Your bored jar savior is here! Whether school is out and it’s too hot outside or it’s rainy and cold… trust me when I tell you that an activities jar for the kids is just what you need.
As parents, we’ve all heard that dreaded line too many times… “I’m boorrred”. And after hearing it a few hundred times too often, we begin to wonder what life was like before.
This little jar of creativity is a lifesaver and the best part? I’ve got the free printable labels to make it a breeze.
I’ve even included a few blank labels so that you can think of your own ideas! Go grab the craft supplies and get ready to banish boredom for good (well, at least for a while)!
I will run through how we made our activity jar below. However, if you just want to grab the download now, scroll to the base of this post where you’ll find a big green button with the download link.
A Visual Merriment is reader-supported and this post may contain some product affiliate links. From these, I may receive a small commission if you choose to purchase. Read more about how affiliate links are handled in my Terms & Conditions.
Table of Contents
What Are Boredom Jars?
You can create rules around your boredom jar to suit your family. Typically you have a range of activities written down and placed within a jar, box, or other container.
Each time boredom strikes, your child can pick an activity from the jar, sparking their imagination and leading them on a new adventure.
This honestly works. My 10 year old who I struggle to keep away from screens really surprised me.
He picked an activity from his boredom jar ideas. It was to perform a stand-up comedy routine. I put it in there, especially for him.
I knew he would love it with all of the bad jokes he tells. Not to mention all of the joke books that he reads!
From this one task he was playing nicely with his brother and sparks of their imagination were flying. They made play money (for admission), signs, and a food menu. They went through their joke books to pull out the best ones they could find.
Now when he says “I’m bored” his brother will remind him to pick something from the bored jar. Then he’s off to find something new! And he’s genuinely excited. No groans. No eyerolls. Actual excitement!
Supplies
- Free Printable Activity Labels (see the button at the end of the post)
- Glass Jar*
- Paper Trimmer or Scissors
- Adhesive Tape Runner
* You can recycle a jar you have around the house. I have linked to a similar jar that I used. If you already have mason jars, you can also buy bamboo lids to fit mason jars if you like that look.
How to Make a Bored Jar
Download and print your bored jar ideas
You’ll find the button for download at the end of this post. Once you have downloaded the PDF to your computer, simply print it to your home printer.
This is a 6-page free printable. Included are 80 different bored jar ideas. Each page also has two additional blank labels so that you (or your child) can add your own fun ideas.
The cover page includes jar labels in 4 different colors. I have left a space above the ‘Bored Jar’ title so your child can write their name.
You can have one jar for the whole family or jars for each of your children, with their names.
What activities will you include?
I have tried to come up with kids’ activities for a range of ages, boys and girls. You may however wish to look over them to see which ones you want to include in your bored jar.
I’ve tried to keep to creative, indoor and outdoor activities. You won’t find many ideas that require screens however there are a couple.
For example, one activity is to ‘learn a new dance on YouTube’. You may wish to exclude these if you’re trying to avoid screens.
If you like, you can sit down with your child to come up with your own activity ideas. You can then write these down on the blank labels.
I have some kids’ summer activity ideas and 59 at-home boredom busters that you can check out for more ideas!
Assembling your activity jar
Cut the labels out with a pair of scissors or a paper trimmer. Write your child’s name on the jar label. You can also write something such as ‘Our Family’ or ‘The Smith Family’ if you’re creating one bored jar for multiple kids.
Using an adhesive tape runner attach the jar label to the outside of the jar.
You can choose to fold or scrunch your activity labels up and place them in the jar.
Voila! All done! So easy when you’ve already got the ideas there for you.
Why not get the kids more involved? They can decorate their bored jar. Use glass paint or markers; add embellishments such as ribbons, stickers, glitter, etc.
Bored Jar Ideas Download
These jars were a lifesaver over the school break. My boys were on screens less and they played so nicely together. There were definitely a lot less arguments!
I hope these boredom busters will help your children be more active and play independently (as well as mix better with siblings!). These prompts are also great for encouraging childen’s decision-making.
Now for the download! If you don’t have the password as yet, signup is simple with an email address.
After you have your password, you can click the link in the email or use the link below.
Plus you will also have access to all of the other amazing free printables in the library. Yay!
Printables in the freebies library are for personal use but if you wish to use these labels for your class, then you are more than welcome to do so. I do have copyright limitations on what you can use my free printables for, view these in the footer of my website or in my terms and conditions.
Free printable boredom activities below:
Other Resources You May Like:
FREE PRINTABLE: Kids Toy Box Organization Labels
FREE PRINTABLE: Family Cleaning Bingo Game
ARTICLE: End Boredom With These 59 Home Activities
ARTICLE: Super Fun Kids Summer Activities
FROM MY SHOP: Children’s Chore/Reward Charts
2 Comments
Some great ideas for kids whenever they’re bored!
Thank you for your comment Grace. I’m sure you’ll find plenty of helpful ideas they’ll love! :)