It has some fun thing to do in it, but also some chores and some goofy time-wasting stuff, because our goal was not only to give them something to do, but to get them to stop complaining of boredom and think of things to do themselves (and because if it was all rainbows and ice cream they'd use it all up on day one and get sick of it). So in other words, they quickly learned that they had to really be bored to take the chance on the BoB.
My wife, an inveterate scrapbooker, fancied up our Bucket (a plastic jar with a screw-on lid) with letters and pictures, but even an old shoebox or coffee can would work. We printed out a list of things, cut them apart and folded them, and put them in the Bucket, and when the kids were really and truly bored, and willing to take a chance, they'd draw one out.
Some of the items were retired after one use, some items were put back in after they were drawn, and we added new ones as we thought of them. The kids never knew what was in there, although they did suggest things (that we may or may not have added). Anyway, you get the idea.
Here's the list of items we started with:
Here's the list of items we started with:
(Note: items that appear more than once are activities we especially wanted to encourage, like "practicing the piano".)
Check the weather on-line
Watch the Weather Channel for 5 minutes
Draw a picture with weather in it
Play a cd-rom game
Visit a cool web site (not weather-related)
Read a book out loud to mom/dad for 5 minutes
Read a book to yourself; quiz will follow
Write a story about someone with a strange name
Color a picture for someone
Eat a treat
Make a sand castle in the sand box
Go ride your bike from corner to corner 10 times
Go ride your bike
Go see Makenzie
Write someone a letter
Call someone
Build a fort for you and Ben
Dance party
Find on TV: a dog; a bike; a bowl of cereal
Pick out a movie and watch it all
Play in your room for at least 30 minutes
Sweep the kitchen floor
Write down all the words that rhyme with “cat”
Make a card for someone
Rinse off the van
Build a spaceship
Make a restaurant
Go for a bike ride
Run up and down the front steps 10 times
It’s Play-Doh time!
Water the front flower bed
Do a page from your workbook
Do another page from your workbook
Do another page from your workbook
Draw a picture of the house you’d like to live in
Draw a picture of our family
Draw a picture of a cool car or truck or van
Write a song about someone you like
Pick out a toy to give to Makenzie
Play Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade
Play Reader Rabbit 2nd Grade
Soak yourself with the hose
Take a long, toy-filled bubble bath
Send a message to Dada to have him call you
Call Gramma Mary
Call Grandma
Call Nana
Ask Momma for a chore to do
Stand on porch until a black car goes by
Eat something without using your hands
Drink a beverage with a straw and no hands
Count how many steps it takes to get to fire hydrant
Pick out a recipe for Momma to make
Sweep sidewalk and driveway
Write a note to Gramma Peg
Write a note to Gramma Mary
Lay on couch with wet washcloth over your eyes
Put a bug in a jar; watch it for 1 hour; let it go
Cook something to eat
Help mama clean something
Brush your teeth really, really good
Ride your bike as slow as you can
Read a book to Ben
Feed ants sugar-water
Send email to Nana & Papa
Send email to Gramma &.Grandpa
Send email to Sue
Help mama do something
Stay on the porch until you drink a bottle of water
Rock in the green chair for 10 minutes
Count your pennies
Make a card for Momma
Make a card for Gramma
Make a card for Sue
Make a card for Libby
Read Ben a book
Practice your printing on your whiteboard
Build a Lego house
Play a game with Mama
Set up your Brio track
Get out your car rug
Play a CD game
Make a track to send your marbles down
Check the recycling
Jump up and down 30 times
Make some spirograph pictures
Sing a song through a fan
Write Mama a weather report for the next 3 days
Send Dada an email weather report
Do 100 jumping jacks
Count the spokes on the front wheel of your bicycle
Give mama a back rub
Make a book of words Ben says
Make a list of things you need for 2nd grade
Make a list of things you want in our new house
Draw a picture of our new house
Stay on the porch until 2 black vehicles go by
Give everyone in the house a nice hug
Build a sheet/blanket fort
Sweep the sidewalks
Start your crystal set
Set up the kid tent; sleep in it overnight if you can
Investigate “Pascal’s Law” with Dada
Investigate “Newton’s Laws” with Dada
Research 3 composers
Go outside for at least 30 minutes
Do wastebaskets
List what features you’d like to have in our house
Draw a picture of a cool house in Hawaii
Paint a picture
Paint a picture
Ride your bike around the block x3
Use Phun to create a moving vehicle
Floss
Draw your dream tree house
Write a story about cheese, a shovel, and music
Read a story to your computer (record it)
Brush Kirby
Check Kirby’s food/water
Give Kirby a treat
Build a Lincoln Log house
Call Nana/Papa
Use the hose to soak your head
Go to the library
Jump rope until you get 30 in a row
Draw a car road with chalk on the driveway
Practice piano
Practice piano
Practice piano
Rock in the blue chair for 10 minutes
Climb the basement stairs x10
Rub Dada’s back
Try a new food item