"Moooooommmmm, I'm bored. What should I do?" It's the most common, and annoying, refrain of childhood. But boredom is a good thing! It fosters a child's creative side. When kids are bored, it's a terrific time to explore something new that may pique their curiosity.

So, what can you do when your child says, “I’m Bored?” While it feels like it's up to you to entertain them, that's actually not the best thing to do. Simply give them these prompts and gently guide your child to find activities at home or in your neighborhood that develop creativity, build valuable skills, and encourage independent and imaginative play.

Because we've all heard the "I'm bored" chorus a few thousand times, we've created a whole guide with hundreds of boredom busters for kids of all ages, including indoor exercise games, science experiments, and recipes kids can make. But this list of 100 ideas is our favorite place to start.

With its gorgeous lakes, trees, and beaches, you can’t get much more picturesque than Northern Michigan, which includes popular destinations like Traverse City and Interlochen, Michigan. And then there's the delicious food—fish boils, the National Cherry Festival, decadent chocolate fudge, and more to fit everyone’s taste buds.

In Interlochen, nestled between Duck Lake and Green Lake, you’ll find the world-class Interlochen Center for the Arts. I’m a proud alumna of both the Center's Interlochen Summer Arts Camp and its Interlochen Arts Academy. Nearly 20 years later, I returned to the campus—this time with a little one in tow— to experience the magic of Interlochen, Michigan as a family.

Whether you’re looking for a place for young musicians, artists, actors, and writers to hone their craft or a place to explore the scenic outdoors in the Great Lakes State, Interlochen and its surrounding areas are the perfect places to visit with kids. Here are 20 things to do in Interlochen, Traverse City, and Northern Michigan with kids. Check out our Family Travel Guide and Midwest Family Travel Guide for more fun family vacation ideas.

Creating your very own pollinator garden is a fun and easy activity that teaches kids the importance of bees and butterflies to every aspect of our ecosystem. Don't have a green thumb, or even a backyard? No problem. We’ve got tons of easy solutions to get started on a simple at-home bee garden or butterfly garden for your backyard or a window box. And planting and caring for a pollinator garden isn't just for adults; it’s a perfect family activity suitable for kids of all ages.

Once you’ve planted a bee garden or butterfly garden, you can watch these creatures up close as they drink nectar and fly from flower to flower. But don’t stop there—get crafty and create some homemade wind chimes out of recycled materials to decorate your new pollinator garden.

Check out more green activities for kids as part of our Earth Kids Guide to Green Activities for the Planet.