Pick Your Fun Activity Jar (A Summertime Boredom Solution)

Summer is coming!  Kids are thrilled.  Teachers are thrilled.  Parents everywhere?  A little panicked.  How are we going to keep them happy and busy?  

I saw this idea several years ago, but since neither of my kids was in school yet, it didn't mean much then.  NOW I'm doing it!  What's great about this idea is that it can and MUST be customized for your family and your location.  This is what you do:

• Cut paper into strips. (We are doing enough to have 2-3 activities per week for the summer.)
• Sit down with your kids and come up with ideas for things THEY want to do this summer.
• Everyone writes down an activity on a piece of paper.
• Once the papers are all completed, put them in a jar (any container is fine, of course.)
• On your designated activity days, pick a random activity out of the jar and do it!

Here are some of our entries:
ride bikes, go for a hike, go to the movies, play laser tag, go skating, bake a cake from scratch, go to free play time at gym, go to the zoo, hit a local state park, visit a farm, go berry picking

It's important that everyone write down activities that the whole family can enjoy so that everyone looks forward to it.  Also, you can choose only activities that are absolutely free so your ability to participate is unlimited!

I'll post pictures as we do them.  What will you do to stave off boredom this summer?