Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters...Activity 11 Perler Beads

Do you remember those super cool beads that you could make designs out of and then iron together?  I thought they were the coolest things ever and now so do my kids.  They have spent hours over the past few days making cool little bead animals.  I picked up the bucket of beads and animal patterns at Walmart for around $10 last year on a whim.  But you can also visit the Perler Bead Website for a full list for their products and ideas.  They have some really cute things...they have advanced greatly since the 80's!!  I also found several websites that have FREE printable patterns for the kids to use!! This is a cheap and fun way to blast away that summer boredom!!!

Amazing has a great deal on several of Perler Bead products and if you are an online shopper like me then this is the perfect route for you!!






 *Disclaimer- this post contains affiliate links

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters...Activity 10 Walking Water

It is the 1st day of Summer!!! My kids are so excited and we are starting back up our slightly unusual summer boredom blasters!!  This activity is called Walking Water.  The kids were fascinated by it and it can be done free or cheap depending on what supplies you have around your house.

Materials Needed-

Clear cups, glasses, etc.  3 per person
Paper towels
Food coloring
Water

You are going to line the cups up and fill the two on the outside half way full of water.  Then add your food coloring.  Next take a half of a paper towel and fold it loosely like a fan. Put one end of the paper towel in one cup with the water and the other end in the middle empty cup.  Repeat with another paper towel in the other cup with water.  Last, you wait and watch.  The water will start walking and soon fill up the middle cup!! If you want to use two colors of water then when they meet in the middle they will make a new color!! My kids watched this process for two days!!  It is so fun:-)

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters 2016!!!!

Awhile ago I started a series called Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters.  This year I will be picking up where where left off!!  We spent a lot of our Summer at home and when we aren't by the pool the kiddos get bored quick.  Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters are interesting ways to keep little (and not so little) minds busy during the hottest days of the year:-)  Below I am going to list the ones we have so far...stay tuned for the upcoming brand new ones!!!

Boredom Blaster 1- Trampoline and Sidewalk Chalk This was a huge hit and easy to clean up!!:-)

Boredom Blaster 2- Paint-filled eggshells

Boredom Blaster 3- Condensed Milk PaintingThis was a fan favorite...I even enjoyed it!!!

Boredom Blaster 4- 3D HandThis is a little complicated...great activity for older kiddos and teens!!

Boredom Blaster 5- Exploding CokeThis activity doesn't take long but the climax is worth it!!!:-)

Boredom Blaster 6- Bouncy Egg Experiment

Boredom Blaster 7- Painted Rocks and Twigs

Boredom Blaster 8- Mini ExplosionsThis was a huge hit, it actually kept the kiddos entertained way longer then I expected!!!

Don't forget to check back soon for all new Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters!!!

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters......Activity 8 (Mini Explosions)

This is a super easy activity and more then likely you already have the supplies on hand.  The boys played for an hour.  I let me smallest one participate also but he had to be watched closely because he kept wanting to snack on the back soda so keep that in mind.

 

All you need is vinegar, food coloring, baking soda and straws/droppers or even spoons.  Add food coloring to however many cups of vinegar you wish to use and give each kiddo a bowl of baking soda.  Then they use they droppers or straws to drop the colored vinegar into the baking soda.  When they collide magic happens and it makes a colorful mine explosion/eruption!!!

 

 

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters....Acitvity 7 (Painted Rocks and Twigs)

I originally planned on doing this activity using pretty earth tones and Native American patterns BUT the kiddos woke up this morning determined to learn about rainbows so we altered our plans to go along with that theme:-)

 

This activity is EASY and FREE!!  We gathered some rocks and twigs from outside and squirted paint (rainbow colors) on a plate.  Then the boys got busy creating their masterpieces.  Obviously some took a little more care with the project then others but I won't point any fingers;-)

 

Check out ALL if the Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters HERE!!!! 

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters......Activity 6 (Bouncy Egg Experiment)

This activity is really easy.  Just take two eggs....place one in a cup of water and the other in a cup of vinegar then wait for the magic to happen;-)
It took our vinegar egg four days to reach "bouncy" egg stage and the kids were fascinated during the entire transformation.
In the end the egg wasn't very bouncy but we didn't expect it to be...it was just a really fun experiment.

 

Check out ALL of the Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters 

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters........Activity 5 (Exploding Coke)

This activity is quick and easy.  So quick in fact that it provides a very short window of boredom blasting but the kids still loved it!!  Before you watch the video I should clarify the instructions. You are supposed to open the coke and drop three mentos into it at one time.  My oldest decided to do them one at a time and almost drowned in coke;-)

So all you do is take a 2-liter coke open it, set it out away from everything lol, drop three mentos into it and get out of the way:-) 

 

Check out ALL the Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters HERE!!!

