Are you having a CRUEL SUMMER? Are you trying to come up with ideas to entertain the kids and family this summer? Are you spending every day looking for something to do with the family? Do you plan something for your kids to do every weekend? Are your kids bored at home?
Boredom can be a source of depression and unhappiness. As parents, we often seek for ways to fill up our child’s days especially during the summer when school is out and we have a little more free time. Boredom tends to have a negative correlation with parents and children. However, we need to allow boredom at times for our mental health. Boredom can be negative but it can have a positive correlation too. Great songs, inventions, ideas, art and business ideas were created out of being bored. Many stories have been shared about someone who lost their job. As a result, they were at home and bored. They got creative, mixed in with a bit of drive and started something new that gave them purpose and an income.
I remember the days when my children were younger. They were bored one hot summer day and decided to set up a lemonade stand in the driveway. This started their entrepreneurial journey. This love of making money bled over into school at recess. My son decided to get some friends together on the playground and they made grass bracelets. The boys sold the bracelets to their classmates on the playground. When the teacher informed me of this, I had to smile a bit. This money-making scheme had to stop because the students were using milk money to purchase the bracelets. However, this recess downtime gave him and his buddies opportunities to be creative.
Imagine a life if Taylor Swift never got bored. If she lacked boredom, we probably wouldn’t have some of her great songs that exist today. Boredom unleashes creativity and problem solving. Famous author of the Harry Potter Series, JK Rowling was on a four hour train ride from Manchester to London with nothing to do but stare out of the window. It was at this point the story, “The Boy Who Lived” was brought to life in the Harry Potter series.
When my children were much younger, my father-in-law would BUY DIRT for our home. We lived on an acre of land and would use the dirt to fill in low areas in the yard. Unknowingly, a pile of dirt is like winning the lottery for young children. Those dirt piles became homes to their make believe animals, dump trucks, Barbies, bicycles, firetrucks and more. Creativity was unleashed. The neighborhood children would come over and the dirt mountain became the castle. Of course, my daughter was the princess that needed to be saved from her brother and his friends.
Schools nationwide have reduced recess times due to the constraints and demands of testing. Students need recess and downtime. They need time to explore alone and with friends. Administrators (myself included) sometimes would get frustrated with recess time because it is where many of our students struggled with behaviors especially in the younger grades. However, teachers know recess is needed. If you need proof of this, “Sign up to sub on a rainy and/or cold week where recess is indoors or cancelled.” You will agree, they need it! Recess is related to boredom in the fact that is a time when your brain is more relaxed to extrinsic stimulation.
How can we channel our children’s boredom into something positive?
When a child complains about being bored, seek to understand why first. We live in an entertainment industry where we want to be constantly doing something. We all get bored, but the response to boredom in relation to your child should not be anger. Ask your child some open-ended questions to help them overcome their boredom. When a child tells you they are bored, he might just want your attention for a bit. Another thought is to help your child cope with the feeling of boredom. Brainstorm some activities they can engage in.
Some ideas are listed below:
A BOREDOM JAR is a great idea. Get a jar and some paper. Write down some activities your children can do independently when they are bored. Maybe, create a shoebox home for their plastic animals. Maybe create a Lego amusement park. Maybe have a fashion show with friends. The ideas are endless.
Build a fort with a few indoor/outdoor guidelines. Don’t forget to throw some books in the fort for reading. At night, a flashlight is a wonderful tool for fort adventures.
Obstacle Courses, Sprinkler Fun, Tea Parties or Pretend Campouts are ideas that can entertain children for hours.
Cooking Classes with supervision can inspire young and old children. One thing my daughter liked to do as a child was to create a menu. First, she would inventory what we have in the pantry. Then she would write out her menu/recipe and we would choose different items from her “LJ. Cafe” menu. My husband would always get the CHOCOLATE COFFEE (Listed below). However, we had to have an inflation conversation because she kept raising her prices. Warning, if you do this activity, you may have to leave a tip and be required to pay for items on the menu! This was an ongoing event for weeks. This activity sharpened her math & writing skills along the way. Most of all, it’s was a recipe for great memories!
Play in the DIRT! Nothing beats some good old dirty fun for children and adults. Get some dirt, grab those TONKA trucks and plastic ARMY men and your children will be occupied for hours.
Those are just a few ideas to get you started. Now let’s talk school!
What if my child comes home from school and says it’s boring? Dig deeper. Ask your child some open-ended questions to determine if he is saying this because he dislikes school or he is really bored. Some examples, “What did your read today? What did you do in math? What is something funny that happened?” Try to determine if your child is engaged in school and learning.
The opposite of boredom is engagement. As an educator, we strive to create MEANINGFUL and ENGAGING lessons on a daily basis. Student engagement in a lesson is observed and evaluated by administrators regularly. Student engagement is vital to effective learning. The Bloom’s Taxonomy chart is a tool that educators use in developing questions that promote engaging lessons. It’s been around since the 50’s but still holds true today.
A Bloom’s chart of leveled questions is listed below. There are many online charts available but this one gives you an idea on how to use higher order questions. When you are driving or at the dinner table, ask some thought provoking questions. Get their minds thinking. Use the question below to guide you.
If you truly think your child is bored and not being challenged at school, talk with the teacher. They are the best resource and know your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Also, think about how you can engage and challenge your child at home.
When parents and teachers work together, it creates a synergy. Together the teacher and parent can strive to find a good balance that helps the child succeed.
There are aspects to school that can be boring and we have to help our students push through those times. Our adult jobs can sometimes be the same way.
Allow your child to be bored at times. Try not to entertain them 100% every day. Children need some downtime for their mental health. They need sunlight, nature, freedom to explore, unstructured play, calm environments and simplicity.
Remember that boredom UNLEASHES CREATIVITY. This summer might be the perfect time to BUY DIRT and watch BOREDOM turn into something special! Savor the downtime and observe their free play. It will become some of your most cherished memories!
Educational Consulting by Kelly 
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