成人快手

Rainy days, long journeys, supermarket queues. About as tedious as life gets, right?

In fact, far from being from dull, they鈥檙e full of creative potential and can help build your little one鈥檚 life skills says Sandi Mann, author of The Science of Boredom and Senior Psychology Lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire.

She鈥檚 been researching boredom for around 20 years 鈥 and before you ask, no, she鈥檚 not bored of it 鈥 and believes we need to be less afraid of it.

鈥淚f I had one message for a parent it would be this: don鈥檛 be scared of boredom. Let it into your life and your child鈥檚 life too.鈥

Boredom has an image problem

A baby watching some floating bubbles.
Image caption,
From birth, babies are always looking for brain stimulation.

Understanding exactly what boredom is can help you to see it in a more positive light.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an emotion and is basically a search for brain stimulation that isn鈥檛 met. So, if you鈥檙e searching for something to engage you, and you鈥檙e not satisfied, that frustration is labelled as boredom,鈥 explains Sandi.

We experience it from the very start of our lives. 鈥淏abies are constantly looking for stimulation as they try to understand the world around them, which a really positive thing,鈥 says Sandi.

And if we learn how to respond to boredom in a meaningful way, it can ignite our creativity. This means doing activities that don鈥檛 give an immediate and short hit of satisfaction, but something longer lasting.

鈥淎s a parent, you might feel afraid of boredom and worry that you鈥檙e not stimulating your child enough. But we need to allow them this downtime and encourage them to find inspiring ways to 鈥榰nbore鈥 themselves,鈥 says Sandi.

A baby watching some floating bubbles.
Image caption,
From birth, babies are always looking for brain stimulation.
A rainbow painted on a window.
Image caption,
Lockdown meant lots of families were finding creative ways to stay occupied.

Is boredom good for kids?

So time you might think is tedious is loaded with potential benefits for your child鈥檚 development, if you use it in the right way.

鈥淭he main benefit is creativity 鈥 we want their minds to wander, we want them to daydream, come up with ideas, try things out, take the initiative and solve problems,鈥 explains Sandi. 鈥淚t leads to adventures, risk-taking and thinking outside of the box. It鈥檚 brilliant for their imagination. It will also help them in the future 鈥 if they have the tools to unbore themselves, they鈥檒l be able to handle periods of downtime better as they get older.鈥

Embracing boredom isn鈥檛 just good for your little one鈥檚 development, it鈥檚 great for you too 鈥 and not simply because you鈥檒l worry less about finding things for your child to do. Staying rooted in the moment, being resourceful and looking for inventive ways to satisfy your brain can help you feel calmer and more content. 鈥淵ou could see this during lockdown 鈥 it was like a giant research project into boredom and so much creativity emerged,鈥 explains Sandi.

A rainbow painted on a window.
Image caption,
Lockdown meant lots of families were finding creative ways to stay occupied.
A dad and his baby daughter playing with a cardboard box.
Image caption,
Respond to boredom creatively and your child will follow suit.

How to appreciate boredom and use it positively

鈥淭he great thing about embracing boredom is that you don鈥檛 really have to do very much,鈥 says Sandi. 鈥淒on鈥檛 worry about structured activities or high-tech toys, and put any electronic devices to one side.鈥

So, Sandi鈥檚 first top tip is simple: give your little one the time to get bored. 鈥淟et them learn to cope with boredom and 'unbore' themselves and you will unleash a world of creativity.鈥

Provide some basic objects and let them take the lead. 鈥淐rafting items, things from the recycling like boxes and cardboard tubes, dressing up clothes, pots and pans are all great. These are the opposite of what I call 鈥榳hizzy-whizzy-bang-bang鈥 toys. You want your child to create their own solutions,鈥 says Sandi.

Suggest open-ended activities 鈥 so ones that don鈥檛 have a fixed outcome 鈥 like building an obstacle course or den 鈥 and let your child take the lead. 鈥淏eing outdoors is absolutely great too. There is so much to experience; you and your kids can slow down and appreciate what鈥檚 around you.鈥

And finally, welcome boredom into your life too and be a role model, recommends Sandi. 鈥淚t鈥檚 essential. If your child sees you responding to boredom creatively, they learn to welcome it too.鈥

A dad and his baby daughter playing with a cardboard box.
Image caption,
Respond to boredom creatively and your child will follow suit.
A dad and his daughter building a den.
Image caption,
Den building is a classic activity for a boring rainy day.

What to do when your kids are bored

1. Get creative with recycling

Gather some junk, let your child decide what to make and talk you through their handiwork.

2. Do some window watching

Your window is a window of opportunity. See what grabs your little one's attention outside and ask them lots of questions.

3. Build a den

While they build their cosy corner, encourage your child to describe what they are doing and to use their imagination.

4. Make up games

Support your child to create a fantasy world and get fully immersed 鈥 a great activity for short walks.

5. Explore nature

The great outdoors has endless possibilities: go cloud spotting, listen for interesting sounds and make a nature collection in your garden or local park.

A dad and his daughter building a den.
Image caption,
Den building is a classic activity for a boring rainy day.

In case you missed it