NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 21, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- It feels like only a few weeks ago that kids were celebrating the end of the school year, and yet now that it's mid-July, excitement about summer has already given way to cries of "I'm bored!" Help is just a mouse-click away at FamilyFun.com, the premier online family resource for creative solutions, which offers families thousands of fun and creative activities and crafts to help make a day at home as special as a day on vacation or at camp.
"It happens every year -- two weeks into summer, kids complain there is nothing to do. Moms on our site tell us they look to us for simple cost-effective ways to bring fun and excitement to their kids' days," said Emily Smith, vice president of FamilyFun.com. "Our boredom busters are the perfect resource for parents who are feeling overwhelmed, and the best part is, kids love them."
Here are FamilyFun.com's top-five fail-safe boredom busters:
-- Create a "Family Day Camp" schedule and leave it by your kids'
breakfast plates. It doesn't have to be a rigid schedule;
instead, include activities such as a morning trip to the
park, swim lessons in the afternoon, baking treats with mom,
and then free time for such things as water play or outdoor
games. Knowing they have a fun schedule lined up can make
children more excited about the day ahead.
-- Create a "Bored Book" -- When your child can't find anything
to do, work together to compile a book of all the activities
available to them. Use cut-out pictures and bright colors.
Then, next time they're "bored" have your child pick an
activity to do from their new "Bored Book".
-- Customize a 31-day calendar by choosing an activity such as
a game, craft or field trip to the park or library for every
day of the month. That way, your child will have something new
to look forward to each day of the month. At the end of the
month, create a new calendar.
-- Let kids help plan summer activities by selecting themes for
each week, and then incorporate activities into the theme. For
example, you can have a beach theme one week and incorporate
different beach activities everyday such as: going to the
beach, making beach crafts such as decorated flip-flops, or
creating a backyard beach atmosphere.
-- Turn to the Internet for ready-made activities. For instance,
FamilyFun.com's 92 Days of Summer Printables are ready-to-print
activities. The site offers a brand new printable everyday
throughout the summer including coloring pages, crafts,
puzzles, mazes, word searches, and more.
About FamilyFun.com
Produced by Disney Online, FamilyFun.com is the premier online family resource for creative solutions, combining award-winning content and related community features focused on great ideas, practical advice, and "fun stuff to do." The site's popular "Solution Centers," which offer parents real answers in real time, include: "Parenting," "Recipes," "Travel," "Arts and Crafts," "Organize and Decorate," "Games," and "Parties." Disney Online also produces Disney.com, the leading kids' and family entertainment destination on the Internet. Disney.com features exciting neighborhoods that live within the gates of Disney's virtual theme park, housing a variety of wholesome, original content that consistently reflects the magic of Disney. Disney Online works closely with the Walt Disney Internet Group, which provides integrated strategic and operational Internet services for The Walt Disney Company's Internet initiatives.