Summer may be coming to an end, but there’s no doubt that the word ‘boring’ is still popping up. The transition from the daily structure of school to the wide-open hours of summer can be a lot for children to process and as a result they don’t quite know what to do with their free time. Adults, in turn, face pressure to combat this boredom. Here are few ways to avoid the word boring during summer break.
Embrace Boredom
First, know that it is perfectly fine for children to be bored. In fact, this is often where creativity shines. When children are forced to entertain themselves, it can be amazing what they discover. If your child comes up to you not knowing what to do, there are a few ways to handle it. You can walk back with them to their room and go over their toy options. Sometimes children forget what is right in front of them.
Rotate toys
Kids often have plenty of toys but sometimes too many choices lead to confusion. If a child has a spring birthday, do your best to put away new toys and bring them out in the summer. You can also rotate their toys around. Bring out the container of Lego one day and the wooden blocks the next. This way it can seem like new toys to play with which leads to excitement.
Use what’s on hand
Instead of throwing out that toilet paper roll or bubble wrap, place it in a bin for a rainy day. Kids are great at finding multiple uses for everyday trash. Let them explore and come up with new inventions. So many items just need a bit of glue or paint to make them into a creative arts project. Remember, too, that kids can make toys out of anything. Tupperware is stackable and fillable. A water hose goes a long way for fun. Be creative and let your kids lead the way with play.
Use screen time wisely
The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends that children should have no more than 2 hours of screen time. This includes TV, computers, and tablets. While watching movies and TV can be a fun activity and also a necessary distraction, try to limit it. If possible, have the TV in a different room than the main living space. This way it’s a conscious effort to turn it on, not just automatically having it on in the background. Save screen time for when it’s raining or when a child is sick. Or if you need a distraction while making dinner. The more activities you can engage your children on the rest of the day, the less guilt there will be to turn on the TV or computer when it’s needed.