If your house is anything like mine you’ll know the full meaning of the phrase “stir crazy” by now – and you’ve got bored kids! Bored kids is the headline most days! Most children are used to a full schedule of school, sports and social activities and the summer can bring on periods of downtime and boredom.
You are probably sick of hearing them tell they’re bored and tired of finding things for them to do. The best way to manage boredom is to avoid it altogether, so if your kids are bored and driving you crazy with their restlessness, try these ideas to keep them occupied.
Note: this is a guest post from Mark at STEM Toy Expert. Mark is the driving force behind STEM Toy Expert. With 20 years experience in chemistry education and research, and 3 willing children as guinea pigs, Mark has a passion for inspiring kids and adults to combine fun and learning with STEM Toys
1. Experiment with something different each day to deal with bored kids
Variety is the spice of life, even when you’re in lockdown with kids! Try to do something a little bit differently every day just to keep things fresh to avoid bored kids. It doesn’t need to be anything major – you’re probably restricted in what you can do anyway – but just shake things up in little ways where you can.
Mealtimes are a great opportunity to do this. Get everyone together for a special pancake breakfast, make lunch a picnic outside on the trampoline or set the table up fancy for a formal dinner at night (get dressed up in your poshest clothes!).
Think about what you do in your daily routine, but make it more fun. Doing the household chores together? Crank up the tunes and dance around while you vacuum. Getting ready for bed? Make it a race to see who can be in their pajamas with teeth brushed first. If you always wanted to do science experiments at home with the kids but never seem to find the time, now is the perfect opportunity to try some! Little things like this will help to deal with the monotony of staying home and reduce the chances of your kids getting bored.
2. Go old school
The usual limitations on screen time have gone out the window at our place! Our iPad is worth its weight in gold if it means I get five minutes to myself for a coffee break! But lockdown is also the perfect time to try some old school activities.
Get back to basics with some simple activities that will still be winners with today’s generation. If you’re after an inside project, you can’t go past making an excellent cubby or fort. There’s hours of entertainment in this and it’s great for developing STEM skills like design and construction! Let your kids come up with their own fort, but if they need inspiration they could check out Real Simple for their awesome ideas.
Or head outside and get dirty – drive some toy cars in the dirt or add some water for mud play. You’ll be surprised how much your kids will enjoy being outdoors (once they get over the shock of having no screen!).
3. Get your game on!
A bit of friendly rivalry amongst family members is a great way to alleviate boredom. Whether it’s a game of frisbee in the backyard, a challenge on the PlayStation or a quick game of Monopoly Deal that lasts for hours, games are a great way to fill in the day. Strategy, problem-solving and teamwork are all skills that come with game play and a bit of healthy competition is good for us all. Choose a board game that’s suitable for your kids and it’s game on!
4. Keep in touch
Even during lockdown it is important kids stay in contact with friends and family. Maintaining relationships is important, especially for children who are still developing their social skills. It’s also a great way to avoid boredom, so encourage them to stay in touch however they can!
These days there are so many ways to keep connected, whether it’s with regular phone calls, a video chat or an email to their friends from school. Grandparents will be delighted to receive a letter in the mail or little ones may like to draw a special picture (if you can, drive to a friend’s house and pop it in their letterbox). Keeping social ties strong will not only prevent feelings of isolation now (and reduce the chances of bored kids), it will make it easier to resume normal life down the track!
5. Look for boredom buster ideas online
If you’ve exhausted all your ideas for ways to keep your kids busy, don’t despair. Parents across the world are going through the same thing you are and they’ve put their best ideas online. A quick search of the internet will give you all the inspiration you need to keep your kids busy.
A great place to start is this list of 101 boredom busters with a STEM theme – there are plenty of options to keep kids of all ages from getting bored. If your child has a particular interest, search online for that – the internet has a million craft ideas, musical suggestions, sporty activities and computer projects. Whatever your kids are into, there’ll be a heap of tried and tested projects out there to have a go at.
6. Bored kids is ok sometimes
It’s okay for kids to feel bored. In fact, it’s a good thing. Boredom breeds creativity, so let kids come up with their own ways to fill in the time. Having nothing to do is the perfect time to try new things, get inventive and experiment. You don’t need to entertain children all the time.
Send them out into the yard to amuse themselves. That’s when they’ll invent a new game. That’s when they’ll discover a bug they haven’t seen before. That’s when they’ll set up a new course to ride their bikes around with cool jumps and obstacles. Boredom also leads to independence and confidence. If your kids can be happy in their own company and know they can always amuse themselves, this is great for their self-esteem and resilience.
Final thoughts on kid’s boredom
Remember that feeling bored is normal. Kids have had a major change to their daily lives and having to stay at home will take some getting used to. Be patient where you can, but go easy on yourself too. If you need to put on a movie to keep them occupied, go right ahead!
Lockdown is not easy for any of us, so don’t feel pressured to engage your kids in healthy, educational activities all day long. Avoid boredom where you can, but don’t feel bad if your kids are having a bit more screen time than usual. What’s important is that we all remain safe and healthy and ready to get back to our normal lives when the time comes.
Note: this is a guest post from Mark at STEM Toy Expert. Mark is the driving force behind STEM Toy Expert. With 20 years experience in chemistry education and research, and 3 willing children as guinea pigs, Mark has a passion for inspiring kids and adults to combine fun and learning with STEM Toys
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Like many of us, you are probably struggling to find your new normal. Perhaps you’ve done that and are simply bored. We’ve got your back. Here’s a ton of recent content that revolves around what’s facing us today, including working from home ideas, what to watch, things to read, and how to avoid boredom. Enjoy.
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