Boredom, the birthplace of imagination: why kids need time to be bored

Featured
March 11, 2026

Children today rarely experience boredom, yet it plays an essential role in creativity, resilience and imagination. Madhavi Nawana Parker explains why boredom matters and shares simple ways parents can encourage creative, independent play.

By Madhavi Nawana Parker, CEO Positive Minds Australia, author of 13 books on social emotional wellbeing

If you’re dreaming of days gone by when you were a child, happily wandering the neighbourhood with your friends searching for fun, without parents and expectations, just remember, those days are gone. Dare I say, there are also some aspects of the ‘good old days’ that aren’t particularly good in hindsight.

Being excessively bored and lacking enough structure, boundaries, and guidance can very quickly lead to poor decisions (or seven), particularly for the more impulsive and socially driven personalities.

Don’t get me wrong, boredom is a natural and necessary state of mind. Children really do need enough opportunities to experience boredom without us fixing it for them. Boredom, like sadness, anxiety, and anger, holds an important place in healthy human functioning. Boredom precedes imagination.

Our children have grown up in a world where, through no fault of their own, they are constantly flooded with input, fun, and distractions that make input, fun, and distractions feel normal and boredom feel like torture.

It’s almost impossible for children to get bored these days. Screens, sports, and packed schedules fill every spare moment. Parents are sold a lie that the more their child is occupied and learning something new, the better their chances of happiness and success later in life.

“Boredom, like sadness, anxiety, and anger, holds an important place in healthy human functioning. Boredom precedes imagination.”

Yet what really matters is guiding them to do more of what’s meaningful to them and healthy for their well-being. Hobbies put us into a state of flow, and so can relaxing with family and friends. Being overscheduled with activities that are ‘good for us’ might be more marketing spin than helpful.

This isn’t about leaving children to do nothing all day; that’s neglect. It’s about balance. Ask children what lights them up, meet them where they are, and allow them to explore what matters to them, even if it’s not linked to academic success.

When children engage in activities that inspire and uplift them, using their own strengths, long-term, sustainable success is fast-tracked. Overfilling their days with meaningless tasks, on the other hand, leads to frustration, resentment, and emotional dysregulation.

Boredom isn’t a problem to solve. It’s a powerful springboard for creativity, problem-solving, and self-discovery when offered in healthy moderation.

Boredom in moderation

Resilience and well-being depend on social relationships. Too much alone time isn’t healthy either. Children need time with parents, family, friends, and interesting activities. Hobbies, social skills, emotional regulation, values, and friendships are crucial for character and skill development. But scheduling every moment exhausts both children and adults.

Making boredom work

Step back and resist filling every moment; sometimes doing nothing is best. Keep a “boredom toolkit” of craft supplies, toys, or household items to spark imagination.

Gently guide with open-ended questions, celebrate their ideas, and normalise boredom as a valuable opportunity to think independently.

Next time your child sighs, “I’m bored,” smile. They might just be on the verge of something amazing… and you might get five peaceful minutes too. With patience and guidance, boredom can be one of the most creative, fun, and practical gifts for your child, and yourself.

Madhavi xx

Practical ideas

Rainy day indoors
Build a fort with cushions, blankets, or chairs. Ask, “What could this become?” The sofa becomes a castle, rocket ship, or secret hideout.

Backyard adventures
Collecting leaves, sticks, and stones can spark tiny villages, slater bug homes, adventure parks, dinosaur worlds, and pirate islands.

Kitchen creativity
Simple tasks like mixing ingredients, decorating biscuits, or inventing recipes encourage problem-solving and imagination.

Everyday objects
Cardboard boxes, paper, or containers become anything — puppet theatres, race tracks, rocket pads, or toy homes. Chaotic, but worth it.

Benefits of boredom

Boosts IQ and EQ
Unstructured time lets children think independently, spark creativity, and develop problem-solving skills.

Sparks creativity
Kids invent games, solve problems, and explore ideas, building imagination and flexibility.

Develops problem-solving
Without ready-made entertainment, children make decisions, stabilise forts, design scavenger hunts, or create imaginary rules. They exercise independence, resilience, and confidence.

Encourages reflection
Quiet moments foster self-awareness, patience, and emotional intelligence, helping children understand themselves and others.