25 Ways to Slay Summer Boredom

Summer is upon us. Schools are out and the weather’s heating up. Busyness or boredom will soon strike many households, creating a different mindset for parents.

Summer is a perfect time to discover new things and create memories.

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• Try a new recipe. Since ribs were on sale, I bought some to try a new taste treat. Slow cooking on the grill was tedious, but the outcome was tasty. Maybe it was the secret ingredient. When it was time to add the sauce, I accidentally gave Rick teriyaki marinade instead of barbecue sauce…the BBQ sauce later became the finishing sauce.
• Memorize a Bible passage. Lifeway has a Psalm 107 Scripture Memory Challenge. When you sign up you get memory verse cards to help you learn the passage. I’ve decided to take this challenge instead mindlessly scrolling Facebook.

• Read a different type of book. I usually read non-fiction, but so far I read some great fiction. Some of my author friends have new books coming out, like Swept Into Destiny by Catherine Ulrich Brakefield or Blanche Manos’ cozy mystery By the Fright of the Silvery Moon. If you’re looking for devotional books, look at The Grace Impact or Abba’s Promise.

• Engage in a summer Bible study.

This summer at my church, we are studying Jennifer Rothschild’s Bible study of Me, Myself and Lies. I’m looking forward to interacting with women about replacing the lies of poor self talk with the truth of Scripture.

• Visit a museum. Many towns have community museums that teach local history. We visited Crystal Bridges Bridges Museum of American Art and thoroughly enjoyed the new exhibit Chihuly: in the Gallery and In the Forest. It was breathtaking to see what the artist created with fire and glass.

• Identify the birds in your backyard. We recently spotted a red bellied woodpecker.
• Go hiking. We took in the trails at Devil’s Den State Park descending into valleys and hiking up to an overlook of the Ozark National Forest.
• Watch fireflies rising in the night. Remember the simple joys of childhood by seeing the tiny lights float up from the grass at dusk.
• Reconnect with a long ago friend.
• Visit a botanical garden. We stopped by Lendenwood Gardens in Grove, OK and wandered the 8 acre paths through trees, hostas, and rhododendrons. The highlight was spotting the Angel of Hope statue.

• Discover something new about your town. I learned that Springdale hosts “The Little Craft Show” in the downtown area. It was fun to hear live music and see different booths of indie crafters’ handmade jewelry, fabric, and wooden crafts.
• Learn something new about a place you are visiting. While driving on a two lane road we saw a roadside marker.  The plaque commemorates the beginning of the missionary movement for Wycliffe Bible Translators in Sulphur Springs, Arkansas.

• Go to a Farmer’s Market.
• Be intentional about prayer. Anne Graham Lotz has a new study on prayer, called The Daniel Prayer. She is offering it as a free online study.
• Help with Vacation Bible School. Catch the enthusiasm of kiddos as you spend time with children you don’t usually see. Be a positive influence on young lives.

• Look up facts about the summer holidays—Memorial Day, Flag Day, and the 4^th of July.

• Take a state highway instead of the Interstate to see the uniqueness of small towns. Bluffs curved over the two lane highway.On a recent trip we passed small attractions that I’d like to check out sometime: the Spanish Treasure Cave and the Bluff Dwellers Cave.
• Make summer treats like smoothies, s’mores or popsicles.
• Learn and improve on your instrument without the stress of concert or recitals. As a piano teacher, I’m looking forward to teaching my students fun things about music.

• Laugh with your family with fun in the summer. Have a silly string fight.

• Help a neighbor. One neighbor of ours has pet bunnies that like to escape their hutch. When they’ve been in our yard we’ve been part of the search mission to return them. Seeing adult men with a dip net and broom chasing a rabbit is great entertainment!
• Look for a rainbow after a rain shower.
• Set a fitness goal, such as walking 5 days a week.
• Allow yourself time to rest. Listen to the cardinal’s song or enjoy the hummingbirds’ chatter. Sit in the sun for a few minutes.
• Thank God for the blessings of your life.

What are some other ways to slay summer boredom?