“I’m sooooo bored!” Good!

Summer is packed with activities, camps, friends, and vacations. While these experiences make for a great summer, kids still find a way to say “I’m bored” more often than most of us would like. Rather than rushing to fill that void, make space for the boredom. Research suggests that when kids have unstructured time and boredom strikes, they’re more likely to explore their creativity, solve problems independently, foster resilience and independence, and strengthen key executive function skills like planning, self-monitoring, and emotional self-regulation. 

Contrary to our kids’ strong insistence, screens are not the answer to boredom. We’ve discussed previously how detrimental short form videos are for kids’ developing brains and attention spans. Instead of reaching for a screen to fill the void, let your child be bored. Summer is the perfect time to let kids’ minds wander. They will figure it out. 

So let’s redefine “summer fun.” Sometimes the best adventures happen when there’s no plan at all.