Beat Summertime Boredom

We asked readers for ideas of things to do to beat the end of summer blahs. Here’s what you came up with:

Enjoy the outdoors. Sleep outside and look at the stars, plant a garden, go on a picnic, play group games like hide-and-seek, roll down a hill, or go walking, hiking, fishing, or camping.
Find time for family. Play or talk with your siblings. Help plan a family trip, excursion, or service project.
Cool off. Have a water fight, run through the sprinklers, or swim in a pool, lake, or the ocean.
Read the fine print. Read and highlight the scriptures. Check out good books from the library. Catch up on reading Church magazines.
Make new friends; keep the old. Help elderly people with yardwork, take them cookies or flowers, or record their personal history (see the May 1999 Idea List). Give a neighbor a bottle of bubbles. Offer free baby-sitting for a family. Call friends who wrote to you in your yearbook.
Stay fit. Make an exercise plan. Include fun activities like field hockey, rollerblading, biking, or running.
Write away. Write letters to relatives, missionaries, and friends. Keep a journal. Start a neighborhood newsletter. Write a story or play.
Discover a talent. Take a community class that interests you. Learn a new handicraft. Put together a neighborhood or family talent (or untalent) show. Learn to cook.
Score goals. Work on Personal Progress or Scouting goals.
Clean up. Help your mom or dad with something around the house. Clean your room.
Be creative. Draw or paint a picture. Design a game. Make a musical mix tape for someone. Write music. Throw a theme party.
Make history. Make scrapbooks. Record your personal history. Take pictures. Make a movie about your family. Learn to do family history work.

Photography by Craig Dimond