So, guess what?! I’m making a list of things to do to avoid the dreaded SUMMER BOREDOM, and never have my mom volunteer me to be in charge of a bunch of unruly brats again!!! Maybe these ideas will help you too. 🙂

1. EARN SOME MONEY: Most of us aren’t old enough for an official summer job because of laws or whatever. But! That doesn’t mean we can’t earn some cold hard cash! Babysitting/parent helping, dog-walking, and lawn-mowing are some good money-makers. Here are a few others: pet sitting, washing cars and windows, extra chores and housecleaning—not only at your house but around the neighborhood, dog washing, outdoor projects like painting a fence or weeding a garden. Or, try making some extra cash by having a garage sale! You could get rid of your old toys, books, and clothing you’ve outgrown. To make it even MORE fun, invite a half dozen of your friends to join you and sell their stuff as well. The good news is that there’ll be less clutter in your room and more cash in your pocket!
2. SET A GOAL: Learn to cook an entire meal, train to run a 5K, complete your library’s summer reading program, or sew something. It doesn’t matter what the goal is. During the school year we’re so busy doing other people’s assignments. Now that you have more time, think about something you’ve always wanted to do, make a plan, and set out to do it! The main thing to remember about a long-term project is that you take it one step at a time. If you’re a couch potato who wants to a run a 5K, you’re not going to pop up from the couch and run 3.1 miles the first time you try. (That’s how far a 5K is. Who knew?) So take it a little at a time—challenge yourself, but also make sure you’re having fun, because that’s the whole point!
3. GET CRAFTY: You know I love my arts and crafts! Summer is a great time to bust out the glue sticks and pipe cleaners! There are tons of things you can do with stuff from around your house, or on the cheap from the dollar store. For ideas, go to Pinterest and search Summer Crafts. There are subcategories, so you can look at crafts for Kids or for Teens, or choose one of the other categories (like Easy, or Outdoor). A few things you could make: bath bombs, jewelry, lip balm, chalk art, and no-sew tote bags! The things you could make with duct tape alone could fill your whole summer!
4. BE A KID AGAIN: Because summer is a good time to earn some extra dough, but it definitely shouldn’t be all work and no play! Sometimes school feels like a competition to be the most mature and sophisticated. PLUS it’s all focused on getting good grades to get into college to get a good job, etc. Ugh! I’m ready to retire already! So use summer for some good old-fashioned FUN—with friends, siblings, or even on your own! Ideas: water balloon or squirt gun fights, giant bubbles, massive outdoor neighborhood games of hide and seek, charades, play on a playground, camp out in your backyard, make balloon rockets. Honestly, your imagination is your best source of ideas here!
5. BE HELPFUL: It’s one thing if your mom tells you to clean the garage because you said you were bored. But it’s totally different if you decide to clean the garage on your own! I mean, maybe cleaning the garage isn’t the best suggestion here. But there are lots of simpler things you could do around your house or neighborhood to make someone else’s day a little easier or brighter (or both!). You could also help out somewhere like an animal shelter or senior center. Just call first, because they might have age restrictions or need parental permission.