Whether it’s because the excitement of summer’s starting to dwindle down or there are simply not many holidays for the rest of the summer, July is Anti-Boredom Month. With the help of just a few household items and your imagination, you can help your kids—and yourself—beat boredom any day.

For the wee ones…

Make homemade bubbles: If you’ve already bought bubbles but have run out, hold on to the container and fill it with your own homemade solution. Add a quarter cup of dishwashing liquid and 5 drops of glycerin to three-quarters of a cup of cold water and presto, you’ve made a free refill.

Practice cutting skills: Cutting is one of the most difficult fine motor skills kids master, so giving them plenty of opportunities not only helps develop those muscles but also can help keep them occupied. Draw simple shapes to cut out, or invest in a book of things to cut out, such as a regular coloring book or a Kumon Let’s Cut Paper! book.

Teach them chores: While this may not sound like a lot of fun, races to clean the house—especially to music—sorting games with laundry, and other chores can become games with a little creativity and a lot of enthusiasm.

Sort through household items: Have your child sort through old clothes, Tupperware, toys, blankets—anything you’ve got on hand. They will come up with a million activities on their own, and as a bonus you can simultaneously weed out old clutter and donate it to charity.

For older kids…

Bring out the family photos: Let your kids wander down memory lane and see old photos—especially those of your grandparents or any that are otherwise very much unlike today’s world. If you have copies, let them make a scrapbook of the pictures.

Set some goals: Maybe your child is interested in karate, or wants to learn to ride a motorcycle. Set some summer goals to accomplish before the school year starts. Have her look up the karate programs in the city and do some research into costs, reviews, and recommendations. Get him a book about motorcycle safety and, if you approve and he’s old enough, take him to get his license. Maybe origami, sewing, or another simple activity is up his alley—grab a book from the library, watch some how-to videos on YouTube or use your own experience in helping your child in learning a new skill.

If all else fails… Take a trip to the arcade: With the Wii and other game systems so popular—and so common in American households—many people have forgotten the fun of visiting a video arcade. See if you can beat your teen at pinball, or introduce him to Pac-Man if he hasn’t been already.