Chris Durnan, Visual Designs by Chris: What Should I do? Jar

I saw this type of jar mentioned on a friends FB page. And I had a lightbulb moment. Perfect. My kiddo is an only son and he is super creative and we try to spend as much time with other kids as we can, but sometimes we just have to work. And he is really good at entertaining himself or learning what we are doing and helping, but sometimes the “what Should I Do?” pops up. I have seen this as an “I’m Bored Jar”. But I like the “what should I do?” better.

So I took this jar and added a ribbon and tag. I glued the top on with my Glue Glider Pro. I also printed out a list of items on different colored papers and folded them in half for in the jar. Then I took some of the magnets off the fridge that are business cards and I have never looked at and cut one up in chunks and made little magnets that give a certain amount of time during the summer days for reading and tv/game/computer time. My kiddo really liked this because he could control when he got to use the time up by putting them in the done side on the fridge. And when he was out of time he played legos and went on to color and read some more actually. He loves the independence of choosing his own things he wants to do. He finished his chore yesterday and then went on to read, play games, legos and color. All as he wanted to. and I was happy to limit the tv time.

I cut the magnet up and glued it also with one of my GlueArts guns. The glue Glider Pro. Love these Love these! I have one on every counter I work at it in my studio. And I also bought a 2 inch circle punch for quick projects. I just love circles and these is easy for me to grab and go!

Anyways. Below is my list of items I put in my What Should I do Jar? Some things we do. Some things I saw on the internet and thought what a great list. So it is a mish mash. Some of them may have been duplicated. And some I printed but threw away because they didn’t apply to us. And some I added are things for around the house. Like my son is responsible for cleaning the counter and mirror in his bathroom. And keep the clothes and towels off the floor. Easy peasy. So who knows what he will get from the “what should I do?” jar.

Hope you find lots of time for Summer fun! I know we are.

Enjoy!

Chris

A conglomeration list.

Make homemade finger paints

Make a masterpiece with sidewalk chalk

Go on a bike ride

Make a treasure map and go on a hunt

Make your own Memory game and play

Create puppets and put on a show

Build a bed sheet fort

Write and illustrate your own story

Make your own movie

Make a crayon/watercolor painting

Write some thank you notes

Create artwork using your hand/footprints

Activities w/ colored pasta

Make old coins shiny w/ salt and vinegar

Play pretend restaurant

Decorate letters cut from the Cricut

Red Light/Green Light

Play “Hot and Cold”

Play Hide and Seek

Make an obstacle course and time yourselves

Make a collage of your favorite things

Make an ABC book

Go on a color hunt

Create sculptures using toothpicks and marshmallows

Make masks from paper plates

Reverse treasure hunt

Make homemade bubbles

Make HUGE bubbles

Wash cars and bikes

Paint cement with water

Jump on tramp

Water games in the backyard

Squirt bottle tag

Learn some origami

Have a dance party

Have a pretend “drive-in” theater

clean up bathroom

paint a chalk mural

play checkers

play with your puppy

brush your horse

brush your dog

learn a new card game to teach M&D

play in sandbox

skate on patio

write a story

clean up patio

take a swim in the water tank

work on a wolf elective

write a thank you note

read for 15 minutes

color a page in your coloring book

make a card for the next birthday

make something out of a craft magazine

put together a sock puppet show

make your bed

clean up your legos

run through the sprinkler

play uno or guess who?

play with bubbles

fly a kite

clean up your fort area

go through your sock drawer &

matchup socks teach Freckles a new

trick

call someone & tell them a joke

make a bird feeder

fill the bird feeders

write a secret code & mail the message & the code seperate

cut out pictures of your favorite things from a magazine

find a new recipe

cut letters on the cricut and decorate them

work on 2nd grade spelling words

practice scout motto, pledge and handshake

play with Legos

make your own Lego pattern with Lego builder

write and send a cousin a letter cut from magazine letters

write and send a cousin a letter or picture drawing practice crab crawl

make little cars out of boxes and
house goodie

Create puzzles from drawings/photos

Set up a mini golf course

Make pinwheels

Play a board game

Do some school worksheets

Have an impromptu photoshoot w/ props

Draw while blindfolded

Make slime

Make your own “Headbandz” game and play

Freeze things in ice and “dig” them out

Dress ups

Play charades

Research a topic on the internet (w/mom or dad)

Play with the R/C cars

Make a craft from mom’s idea

Straw and cotton ball race on the kitchen table

Do a pretend cooking show

Make finger puppets

Interview family members

Make a family tree

Write in your journal

Do something nice for someone else

Take care of our garden

Do a Wolf Scout elective

Play in the playhouse/swings

Memorize a poem

Do a science experiment

Diet Coke and Mentos experiment

Make up a secret code and write notes

bake cookies/brownies

make homemade ice cream

clean up book shelf.