Although kids usually have a long list of what they want to do during summer vacation, hardly a week has gone by before every parent hears that dreaded complaint: “I’m so bored.”
More than any other time in history, our children have an abundance of things to keep themselves occupied. But perhaps this is exactly the problem: children these days don’t know the delight of boredom.
Although most people hate being bored, boredom is the key to unlocking new ideas, games, and thinking. Here are some ways to embrace your child’s boredom this summer!
Benefits of Boredom
Children are often surrounded by endless toys and jam-packed schedules. They are rarely left alone long enough to experience the discomfort of boredom; if they are, it’s easy to “chill” and fill this time with video games. Why should we let–or even encourage–our children to be bored? Here are a few reasons:
- Fosters Creativity: Children overcoming boredom must dig into their creativity to find something inspiring and fun. Creativity in play will aid them in creativity with schoolwork, art, and social life.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Creativity requires problem-solving. How can they overcome obstacles to complete their idea? Successful adults are excellent problem-solvers, and these skills start in play
- Frustration Tolerance: Our modern, ultra-fast society gives children few opportunities to practice patience. Boredom helps them develop patience.
- Self-Confidence: Relying on oneself for overcoming boredom increases a child’s self-confidence. They’re not reliant on a parent, peer, or technology–they can think and act for themselves.
Don’t Give Them Ideas
Bored kids often seek out their parents to help them relieve their boredom. Parents, who often want to stop the complaining, are quick to provide solutions. However, this robs children of the opportunity to think for themselves. Additionally, children who find their own way to relieve their boredom are more satisfied in their solution and engaged in their play for longer.
Instead of rattling off a list of favorite or forgotten toys, try these phrases to help your child see the gift in boredom:
- “I’m so excited to see what you’ll find to do!”
- “I know you’ll think up something amazing to do!”
- “Boredom is your brain waking up to be creative!”
- “You have a great opportunity to decide what to do with your time.”
- “I’m glad you have some time to relax since we’ve been so busy.”
Choose Toys Wisely
Although it’s tempting to buy trending character toys, invest in open-ended toys that are timeless and allow for maximum creative play. Some open-ended toys include:
- Wooden blocks
- Train sets
- Magnetic tiles
- Animal or doll figurines
- Play silks
Multi-purpose toys like these and others can be used in countless ways and are easily intermixed to inspire creative play.
Additionally, children are generally more satisfied with fewer toys. This doesn’t mean you have to purge your child’s toy collection (although, it isn’t a bad idea!). Instead, use a basic toy rotation. Put all toys in one storage unit, and any toys that don’t fit in the unit are stored away for a later time. You may be surprised how happy your child is with less–and how much faster clean-up goes!
Schedule Time for Boredom
Fight the urge to give your child a jam-packed schedule this summer! Children have so many responsibilities and activities these days that they hardly know what to do with any downtime. Often, children waste vital rest time on video games because they’re too tired to do anything else. It’s up to parents to schedule appropriately so their children have a balance of activity and boredom.
Set Boundaries on Technology
Cell phones, tablets, and gaming consoles are quick fixes for boredom. To gain the benefits of boredom, parents must set boundaries on technology time. While it’s fine to have a tablet, phone, or game time, it shouldn’t be for hours on end. Most pediatricians agree that during the summer, kids should have no more than two total hours of tech time. These two hours should be further broken up into 15 or 20-minute increments with other activities between.
Setting firm boundaries on technology will enable your children to have a healthy relationship with technology and branch out to find other interests in creative play.