Give Your Kids the Gift of Boredom (And Watch What Happens)

We rush to fix boredom. We offer ideas. We suggest activities. We fill the silence. And there's a time and place for that level of input. But what if boredom isn’t actually a problem?

What if boredom is the doorway?

Think of your own childhood, or even those stories your parents tell again and again with misty-eyed nostalgia. Tales of their adventurous, unstructured, and sometimes wild days of outdoor play from sunup to sundown. The pond half a mile down the road they swam in every day during summer break. The tree fort they built from scrap lumper that wouldn't pass any safety inspection today. Bike jumps, backyard camping, lemonade stands, catching frogs, shooting BB guns...all things that make most modern parents cringe.

But what they created and the way they spent their days was (albeit a little rogue at times) imaginative, resilient, wonder-filled, and adventurous.

Boredom was not emptiness. It was space. And it was the foundation of the childhoods we talk about like the things of fairytale, a past life that we can only dream about.

But guess what, mama? It's right here. In the boredom we allow our own kids to experience, especially outdoors. The physical, mental, and emotional space we create for them to make decisions, mistakes, and growth. That space is where wonder begins.

Why Boredom Is Actually Good for Kids

When a child says, “I’m bored,” what they’re really saying is: “My brain is looking for something to do.” If we immediately solve that for them, we train their brains to wait for input.

But when we pause? Their brilliant little brains get to work. Just like those of their mischievous grandparents and great-grandparents...and probably their parents too.

Research continues to show that unstructured time supports:

• Creativity and imaginative play

• Problem-solving skills

• Emotional regulation

• Executive function development

• Physical exploration and coordination

Boredom strengthens both the body and the mind. It builds internal motivation instead of dependence on constant stimulation. And outdoors? It multiplies.

Boredom Is Where Adventure Is Born

Think about your own childhood adventures. Maybe they were more structured than those of a previous generous, but probably not by much. Those glorious days of summer vacation? The weeklong trip to the lake? The backyard exploration no matter how big or small your home turf was? Our own childhood escapades rarely began with a detailed plan.

They started with: “What should we do?” And no immediate answer. Or maybe a thousand answers from a chorus of like-minded and curious kids who were ready for adventure.

That’s when:

• Sticks become swords.

• Trails become secret missions.

• Rocks become treasure.

• Trees become ships.

• Pillows and blankets become forts.

Isn't that the quintessential childhood we reminisce about and long to give our own kids? Free. Unburdened by the broken society in which we live. Just unhindered, childlike joy and imagination.

It's right here, available to our children just like it was for us and for the generations before. Boredom is the soil. Imagination is what grows in it. No matter our location, culture, or any other demographic that defines us.

Boredom. That's the answer to giving our children a real childhood.

The Real Shift: Stop Interrupting the Boredom

The habit we’re building isn’t more activities. It’s restraint. When your child says they’re bored, pause instead of suggesting five options, turning on a screen, pulling out supplies, or filling the gap.

Try: “I bet you’ll figure something out” or "what sounds like a fun idea right now?"

Then wait.

Today's kids have been trained to receive input, stimulation, and a lot of it. So the desired result may not be immediate. It's a habit, one that grows and strengths and becomes easier with practice just like every other.

Yes, there may be whining. Yes, there may be pacing. Yes, there may be dramatic flopping. Yes, your own routine and agenda may be interrupted for the moment.

But something almost always happens next as kids begin to feel the freedom that boredom brings.

They wonder. They build. They explore. They invent. They create. They move.

The key is letting them reach that point themselves.

Rock Pile

Beaver Tree

Woodland Trees

How to Create Space for Boredom (Without Chaos)

Boredom doesn’t mean neglect and freedom doesn't have to mean chaos. Understand that I'm not suggested a complete hands-off approach to parenting or that kids should be the masters of every moment of their days. Far from it.

But the space for boredom is in the margin. Kids do have structure, schedules, activities, and lives that are a part of a family not independent from it. But making room for boredom happens in the those other times. I bet you can easily think of a few in your own life: while you're busy making a meal, on the weekend, during summer break, while on a family vacation with no set agenda...

Those are the sweet spots that probably already exist in your life. Spots that we frequently fill with screens, distractions, or more activities. But pick just one of those times to begin with and see what happens when you simply allow your child to be bored.

Here’s how to set it up well:

1. Make the Outdoors the Default Setting

Instead of asking, “Do you want to go outside?” Shift to: “It’s outside time” or "why don't you go outside?" A simple prompt when the plead for entertainment calls.

The outdoors are the perfect location for boredom. Space to roam, fresh air, no screens, natural supplies, and none of your cute home decor at risk for whatever happens next.

Even 30–60 minutes daily creates the container where boredom can work its magic.

Consistency builds expectation. Boredom? Go outside.

2. Offer Tools, Not Instructions

Tools invite creativity without dictating outcomes. They offer guidelines without instructions. Think of tools like the training wheels that keep things stabilized. Open-ended play...but not a complete free for all.

Simple, open-ended tools:

• A child-sized camera

• A magnifying glass

• A workbench or mud kitchen

• A nature journal

• A pocket knife (age appropriate)

• A bucket for collecting

• A tool or shovel set

• A mode of transportation (bike, wagon, scooter)

  
  

The goal isn’t an assignment. It’s possibility. You've opened the door and prompted them outside. Present them with options already waiting for them to explore.

3. Don’t Overschedule

Packed calendars eliminate boredom entirely. Leave margins in the week. Protect slow afternoons. Don't plan an activity for them while you're busy. Guard a day that isn’t structured. Schedule in extra time if necessary to give yourself the boundary to make room for spontaneity.

Adventure needs empty space.

4. Normalize It

When boredom comes up, don’t react like it’s an emergency. Say: “Boredom is where good ideas start.”

Over time, kids internalize that.

This Applies to Little Kids and Big Kids

With toddlers and preschoolers:

• Keep expectations simple.

• Let them dig, carry, stack, wander.

• Simple go outdoors without expectation.

With older kids:

• Resist organizing everything.

• Let them explore independently.

• Encourage longer stretches outside.

• Allow a little (safe) boundary pushing - building, exploring, tinkering.

  
  

Boredom grows with them. And so does their capacity to create from it.

Freedom Feels Risky (But It’s Worth It)

I get it; giving kids freedom to be bored can feel uncomfortable. It may even feel unsafe wondering what they'll do without structure and guidelines.

We worry:

• They’ll fight.

• They’ll complain.

• They’ll waste time.

• They'll break things.

  
  

But the opposite often happens.

They:

• Build resilience.

• Strengthen their bodies.

• Deepen sibling play.

• Develop internal drive.

When children aren’t constantly entertained, they become explorers. And explorers are rarely bored for long.

Give Them the Gift of Boredom

Boredom is not something to eliminate. It’s something to protect. Protect it from over-planning. Protect it from constant input. Protect it from your urge to fix it.

Give your kids the gift of boredom. Then step back.

There's a great wide world of wonder, adventure, and imagination are waiting on the other side.

Give them space, give them time, and watch it give them the childhood that nostalgic dreams are made of.