Dr Richard Ralley, a senior lecturer in psychology from Edge Hill University, Lancashire, thinks boredom is a positive part of childhood and children should be allowed to sulk and complain about it because it is healthy for them.
Dr Ralley's research suggests that boredom actually encourages children to think of activities for themselves and promotes a sense of independence where they must understand their own needs and respond to them individually. This encourages children to use their imagination to create their own entertainment and also endows them with a confidence in their abilities to make individual decisions and choices.
A positive response to boredom is creativity. Dr Ralley suggests that when children are left to their own devices, creativity plays a vital role as they begin to develop their own games and activities which help them to become more self-sufficient and make sense of their own needs. More often than not the best games are ones that children invent themselves when they have nothing else to do, so being bored is great for getting their creative juices flowing.
Boredom also helps develop patience. Teaching children that they sometimes have to wait for something is a great way to promote positive behaviour patterns. This also helps them develop appreciation, for by providing a constant rota of activities, you run the risk of making your child blasé and they can often take the activities for granted. Don't be scared to keep the itinerary to a minimum so you can spend time planning some really great activities and your child will certainly appreciate and enjoy them more.
Aside from all the benefits, as Dr Ralley asserts, it is important for children to unwind, particularly if their end of term finished with stressful exams. Ensuring that you don't over-burden your child with activities will also help them return to school refreshed and ready for a new term. So next time your child mopes into the room moaning about being bored, you can simply smile and tell them ‘it's good for you!'
