Let Them Be Bored: Why Kids Need Downtime to Thrive
Now more than ever, parents often feel it’s their job to combat boredom for their children; they’re quick to fill their schedules down to the minute, involve them in multiple sports, or hand over their smartphones at the first sign of downtime. While chronic boredom can lead to depression and anxiety, superficial boredom can actually be developmentally healthy, and more parents are learning to let go and allow their children to experience it. Here’s why boredom can help your children thrive, and ways you can help them (and yourself) embrace it.
It fuels creativity and imagination
When kids aren’t given constant entertainment, their minds wander. This often leads to inventing games, drawing or building things, playing pretend, exploring nature, and solving problems that arise along the way.
It promotes emotional resilience and patience
Boredom pushes kids to take initiative. Instead of relying on adults or screens for stimulation, they learn to entertain themselves and realize that discomfort is a normal part of life. It helps kids understand that not every moment needs to be filled with excitement or entertainment, and that it’s okay to cope with having “nothing to do” for short periods of time. This also helps kids deal with longer car rides, adult dinners, and waiting in long lines.
It supports mental rest
Taking time to rest and recharge is seemingly harder than it used to be. With families filling so much of their time with scheduled activities, there seems to be less time for kids to even get enough sleep, never mind take the time to process their thoughts and emotions. Allowing kids to be bored lets them reflect on events that have happened, and to daydream about the future and discover who they want to be. Downtime is essential for mental well-being.
It encourages the discovery of new interests
Kids often stumble upon new hobbies or interests just because they have the time and space to explore them without direction. When coaches, parents, and other adults are instructing every movement, children have little freedom to discover new interests, problem-solve, and do things their own way. Boredom can open the door to self-discovery.
How parents can support healthy boredom
While new and fun experiences should always be enjoyed and appreciated, a healthy dose of boredom or a “down day” should also be part of a child’s normal routine. Here are a few ways parents can help support this:
- Avoid rushing to “fix” boredom with screens and schedules
- Encourage kids to come up with their own games
- Provide open-ended forms of play, like blocks, drawing materials, and access to the outdoors
- Model calm acceptance of downtime for yourself and your family
