I'm Bored...There's Nothing to Do!

These are words that parents dread hearing. Bored children will find something to do, but it may not be on a parents' list of recommended activities. The next time your kids are restless, try one of these activities with them.

• With your finger, trace a design on your child's back. See if she can tell what it is. Give your child a turn to draw on your back

• Play Finger Pool. Scrunch a piece of paper into a small ball. Take turns flicking it back and forth across the kitchen table.

• Take a walk together. Collect sticks and stones. Later, sort the sticks and stones by size, laying out the largest, then the next largest.

• Make paper airplanes. Whose can fly the farthest?

• Make a wish list. Of course everyone needs to know that wishes don't necessarily come true. But it's fun to do anyway.

• Play a quick game of WAR with cards. This helps teach numbers too.

• Cut up old magazines and paste onto newspaper. It makes a mess and kids love it.

• Make your own recording. Sing songs onto a cassette tape. Grandparents especially appreciate this.

• Make tents. Use blankets, sheets and clothes pins. Let children have a snack and take a nap in the tent.

• Read a book. Sounds revolutionary but it cures boredom every time.