Why it's good for children to be bored

Does boredom exist? Do children still say that they are bored? I know they comment that some things, particularly school work, is boring, but is this really boredom? And if it is, is it really such a bad thing? 

In a time when children often spend a lot of their time on computer games, their lives have become very, very fast moving. The animations speed across the screens, and they are encouraged to be constantly vigilant of what is around the next corner, or creeping up on them. There is constant stimulation. And it is movable- on tablets and mobile phones, so can become a constant in their lives. Therefore, I believe the chance to be bored is actually lost. There isn’t any time to be bored!

However, it is in this boredom, this downtime, when we have our greatest ideas. When our mind isn’t being attacked and stimulated by something, we are at our most creative. This is the time when we can think and reflect. Our school recently had a health and wellbeing week and I taught Mindful Art across the school. To enable me to do this, I needed to reflect on my Mindful practices: I made a Mindful book. How enlightening that was! And how chilled I became. In walks in the mountains in France my senses were awakened. I saw things I would have usually passed, I heard things that I probably wouldn’t have registered, I smelt things I wouldn’t have usually noticed. But I wasn’t bored! I was invigorated.

Can you remember the last time you had time to be bored? Can you remember what it was like? Did anything interesting come from it?

We are now told that we should allow pupils time to daydream. Not to scold them for not paying attention, but just allow them ‘to be’. Being outside is the most notable time when we can ‘be’. Away from the hustle and bustle of life. Make time in the week ahead to allow yourself some breathing space. Some time to sit back and ‘be’. You never know what amazing things will emerge from a rested brain. Please let us know how you spend your ‘boredom time’ .