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters........Activity 4(3D Hand)

Today's activity was another Pinterest find.   A 3D hand... I have to say this ended up being a little more complicated that what I thought. I of course had to do the little ones but even I struggled keeping everything lined up lol.  The older boys did their own and it turned out pretty well but not exactly like the original picture we had:-)

 

Start by tracing the hand you want to use....... 

Next use a black marker and trace the tops of the fingers (you need a pretty good lump), draw straight lines out from the fingers, remember to make a new hump/lump each time you get to the surface part of the fingers and hand.  Go all the way down the hand using the black marker every so many spaces. 

To finish you just keep going with whatever colors you want to use alternating until the entire hand is covered!!

 

Check out ALL the Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters HERE!!!

 

 

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters......Activity 3 (Condensed Milk Painting)

This is an art project I’ve wanted to try for some time and today seemed like a great chance.  I invited my niece over for school with the boys and after we finished doing our Summer Learning packet by 3 Dinosaurs we broke out the paintbrushes. 

What you will need;

Condensed milk, food coloring, paintbrushes, thick art paper, water, and ice cube trays or small bowls.

 This was so much fun!! We will definitely be doing it again and the finished products are beautiful!!  The bright colors and shiny surface makes them very eye catching.  The only downfall is that once the kiddos (and the dog) realized how amazingly sweet these paints were it was hard to keep them from having a lick fest ;-)  It is super easy just mixed the condensed milk in with the food colors you wish to use and paint away (remember to rinse those brushes off between colors but make sure to dry the excess water off the brush by blotting a paper towel).  We used thick paper made especially for painting and I definitely recommend a heavy paper for this activity, the “paint” is thick so it needs a sturdy surface. 

 

After they are finished be prepared to give them a day to dry……mine along with the older kiddos’ were dry in a hour but the toddlers put their paint on a little thicker so they took much longer.

 The two older boys did a fantastic job designing their dinosaur scene and portrait of Daddy.  The toddlers went with more of an abstract theme;-)

Mommy had to play also....look how shiny!!!

Check out all of the Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters HERE!!!

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters......Activity 2 (Paint-Filled Eggshells)

Eggshells and paint….I just couldn’t pass this up!!!  We love Art around here and I like to encourage messy play as much as possible since we are all a little sensory unfriendly ;-) 

 Take empty egg shells leaving them as much intact as possible and fill them up with paint.  Then pick your surface, ours was a huge piece of art paper that I laid out in the yard.  Sling those paint filled eggs at the paper as hard as you can and watch as the masterpiece is created.  I did this activity with the smaller ones and they had a blast but they struggled with getting enough power in their throws to effectively shatter the eggshells so I think it would be even better with slightly older kids.  I also think it would have been better to hang the paper up and throw the eggs however I didn’t have a surface I was willing to sacrifice.  BUT it turned out pretty well and Mommy had a blast helping along the process at the end (great stress reliever)!!

 

 Ignore my gross muffin tin, I had to use my old, old one.  I saved an egg carton to use but my wonderful Husband threw it away (along with the pizza boxes I had saved for solar ovens)…..it’s a good thing he’s cute!!!

 

 



 Check out all of the Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters HERE!!!

Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters...Activity 1 (Trampoline and Sidewalk Chalk)

We are a pretty good ways into summer so the kiddos in my house are getting burnt out on our regular activities; pool, lake, park, trampoline, bikes, etc.  After some searching on Pinterest and other websites I found several slightly off the norm activities that I think will be perfect for blasting away that Summer boredom. So we have rearranged and edited some of them to fit our plans.  Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters will be an ongoing series from now until August!!  There will be at least 2 activities per week and sometimes we will even do 5.

 

First up……

Lots of us have trampolines in our yards.  My kids love ours and use it often.  Plus sidewalk chalk is usually a staple at any household that has kids.  I found a great pin that suggested letting your kids draw on your trampoline with sidewalk chalk.  I just knew the kids would jump on this idea….boy was I wrong!!! I suggested it for 3 days before they finally decided to try it.  They just didn’t understand why I wanted them to draw on the trampoline(they don’t hesitate nearly as much when drawing on walls without permission but whatever…..) after lots of convincing and the big boys supporting it they finally decided to go for it.  They LOVED it!!!!  It entertained the masses for about 1.5 hrs. the other afternoon and that is definitely considered a successful activity in this houseJ

 

 

Check out all of the Slightly Unusual Summer Boredom Blasters HERE!!!!