Next time you hear “I’m bored!”, don’t be too quick to entertain your kids—boredom has its benefits. Learn why boredom is good for your child in many ways.

We hear it a zillion times: “I’m bored.” And when we do, we’re compelled to engage with our kids. That’s whether we work outside the home (I hardly see them enough!), or stay at home (Isn’t this why I left work to begin with?). But guess what: boredom is good for your child.

Why kids get bored

I get it though, it’s hard not feel obligated to entertain our kids and save them from their boredom. This, despite the toys, books and opportunities for them to play. But first, why do our kids get bored?

1. Too much structured time

Organized sports, classes and activities aren’t bad, but not having free time can make kids bored.

That’s right—too many things to do can lead to boredom. With a packed schedule, kids rely on the events that fill their day for entertainment. So when they’re left with a block of time, they feel bored compared to their usual busy lives.

2. Too many toys, books and gadgets

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Yup—plopping your child in the middle of too many items can lead her not to have fun but to feel bored.

Psychologist Barry Schwartz has said in his book, The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, that too many options can paralyze us into inaction. We mull over what we passed up, analyze our decisions and feel dissatisfied with what we chose. Over-stimulation can drive a child to feel distanced and unfocused.

3. Too much screen time

My kids don’t too much television, and I’m glad for it. Television isn’t the evil of the world, but a habit in front of the screen (and smart phones and iPads) makes kids rely on them for entertainment.

4. Not enough attention

When my child says he’s bored, sometimes it’s not because he’s out of ideas, but he’s craving my company. If you hear your child say he’s bored, it might not be because he’s looking for something to do, but rather his way of saying he wants to spend time with you.

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Boredom is good for your child in many ways

It’s normal to feel bored, and even more so to feel uncomfortable with boredom. No one likes twiddling their thumbs, waiting instead of doing, or feeling like time is one big void. Still, boredom is good for your child. Here’s why:

1. Kids get creative

I’ve heard a stereotype that the youngest child in the family is the most creative. Why? While her parents may have fawned over her older siblings, she instead was left alone. There’s not enough attention to go around when you have five kids instead of one.

And when you’re the youngest, your parents are done hovering. They assume you’ll figure things out on your own, and realize that it’s okay for you to play independently.

In short, you had to deal with your boredom. And that’s fantastic news for you and your creativity.

As the youngest in my family, I can remember the many times I played by myself out in the yard or in my bedroom. I still sought other people’s company, but I also entertained myself. (If I plant this pencil in the ground, will it grow into a giant pencil just like how seeds grow into trees?) I played with open-ended toys and tools like pastels, charcoals and crayons.

Creativity isn’t only defined by the arts, either. Kids learn problem solving. They develop internal stimulus instead of searching for external sources of entertainment.

The bored child will learn to tinker with the toys he has. He’ll find a new game to play, or immerse himself in a project or problem he otherwise wouldn’t have had a chance to.

And take a look at this wonderful children’s book, National Regular Average Ordinary Day. Written by Lisa Katzenberger and illustrated by Barbara Bakos, Peter learns how to deal with boredom and enjoy the ordinary days (thank you Penguin Workshop for my copy!):

2. Kids learn to wait

One of the biggest reasons kids need to feel bored is they develop the ability to tolerate boredom.

You see, we have to wait—none of us can avoid this in life. The difference between a child who can wait and one who finds it difficult can affect many outcomes in his life. Kids who can wait reap the benefits of delayed gratification. Researchers have linked this ability to wait to success in later life.

Kids learn to distract themselves. They play games, twiddle with their shirt or hands, or hum a tune—activities that make the waiting game less awkward.

They’re also less likely to whine and complain when they can entertain themselves. They don’t look to external sources to fill their void.

Thing is, they’ll only learn all those kills if they’re given the chance to be bored and tolerate boredom.

Read more about delayed gratification.

