“I’m bored…” 

“Nice to meet you – I’m Dad” was often heard in our house growing up!

Did you hear this phrase during your recent holiday break?  This article might help you!

Robyn Papworth, a Paediatric Exercise Physiologist from Play, Move, Improve recently shared this with parents and educators and I thought that it might help your family in the next round of holidays. (I know that we’ve just returned but perhaps you could save this article for later.)

I believe we’ve created some of this situation without intending to (me included).

In our rush to prepare children academically, or our rush to purchase toys that are ‘educational’ we’ve reduced time for free play and creative exploration.

We’ve given our kids toys that come packaged inside cardboard boxes, rather than just letting them enjoy the cardboard box itself!

But it’s not too late to change course. By embracing unstructured play and allowing children to navigate “boredom,” we can reignite their creative spark.

It might be messy, it might be noisy, it might be chaotic, but it’s in these moments that true innovation happens.

I can assure you, that building their creativity each day feels hard at the start, but in a few weeks you’ll see your child enjoy play more, and you’ll then be able to watch their excitement grow with common everyday resources like my kids building a boat yesterday with an old container, straws, spoons, and elastic bands.

I’ve prepared a handout called “I’m Bored” to help educators and parents transform moments of boredom into opportunities for creativity.

Click here to access the handout.

• From Robyn Papworth Play, Move, Improve 2024

Sarah Leary, Assistant Head of Primary (P-2)