Summer boredom buster activities

Water gun painting

Channel your inner Picasso and paint ... with water guns. Sure, you can use a regular paint brush, but why not make it a little more fun and exciting? Just fill up the water guns with paint and spray, spray, spray.

What you’ll need
Water guns (or spray bottles)
Watercolor paint
Paper or easel

Marker dye T-shirts

This fun project is a craft and science experiment rolled into one. First, insert cardboard inside of a shirt and decorate the shirt with different colored, permanent markers. Fill an eye dropper with rubbing alcohol, drip it onto the shirt and watch the magic happen. (Keep in mind, the more alcohol you use, the more the colors will spread.) Let the shirt dry completely, then throw it in the dryer to let the color set.

What you’ll need
White shirt (or shoes, bag, pillowcase – the possibilities are endless!)
Permanent markers
Eye dropper (or spray bottle)
Rubbing alcohol
Cardboard or parchment paper

Washer necklaces

Simply paint metal washers with nail polish and voila! You now have a unique, homemade piece of jewelry.

What you’ll need
Metal washers
Nail polish
String or ribbon (anything to hold the washers)

Tin can pencil holders

This is an easy one, and you probably already have all the supplies in your house. The kids can recycle tin cans and turn them into cool pencil holders. And since this activity doesn’t take very long, kids can make several and give them away as gifts.

What you’ll need
Tin cans
Construction paper
Markers
Glue or tape
Scissors
Decorative odds and ends (glitter, pom poms, buttons, stickers — whatever you have laying around)

Giant yarn-wrapped letters

This is a project the kids can proudly display on their bedroom wall. They can do just one letter or their whole name. Cut the desired letter(s) out of cardboard and wrap with whatever materials you choose. Then poke two holes at the top, thread twine through the holes and ta-da! You have a personalized wall hanging.

What you’ll need
Cardboard
Ruler
Pencil
Scissors
Hole punch
Tape or glue (to secure beginning and end of yarn)
Decorative tape, yarn, lace, twine, embroidery floss (anything to wrap around the letter)