Experts Say, Kids Should Be Bored Kids Activities Blog

Whether it’s Summer break or a pandemic, kids are bound to get bored. While we all want to run out to get things to entertain our kids and while we certainly have loads of ideas for you, (see below) you should know that Experts Say, Kids Should Be Bored.

Now, before you get stressed out thinking that your kids can’t possibly be bored this entire time because they will just drive you crazy, hear the experts out…

Experts Say, Kids Should Be Bored, Here’s Why…

Psychologists and child development experts suggest that over-scheduling children during the summer or during times where they are stuck inside, is unnecessary and could ultimately keep kids from from discovering what truly interests them.

“Your role as a parent is to prepare children to take their place in society. Being an adult means occupying yourself and filling up your leisure time in a way that will make you happy. If parents spend all their time filling up their child’s spare time, then the child’s never going to learn to do this for themselves.” -Lyn Fry, a child psychologist in London with a focus on education

She also mentioned that parents could sit down with their children and make a list of all the things they want to do and when they come to their parents saying “I’m bored” parents can tell them to pick something off that list. Smart, right?

And she isn’t the only one that agrees kids should be bored… Dr. Teresa Belton told the BBC in an interview that cultural expectations that children should be constantly active could hamper the development of their imagination.

She even went as far to interview author Meera Syal and artist Grayson Perry about how boredom aided their creativity as children. Syal said boredom made her write, while Perry said it was a “creative state”.

“Lack of things to do spurred her to talk to people she would not otherwise have engaged with and to try activities she would not, under other circumstances, have experienced, such as talking to elderly neighbors and learning to bake cakes. Boredom is often associated with solitude and Syal spent hours of her early life staring out of the window across fields and woods, watching the changing weather and seasons.”- Dr. Teresa Belton

And when you think of it that way, it seems to make sense. If a child is packed full of things to do and their schedules don’t allow any time to be bored they can’t really be creative.

I love that insight! So, the moral of the story is, don’t feel guilty allowing your kids to be bored. It’s good for them and if we’re being honest, it’s good for you too!