The SEN Resources Blog

I’ve been thinking a lot about this recently, due to kids picking up various viruses and us having to stay in a bit more than normal, is it OK for them to be a bit bored?

And I’ve come to the conclusion, that despite my ‘mum guilt’ whispering to me that they don’t have anything to do, that it is definitely OK for them to be bored. And in fact, it could even be argued that being bored once in a while is actually a GOOD thing. 

So if you too are in need of someone to help banish away that nagging mum/parent guilt and tell you it’s OK, have a read of my reasons why I think being bored every so often can be positive: 

• Develops their Imagination–  The most creative, inventive and imaginative Play I’ve seen from children isn’t when I’ve been providing them with fun crafts, Sensory activities or adventures with friends- in fact, it’s actually when they’ve been ‘bored’. The space, time and less adult input has actually enabled them to think outside the box more. As my son said when I asked if he was fed up, ‘no…I just think of something in my head and do it’ 

• Preparing them for the Real World–  Working out how to entertain yourself is, in my opinion, an essential life skill. If we are forever providing stimulating activities- aren’t we just setting them up to be less independent when they get older? We are not allowing them to learn how to make up their own games and invent their own fun! 

• Break from Stimulation- For many children, life can get a bit overstimulating. With school, nursery, classes, after school activities, seeing family etc etc it can be busy being a child! Whilst this is great fun, having time to themselves aswell without extra stimulation can be vital to help their minds process their day, their feelings etc and relax. 

Finally, it’s always checking who is in fact actually bored… I had a realisation the other day when I was concerned my kids were bored… that they might actually not be bored at all- it might just be US who’s bored! They were happy playing with their toys and it was only me desperate to change what we were doing and get out the house! 

In summary, yes it’s ok to be bored once in a while. The extra space and time can be really beneficial. And remember, while you might think they are fed up..they are probably absolutely fine!