3. Kids turn inward for internal sources of joy

A friend of mine had to care for two kids separately. One child can entertain himself with a handful of toy soldiers and a box of crayons and paper. The other child—given the same items—scoffed and laughed. He defined entertainment as amusement parks, movies or outings. Not a box of crayons.

And it’s unfortunate. The more jam-packed their entertainment, the more kids will rely on grand things to meet their needs.

Boredom forces your child to enjoy simple pleasures and requires him to turn inward to find joy. Television and high entertainment turn kids into passive recipients instead of creators or givers.

Kids given the opportunity to feel bored create a solution to that problem, even if it means finding joy in a game of plastic toy soldiers.

Give your child with open-ended toys, or easy-to-reach bins filled with activities and books. Involve him with your tasks around the house, and pay him attention when he seem to need it.

But be their guide, not their problem solver. Provide the channels to avoid boredom, but don’t rescue them. They’ll be happier with simple pleasures instead of the latest gadgets and entertainment.

Read more about balancing all your children’s needs.

4. Kids try new things

My husband remembered how he got started playing guitar as a child. “Someone had given me a guitar,” he began, “but it just sat there for the longest time. Then, one day out of boredom, I picked it up. And that’s how I realized how much I liked playing guitar.”

Boredom can be so uncomfortable that it pushes us to try new things. Things we would otherwise overlook amid schedules and screen time. Things that seem better than nothing, until we realize how much we love it.

And even if we don’t, we would have at least tried something new. That says something, right?

The same is true for our kids. Desperate to escape nothingness, they’ll try anything, resume an old project, or rekindle an interest in an old toy.

5. Your kids socialize with one another

My husband and I take our kids out on outings, particularly on weekends. We’ll go to the farmers market, a family party, or a museum. And when we do—when we provide entertainment—our kids don’t interact.

On the other hand, boredom encourages your child to play with others. Without distractions, my one-year-olds will sit and play in the same area. Meanwhile, my four-year-old will toss balloons at them and pinch their cheeks. They’ll make faces and laugh at one another.

When we’re out and about, kids are more interested with what’s going on around them. This is totally fine because I still want my kids to experience new outings and not be housebound. But to do this all the time means they wouldn’t play their silly games with one another when they’re bored at home.

Read more about encouraging your kids to get along.

6. Kids won’t feel burned out

I have this rule that if we have plans for the day, we can’t squeeze in other plans for the same day. Instead, we relax the remaining hours of the day, whether it’s staying home, walking to the park or running our usual errands. The ordinary moments.

As simple as these activities may be, they also prevent my kids from burning out with too many to do. Thankfully, I don’t worry if they feel bored. I’d rather lessen their outings so they can find something entertaining to do on their own.

Things kids can do when they’re bored

It can seem unfair to leave our kids hanging when they’re bored. You shouldn’t “save” them from boredom, but you can give them opportunities to cope with it. Below are a few things kids can do when they’re bored:

Turn on the radio and dance to the music.

Play with old toys.

Dress up in pretend clothes.

Do a jigsaw puzzle or other brain teaser game.

Play with play dough.

Make a macaroni necklace.

Go for a walk.

Play with wooden blocks.

Cook with you.

Read books.

Create items from arts and crafts.

Draw on a chalkboard or dry eraser board.

Conclusion

We expect to entertain our kids, placing that responsibility on ourselves. We hover over our babies even when they’re already over-stimulated, and scramble to fill our kids’ days with back-to-back activities. We’re compelled to entertain them 24/7 even though they can play independently.

None of us actually like boredom. It leads to listlessness and lack of motivation. It’s not pleasant.

But that’s the point: We can’t always save our kids from life’s duller moments. Doing so doesn’t allow them to develop the skills to overcome boredom.

So the next time your kids say “I’m bored,” think of it as a blessing in disguise.

Get more tips:

Want to encourage autonomy in your toddler? Get my list of Toddler Tasks and Chores to encourage self-sufficiency and independence! Download it below—at no cost to you: