Boredom In Children – A Powerful Learning Tool

Today’s article is about the power of boredom in children. First of all, you need to understand that the human brain is designed to constantly seek stimulation. For example, it’s hard to talk to someone if there’s a TV behind you.

This is because their eyes tend to go to it because their brains want more information about the moving images on the screen. That happens regardless of the content.

This is because constant change feeds the human brain. So it wants to keep abreast of all changes in the information, no matter how small and useless they may be.

If this happens to adults, just imagine what goes on in a child’s brain. Yes, they have the same need for stimulation, but children’s brains trigger it in an exaggerated way.

Boredom in children

Unfortunately, children are constantly watching television or using a phone or tablet as their primary means of satisfying their needs. This comes at a high price, because when the child takes in all these stimuli, their brains do not rest. In fact, they do not want to rest and they continue to look for stimuli.

This is when they say, usually in a sad, melancholy tone, “I’m bored!” A child’s world is already over two minutes after they turn off their devices. That’s because they can’t find anything that comes close to the sensory stimuli such devices provide.

These tools are very helpful for moms and dads because they entertain their kids so they don’t “bother” their parents. Take a look around any cafeteria or restaurant and you’ll find at least one child with a multimedia device in hand, while the adults have an uninterrupted conversation.

Today, some vehicles also have video screens in the back seats. Its sole purpose is to entertain young passengers and prevent them from getting bored. The driver and passenger in the front seat can also talk to each other quietly.

What to do against boredom in children

It seems that all your efforts to keep children from being bored do more for adults than for their well-being. Is it really that bad to be bored? What does boredom actually mean?

Many decades ago, when cell phones and tablets didn’t exist, children sat in the backseat of cars and looked out the window. That was it. They just sat there and watched and listened. That was when the magic happened.

Perhaps those children happened to see a beautiful horse galloping next to the car, a brown horse with a long neck and black mane. So then their imaginations started working. Boredom in children can be a great opportunity to stimulate their imagination.

How can you recognize and stimulate imagination and creativity in children?

How can you stimulate your children’s imagination? To start, do a little test and let them get bored. Have them find the kind of stimulation their brains need. If your child struggles with this, try some of the following tips:

• Encourage them to play with something that doesn’t have batteries in it. Do not impose it as a punishment, but present it as a game or even as a challenge.
• You are their role model, so you have to follow your own example. This means that you are not allowed to watch TV or use multimedia devices during that time.
• Don’t offer alternatives, let them look around and discover for themselves what stimulates them the most.
• When they decide what they want to play with, pay attention to what it is and remember it. For example, a child can choose a book, but also Lego or an action figure. Then you know how they like to entertain themselves and how you could stimulate their imagination by offering more such toys.
• If they don’t enjoy it, play with it for a while and then step aside. Do this gradually. That way they don’t become dependent on your presence.

• If they just can’t find anything that appeals to them, help them reorganize their toys. Now is the perfect time to throw away anything they no longer use. You can even donate it and include your child in the donation.
• Reward their autonomy in the management of their free time. Be interested in what they do and how they do it. Look at their new projects and find out what they need to complete them.
• Make a weekly schedule of time they can spend on media devices and stick to it.

Conclusion

Not all children are equal. For example, some of them may not respond well to the imposed reduction in the number of hours of exposure to their multimedia devices.

This is when it’s important not to give in to your child’s nagging. In fact, the high intensity and frequency of anger, protests, and criticism will reveal just how much they needed your intervention.