“Unstructured time develops creativity; on the contrary, being constantly busy destroys it,”  says Teresa Belton, a researcher in the area of ​​Education and Learning at the University of East Anglia, in the United Kingdom.

The truth is that today there is a certain  obsession with keeping children entertained at all times , as revealed in an article published in  Consumer Magazine .

Many children  are currently overstimulated  by screens. And when they show signs of boredom, parents rush to distract them as quickly as possible. However,  experts say that boredom has numerous benefits.

Researcher Teresa Belton asserts that boredom is fundamental to the development of learning and creativity. Mónica Dosil, a psychologist at ISEP Clínic Castelldefels (Barcelona), agrees, stating that  “children need moments of solitude and introspection to generate new ideas and thoughts.”

When the child gets bored

When a child begins to show signs of frustration (sighing, becoming moody, protesting, etc.), many parents resort to providing toys or distractions. “Why don’t you play video games?” or “Do you want me to turn on the TV?” are some of the suggestions they use. In many cases, as Dosil points out, this anxiety to please and entertain children so quickly is caused by “the feeling of guilt for not having time to be with them or for lacking the personal resources to play with them.”

Another common phenomenon is that many children have a large number of toys and very easy access to the internet, television, video game consoles, etc. They live in environments that don’t leave them room to develop new strategies for having fun. This stifles their creativity. Dosil points out that moments when children are bored  “encourage them to create their own entertainment resources and develop creativity, which fosters emotional intelligence.”

Alternating between fun and boredom

It’s important for children to alternate between periods of activity and inactivity, stimulation and boredom. Carlos G. Torrico, a psychologist at the ePsicología center in Leganés (Madrid), asserts that the main characteristic of children’s nervous system is “a lack of cortical inhibition, which explains why they can’t sit still.” They develop this inhibition as they grow. But to achieve this,  they need to experience boredom, “because it allows them to exercise this inhibitory mechanism,”  he adds.

As parents well know, young children can’t sit still and don’t tolerate boredom well, as they need action. But this discomfort is temporary. When they’re bored, many protest or feel unwell, but then, “in most cases, they adapt and manage to make the most of the situation,” adds Torrico.  This state of boredom, so uncomfortable and overwhelming for children at first, not only helps them generate creative solutions, but also “promotes motivation, autonomy, resilience to frustration, and well-being.”

Encourage healthy boredom

But  how can you help them get bored?  First, you have to get used to them complaining when they’re bored. Also, as Torrico advises, “it’s necessary to simplify the environment as much as possible.” If they have a television, video game console, or mobile phone handy, they’re likely to get hooked on those things before even thinking about a new game.

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Encouraging healthy boredom doesn’t mean leaving them in their room with a couple of pencils and some blank sheets of paper, abandoned to their own devices. If someone isn’t used to being bored, you’ll need to be there for them during the first few days they’re allowed to be bored.

And, as Mónica Dosil recommends, “you can ask him questions so he takes responsibility for generating ideas about what he can do.”  “What would you like to play?” is a better option than “Why don’t you play with these little toys?”  If the child doesn’t respond, parents can list some alternatives, such as: “Here are some toys, crayons, paper, and a ball. Why don’t you want to play?”

One option suggested by the ePsychology specialist is to “have a ‘boredom jar’ filled with slips of paper listing a variety of activities and games.” The goal is for the child to take responsibility for deciding what to do for fun.

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