Have each child make dinner 1 night. They must prepare the menu, make a list, get the stuff with you on the weekend, and then make it on their assigned night, with their sibling doing the dishes. That takes up 2 of their nights. They should have chores, a book going, and outside time. You can fill up that time for them or they can - their choice - but your stuff won't be as fun.

Send them to the backyard.

Two posts mentioning unsupervised gymnastics routines? Do you all have gymnastics equipment in the basement and you let your kids just practice by themselves? Maybe I'm missing something. Seems super dangerous to me, but I cringe at trampolines so maybe just me.

Anonymous wrote:Mine are 9 and 11, and they also beg for electronics. Getting the Disney Circle has helped limit that, since they have a set time limit every day and once they hit it, they can't use their devices anymore. It's also helpful to me, TBH. I've set a daily limit for myself on a few websites and once I hit it, the Circle prevents me from accessing them. I'm clearly awful at self-regulation, so it's super helpful!

Right now my kids are playing an elaborate make-believe game in the basement with friends. They like to do that. Other activities they do in afternoons --
jump on the trampoline, ride bikes around the neighborhood, play legos, read books that they've picked out from the library, practice their instruments (this takes like 10 minutes MAX, let's be honest here), do summer math, complain to me about how they're bored with no electronics (this is the 9-year old's favorite activity), listen to music on Alexa, play tennis in the driveway or garage, play catch outside, have play dates with their friends, make up dance or gymnastics routines. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I'm looking forward to reading other responses - maybe we'll all be inspired

Ditto to all of this. My kids also have to write in their journal and do math every day. This takes my 11 year old a good 1-2 hours. About 15-30 minutes of actual work and 45-90 minutes of laying on the floor saying that he can't believe he has to do math over the summer.
My 9 year old likes to make inventions from the recycling. So he does that while his brother is moaning on the floor.
I also bought like 10,000 bunch o balloons when they were on sale somewhere. So a few times a day my kids all run outside to have a water balloon fight or a squirt gun fight.

Oh, and I have found that they need to have work to do in order to make the fun seem like fun. So, I send them to pick up stuff for dinner every day. There is a market about 1.5 miles away from our house. I have them put on backpacks and ride their bikes down to get fish or whatever we need for dinner that night. They also have to help fold laundry, sweep the deck, water the flowers, do the trim on the lawn, stuff like that. So, with that, swim team, and schoolwork, they are glad to have their free time and don't whine too much when it's not on electronics. Mine are home with me all day though. I am not sure I would have them do all of this after a full day at camp, but maybe a few chores when they get home followed by free time outside, then dinner, then TV before bed.

Anonymous wrote:This is not your problem, it's theirs, and they need to solve it. Just say no electronics until X time or only X minutes per day or whatever, and then let them figure out how to fill the time. Reading, drawing, writing, legos, painting, knitting, sewing, arts and crafts, cooking, science experiments, card games, magic tricks, etc. If they complain too much, give them chores to do. They'll figure it out, and their brains will be better for it.

This. Learning to deal with boredom is a skill and kids today (including my own) need more practice. The times I've told my kids to solve their boredom themselves without electronics they've gone off and found something really creative and mind-expanding to do.

Mine are 9 and 11, and they also beg for electronics. Getting the Disney Circle has helped limit that, since they have a set time limit every day and once they hit it, they can't use their devices anymore. It's also helpful to me, TBH. I've set a daily limit for myself on a few websites and once I hit it, the Circle prevents me from accessing them. I'm clearly awful at self-regulation, so it's super helpful!

