Summertime Boredom Hacks: Pen & Paper Games Kids Will Love
Good Old Fashioned Fun That Sparks Creativity
School’s out, the sun’s shining, and… your kids are already saying “I’m boooored.” 😩 Don’t worry – we’ve got your back! When the pool’s closed, it’s too hot to play outside, or you need a quiet activity on the go, these pen & paper games come to the rescue. 🦸♀️ No batteries. No WiFi. No glitter. Just good old-fashioned fun that sparks creativity and keeps kids entertained anytime, anywhere.
Pro Tip: Replace pen and paper with sidewalk and chalk to conserve paper.
Check out these boredom-busting classics and new twists for kids of all ages:
🎯 1. Dots & Boxes
A true playtime staple. Start with a grid of dots, take turns drawing lines to connect them, and claim boxes with your initials. Easy to learn, hard to stop!
🕵️♀️ 2. Tic-Tac-Toe Tournament
Kick it up a notch! Create a score sheet and hold a mini championship. Try themed rounds like animals (🐶 vs. 🐱) or summer icons (🌞 vs. 🍦).
📜 3. Hangman (With a Twist!)
Play the classic version, or mix it up with categories like “Summer Things,” “Movie Titles,” or “Things in the Fridge.” Great for vocabulary and giggles!
✈️ 4. Paper Airplane Challenges
Design, fold, and name your creations – then draw “flight logs” with scores for distance, speed, and landing accuracy. STEM + art = ✨awesome✨.
🎨 5. Finish the Drawing
One person draws a squiggle or random shape. The other turns it into a masterpiece – think monster, superhero, or silly animal. Then switch!
👑 6. Consequences (Silly Story Game)
Each person writes part of a story, folds the paper to hide their sentence, and passes it on. Once it’s done, unfold and read aloud for guaranteed laughs.
🔍 7. Word Ladders
Start with a word like “cold” and change one letter at a time to get to “warm.” Great brain teaser – and totally customizable for different ages.
📊 8. Summer Scavenger Bingo
Make a bingo board with categories like “something yellow,” “an ice cream truck,” or “flip flops.” Kids can draw pictures or write what they find!
🧠 9. Categories Game
Pick a letter and race to fill in categories like animals, foods, or places. Want to make it easier? Skip the timer and play cooperatively!
🎭 10. Emoji Story Time
Kids draw or list 3–5 emojis and challenge someone else to write a story using them. Example: 🐸👑🌧️ = fairy tale alert!
✏️ 11. Shadow Drawing
Grab some 3D objects to cast shadows – toys, tools, plants, hanging leaves... or even a somebody! Using pen and paper (or chalk and sidewalk), task kids with tracing the shadows of the objects or person.
🖍️ 12. Ready, Set, Doodle!
Print out some extra paper, toss a few pencils into your tote bag, and you’ve got an instant activity kit for waiting rooms, road trips, rainy days, or lazy afternoons. 💼🧃
If you’re organizing a summer camp, playdate, or community event, don’t forget to use SignUp to coordinate the fun with ease. From snack SignUps to volunteer shifts, we make planning effortless – so you can spend more time playing and less time chasing down RSVPs. 😎
About the Author
Tara McAdams
Digital Marketing Manager, Content Strategist & Creator
Tara leads content strategy at SignUp and creates a variety of resources on a wide range of topics – including lifestyle trends, parent tips, prep for holidays, volunteer management, and event planning. More about Tara →
