articles

101 Summer Boredom Busters - Your Ultimate Guide to Local Fun

August 21, 2014
We don't have anything against boredom.  Kids need the chance to be bored ... sometimes. However with almost 100 days of summer stretching out before us, we thought you could use a few ideas to bust that boredom ... at least occasionally.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
Check out the Macaroni Kid Calendar for up-to-date events
Register for Summer Camps
Celebrate Summer Birthdays
Connect with a local Parenting Group

ONLY IN SUMMER
Boeing Classic Golf Tournament (August 18-24)
Outdoor Concerts
KidsFirst! Performances
Downtown Issaquah ArtWalks

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS
Cougar Mountain Zoo
Fall City Wallaby Ranch
Visit a local pet store
Issaquah Salmon Hatchery
Fox Hollow Farm 
 
BIKES, TRAINS, and AUTOMOBILES {and FEET too} 
Snoqualmie Tunnel Bike Ride & BBQ
Northwest Railway Museum Train Rides
Ride the Issaquah Valley Trolley (weekends)
Take a colorful nature walk
Run a family-friendly race

GIVE BACK
Host an Alex's Lemonade Stand
Or Cookies for Kids Cancer Bake Sale
Or Coin Drive for Ben Towne Foundation
Volunteer at Eastside Baby Corner

INDOOR FUN
Lowe’s Build and Grow Workshops
Adventure Bowl in Snoqualmie
Step back in time at a local History Museum
See a KidStage performance at Village Theater
Or Valley Center Stage in North Bend
KidzBounce
Mudhouse Pottery Painting
Michael’s Passport to Imagination
Adventure Kids Playcare
Mom and Me, Crepes and Tea
Cedar River Watershed Education Center
Home Depot Kids Workshops

SEE A MOVIE
FREE Summer Matinees at North Bend Theater
Watch “Planes: Fire & Rescue" at Regal Issaquah Highlands 

SUMMER READING
Storytime at Barnes and Noble
Summer Reading Program at local libraries
Plus 5 Other Ideas ... Online Resources, Challenges, and More!

OUTDOOR FUN
Explore a new park
Take a family-friendly hike
Shop a local Farmer’s Market  
Walk around Gilman Village
Try Berry Picking
Go Geocaching or LetterBoxing
Golf at Little Si Links
Learn about SnoqualmieMeadowbrook, and Big Cedar
Be a Knee-High Naturalists 
Be a Junior Naturalists
See a show at Snoqualmie Falls Forest Theater

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE
Splash in a pool or Aquatic Center 
Get wet at a Spray Park
Head for a lake beach
Family Tap Water Tours

ROAD TRIPS
Take a road trip around WA State using other MacKid sites 
Visit Suncadia Resort & Spa or Willows Lodge & Spa

FUN AT HOME
Check out Creative Kids Unplugged Boxes
Make your own bubble wand
Make your own noodle necklaces
Make your own fruit pops
Make a 4th of July noisemaker
Make your own slime putty
Create a raised salt painting
Host a sleepover or backyard campout
Make ice cream in a bag
Make a marble painting
Make your own sidewalk chalk
Host a movie night with friends
Build a Fairy Garden
Make something with duct tape
Make an outdoor dessert
Try some Indoor Fun
Play a classic game, like jacks or marbles
Go on a homemade treasure hunt
Host a toy swap or book swap with friends
Build a fort (inside or out)
Make your own super bubbles
Create a summer scrapbook 
Make a Gutter Garden
Have a campfire and do more than s’mores

Check out more ideas on our Summer Pinterest board.

What would you add to this list?