Right now my kids are playing an elaborate make-believe game in the basement with friends. They like to do that. Other activities they do in afternoons --
jump on the trampoline, ride bikes around the neighborhood, play legos, read books that they've picked out from the library, practice their instruments (this takes like 10 minutes MAX, let's be honest here), do summer math, complain to me about how they're bored with no electronics (this is the 9-year old's favorite activity), listen to music on Alexa, play tennis in the driveway or garage, play catch outside, have play dates with their friends, make up dance or gymnastics routines. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I'm looking forward to reading other responses - maybe we'll all be inspired

This is not your problem, it's theirs, and they need to solve it. Just say no electronics until X time or only X minutes per day or whatever, and then let them figure out how to fill the time. Reading, drawing, writing, legos, painting, knitting, sewing, arts and crafts, cooking, science experiments, card games, magic tricks, etc. If they complain too much, give them chores to do. They'll figure it out, and their brains will be better for it.

Anonymous wrote:Decide what you’re comfortable with and create some boundaries. No electronics on weekdays. Or no electronics before 6pm or whatever. They will whine and complain and then get used to it as long as you’re firm and consistent. With the electronics option off the table, they’ll get a little bored and start to get creative.

Great ages for writing stories, knitting, friendship bracelets, model airplanes, reading, etc.

This. And, they might just lie on the floor and stare at the wall as my DS seemed to do a lot LOL If they complain about being bored, find them chores to do and then they will stop complaining (eventually)

Decide what you’re comfortable with and create some boundaries. No electronics on weekdays. Or no electronics before 6pm or whatever. They will whine and complain and then get used to it as long as you’re firm and consistent. With the electronics option off the table, they’ll get a little bored and start to get creative.

Great ages for writing stories, knitting, friendship bracelets, model airplanes, reading, etc.

I would give them some kind of limit with electronics and then they’re on their own to find sometime to do.

I would take them to library if they want books.

I saw something online about summer where they have to XZY before electronics so you could also consider that.
Something like this: https://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/printable-summer-rules/

OP, it sounds like you are scheduling a lot of their time and then... I'm not sure how you're regulating electronics? It could be that they just don't have any practice at being bored and entertaining themselves for very long. I'd actually completely eliminate electronics during the time you need them to occupy themselves most (3-6 pm?) and they'll figure it out in a week.

I mean, you said:

I'm still working so they need to figure something out but I'm just out of ideas. They need to figure something out so THEY need to provide the ideas. Not to be a hard-ass, but because it will be more effective that way.

My kids ask for electronics too, but lately they're also OK with listening to music. Or they go to the backyard and climb a tree. We also walk to the library frequently.

Anonymous wrote:I've hit a wall with my 9 and 11 year olds. They are going to come home from camp at 3 and are going to plead for electronics. I'm still working so they need to figure something out but I'm just out of ideas. What do your kids do at home? Legos, draw, reading, play soccer, basketball, but all of those things sort of seem to eat up very little time in the end.

We usually run around with sports and that makes the electronic time less of an issue.

My kid (10) loves 'The Great British Bake Off' and is very much into baking cakes and cookies from scratch. I now have lots of stuff coming into work with me and my colleagues certainly don't mind. I just wish there was a program called 'The Great British Clean Up The Kitchen Show'

If there is any interest in cooking, it's a great avenue to explore many new things. And there is always something just a little more difficult just around the corner.

Mine go to day camp. They get home at about 4pm. Ages 8 and 11.

- Snack, rinse and hang their swimsuit, hang their towel
- Go to park two blocks away with basketball or tennis racquets or to play on equipment.
- Go to elementary school two blocks in other direction to play
- Go for a walk in neighborhood with dog to run through people's sprinklers
- Sometimes they ask to bake
- Read books
- Write stories
- Practice gymnastics
- Have friends over and do the above
- Play card or board games
- Ask someone to take them to the indoor pool (we often do this after dinner)

I've hit a wall with my 9 and 11 year olds. They are going to come home from camp at 3 and are going to plead for electronics. I'm still working so they need to figure something out but I'm just out of ideas. What do your kids do at home? Legos, draw, reading, play soccer, basketball, but all of those things sort of seem to eat up very little time in the end.

We usually run around with sports and that makes the electronic time less of an issue.