Help! I’m Bored
Written by Ellen Frank Bayer
Ouch, I walked into the open closet door. The green and yellow Sprite bottle was sticking out of the bulging recycling bag. How many times must I ask my children to return the bottles?
It’s summer, it’s raining, and the pool is closed. My three children are looking at me, “Ma, I’m bored,” and it’s only seven AM.
It’s going to be another long day.
Why not have some fun with your “old junk”? Create something new and different and you will be recycling, reusing, entertaining and enjoying the wonders of childhood with your young ones.
Let’s start by taking another look at the bulging bag of empty bottles. There’s so much that can be done with bottles! They can be turned into bubble wands, planters or artificial flowers. All you need are some scissors, markers and maybe a hole puncher.
Bubble wands
A group of six-to-eight year olds were entertained for two hours with these soda bottle bubble wands.
Take a used plastic soda bottle or a small water bottle and cut off about one inch ( three centimeters) from the bottom. The smaller bottles work better with younger children.
Next, the kids can personalize the bottles using colorful markers. Once decorated, the kids dip the large open end of the bottle into a bubble solution and blow into the bottle top to blow bubbles. The top of the bottle makes an easy spout for them to blow into. If you want to get fancy, you can tie a sock on the large end and when the child blows into the bottle it will produce many smaller bubbles at once.
To make the bubble solution, mix one cup of water, four tablespoons of liquid dish detergent and two tablespoons of light corn syrup.
Bottle Planters
Another idea you can use with large soda bottles is creating a hanging planter. First cut a couple of “windows” in the side of the bottle to allow the plants to breathe. Next, make four holes near the top of the bottle to tie strings for hanging. After you have tied strings (make sure they are strong enough to support the weight of the planter), fill the bottle with soil and add a small plant. Use succulents or ivys which do not require much watering.
I have found pothos plants to be very easy to grow and maintain, as they. don’t require much watering. Add gravel to the soil so the plant has some drainage. The plants which do best only require watering about once a week. Test the soil with your finger and only water when the soil is dry. You can mist twice a week just to add some moisture to the leaves.
Do you have a pile of old clothes hanging around just waiting to be given away?
T-Shirt Bags
Old t-shirts can be turned into blankets or bags. If your child can tie a knot and use scissors they can make a bag out of a t-shirt.
Cut the sleeves and the neckline off the shirt, as well as the bottom hem. Put the bottom hem aside, to be used later. When cutting the neckline, keep in mind that the deeper you cut it, the longer the straps for the bag will be. Next, make cuts 2 ½ in (6 cm) deep along the bottom hem, cutting both the front and back at the same time so you have matching strips on both front and back. You can make as many cuts as you would like, but keep in mind the more cuts you make, the more strips need to be tied together, and the more little holes you may end up with in the bottom of your bag. Recommended strip size is about 1 inch (2 cm).
The tricky part is tying the end of the t-shirt together to make the bag. Starting on the end, tie the front strip to its matching back strip. Be sure to use double knots so that you don’t end up with any of them coming untied and creating holes.
You can add beads or bows for more frills. If you have paint markers, you can draw some colorful pictures on the bag. The last step is to take the bottom hem that you cut off and thread it through the top of the “shoulders”. Tie the bottom strip and now you’ve created a handle to hang on your shoulder.
Cardboard Loom Weaving
Weaving is also fun for everyone, takes some time to complete a project and can be done at home.
When I was young we made potholders on a metal loom. We used loops to weave the potholder. You can make a loom from a piece of cardboard and some yarn. Cut a piece of cardboard as large as you want your rug. I would recommend starting with a shoe box cover. Cut tabs about ½ inch along the top and bottom wide side of the cover. Place the yarn across the tabs of the box. This will be the frame of the loom. Take your old t-shirt and cut off the neckline and the sleeves. Begin cutting the t-shirt body into one long strip. Do this with at least two t-shirts of different colors so you can alternate colors. Weave the t-shirt strips into and under the yarn. When you are done, sew the ends of the rug together before you take it off the “loom.” Trim the ends of the rug and you have a t-shirt rug. You can use the small rug for a doll house or a potholder. Make a bigger rug once you perfect the weaving.
Homemade Musical Instruments
Want to make some noise with your family
and friends? Consider exploring sound and making some musical instruments out of empty plastic containers, cardboard boxes and string. An empty cereal box makes a great noise maker. Fill the box with lentils, dried beans or rice. If you have an empty paper towel holder, seal up the ends with tape and fill with rice. This makes a perfect “rain stick.”
A drum can be made from an empty can. Cut off both ends of the can and cover the top with fabric or vinyl. Experiment with 
different weights of fabric to hear different sounds. Two bottle caps glued on a folded piece of cardboard can turn into castanets. Turn on some music and have a dance party.
Need some more inspiration? Many science museums have great tutorials for all ages. Look under the “educators” tab for the best ideas. I highly recommend the American Museum of Natural History educators’ guides, The New York Hall of Science pages and the Earth Day resources from the American Museum of Natural History.
The most important tip to remember is to have fun. Stay in the moment, take lots of pictures and let loose.
Create something new and different and you will be recycling, reusing, entertaining and enjoying the wonders of childhood with your young ones.
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