Every parent knows the phrase.
“I’m bored.”
It usually arrives five minutes after the television has been switched off, the tablet has disappeared or you've suggested that perhaps they've had enough YouTube for one afternoon.
Our immediate reaction is often to find something else to keep them occupied. Another toy. An activity. A trip somewhere. Anything to stop those dreaded words being repeated every three minutes.
But perhaps we don't always need to.
A little boredom can actually give children something that's becoming surprisingly rare: the opportunity to decide for themselves what happens next.
We’ve Become Very Good at Keeping Children Entertained
Children today have an extraordinary amount of entertainment available to them.
Television doesn't finish at 6pm. There are thousands of programmes waiting on demand. Tablets provide endless games and videos. Toys flash, talk, sing and respond at the press of a button.
And then there are all the activities we organise for them.
Swimming lessons, football, soft play, parties, days out, clubs and after-school activities.
None of those things are necessarily bad. But somewhere amongst all that entertainment, it's worth leaving a little room for children to simply play.
The NHS describes play as an important part of children's development, helping them learn new skills, develop independence and explore the world around them.
And play doesn't always need to arrive in a box.
Sometimes the Simplest Things Work Best
Give a young child an enormous cardboard box and watch what happens.
It might become a house.
Then a car.
Then a spaceship.
By tomorrow, it's somehow a shop.
Children are remarkably good at creating entertainment when we give them the opportunity.
Blankets and dining chairs can become a den. Cushions can become an obstacle course. A few pots and wooden spoons can become a restaurant.
A walk around the neighbourhood becomes much more interesting when you turn it into a treasure hunt:
Can you find something red?
Can you spot three different birds?
Who can find the biggest leaf?
Suddenly, an ordinary walk has a purpose.
And many of these activities have something in common: the child has to provide some of the imagination.
That's very different from entertainment being delivered to them.
Try Creating Things Instead of Consuming Them
One useful way to think about children's activities is to ask:
Are they watching something, or making something happen?
That doesn't mean everything needs to be educational.
Give them some paper, cardboard, tape and colouring pencils and ask them to invent a robot.
Let them build something without instructions.
Make sock puppets and put on a completely ridiculous puppet show.
Plant some seeds and give them responsibility for watering them.
Let them help make pizzas for dinner.
Create a family restaurant where they design the menu and take everyone's orders.
Even ordinary household activities can become interesting when children are allowed to participate rather than being told they're too young to help.
It might take longer.
It will probably be messier.
But that's part of it.
Have a Few Tricks Ready for Rainy Days
Of course, there are also afternoons when inspiration simply isn't happening.
This is where having a small “I'm bored box” can be surprisingly useful.
Fill it with things such as colouring materials, stickers, puzzles, craft supplies, activity books, building toys and little games.
But here's the important part:
Put it away.
If children have access to everything they own all the time, nothing feels particularly interesting.
The same idea works with toys.
Rather than having every toy permanently available, put some away and rotate them every few weeks. A toy that disappeared a month ago can suddenly feel surprisingly new when it comes back.
It's also considerably cheaper than continually buying new ones.
Getting Children Moving Doesn't Need to Mean Going Somewhere
Parents can sometimes feel guilty if they haven't organised a day out.
But entertainment doesn't always require tickets, bookings or a car journey.
Put some music on and have a dance around the kitchen.
Create an obstacle course.
Kick a ball around the garden.
Go for a walk.
Have a race.
Take a bucket outside and see what interesting things they can collect.
Children generally don't judge family activities by how much they cost.
Some of the things they remember most are surprisingly ordinary.
And Then There Are Screens…
Screens are part of modern family life.
Most of us use them, and expecting children to grow up completely disconnected from technology isn't particularly realistic.
The more useful question is probably whether screens are part of childhood or gradually replacing other parts of it.
Can a child entertain themselves without one?
Do they still draw, build, read, run around, make things and invent games?
Can the family sit together occasionally without everybody looking at a different screen?
If the answer is generally yes, then we're probably talking about balance rather than prohibition.
And parents have a role here too.
It's difficult to tell a child to put the tablet away while we're simultaneously scrolling through our own phones.
Sometimes a screen-free hour works better when it applies to everybody.
Maybe Being Bored Isn't the Problem
The next time you hear:
“Mum, I'm bored!”
you don't necessarily need to produce an activity immediately.
You could simply say:
“Okay. What are you going to do?”
There might be some complaining.
There may be some dramatic flopping onto the sofa.
But give it a little while.
A box might appear.
Some cushions might move.
A strange game might begin upstairs.
And before long, the child who had absolutely nothing to do is suddenly very busy indeed.
Perhaps boredom isn't always something parents need to fix.
Sometimes it's simply the space between one activity ending…
…and a child's imagination taking over.
Making Everyday Family Life a Little More Fun
At MummyCare, we love discovering products that make everyday life with children easier, more creative and more enjoyable.
Whether it's something that encourages children to create and explore, a clever parenting accessory, a useful gadget or simply a toy that keeps little hands busy, you'll find plenty of ideas worth discovering.
Take a look around MummyCare and see what you discover for your family.
