The Boredom Box

We've discussed the beauty of children making their own fun before but sometimes they will look to you for inspiration and sometimes you just wont have any!  It's at times like this that the Boredom Box works best.  It is your knight in shining armour and your general saviour in that it is very easy to create, so involve the kids, as they get to pitch in their great ideas too. Most importantly, The Boredom Box saves you from the punishing whines that all children know how to articulate in that pitch perfect tone-you know the saying, don't you?  All together now, "I'M BORRRRRED!"
Create The Boredom Box and that phrase dies a nice, quick death, your role in the future will be only to point to it and that is it! 

How To

• Cut a round hole into the top of a box, large enough to fit an adult fist through. (A child's shoe box is a good size)

• Decorate the box with pretty paper and glue or tape (we used scraps of gift wrap) and the tasselled tissue paper on the top came from a packet of party decorations sold at Co-Op supermarket

• Next, use bright coloured card to write upon.  Think about the activities you know your children love to engage in as well as the kind that will strengthen their team building skills.  Our box is a mix of competitive sports activities, arts and crafts and games that can be done individually and as part of a team. 
  
  

• This activity is very child led but can take as much or as little time as you have to spare.      This box took approximately 30 minutes to create with a 6 year old but we all derived many hours of fun from it. 

The great thing about the Boredom Box is that it is totally adaptable and is just as useful for role play exercises during Drama workshops.  I have substituted the children's activity suggestions for role play scenarios which are selected from the box.  The scenarios range from everyday situations to the extraordinary and tap into the talent the children harbour using improvisation.  Check back soon for free downloads of Scenario Cards.

           

                                       

                          What are some of the ideas you might put into your Boredom Box?