ready — and letting chance choose one — is enough.

The activity jar isn’t about doing more. It’s about making life feel a little easier when routines disappear and boredom shows up.