10 Reasons Why Your Kids Need to Be Bored This Summer
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We’re officially in the messy middle of summer—sun-kissed skin, later bedtimes, sticky fingers, and yes… “I’m boooored” has come out a few times. But what if boredom wasn’t a problem to fix? What if it’s actually good for our kids? In this episode, I’m flipping the script on boredom and walking you through 10 powerful, research-backed reasons why letting your kids be bored this summer is one of the best things you can do for them.
You’ll hear about how boredom builds creativity, independence, and resilience. You’ll also hear stories from my own summer rhythm—what I’ve learned as a stay-at-home mom and swim mom juggling the push-pull of structured activities and the sacredness of stillness. And of course, you’ll leave with practical tips and a simple Outdoorsy Challenge you can try this week.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why boredom sparks creativity and imagination
How unstructured play builds problem-solving and emotional resilience
The connection between boredom and faith, identity, and attention span
How to reframe your response when your kids say, “I’m bored!”
Why rest, margin, and slow summer days matter
Links + Resources:
*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you decide to make a purchase. I only share products and brands I genuinely love and use with my own family. Thanks for supporting My Outdoorsy Mom!
Want the full episode? 🎧 Listen to Episode 15: 10 Reasons Why Your Kids Need to Be Bored This Summer
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Hi friend, and welcome back to The My Outdoorsy Mom Podcast.
At the time I’m recording this, we are halfway through summer — my kids are sun-kissed and, and my car has become a permanent sandbox. I never know what day it is, bedtimes get later and later, and I’m kind of already feeling this sadness that we’re on the back half of summer. Does anyone else feel that way when you hit mid-July?
Like, I don’t know about you guys - but we LOVE summer. We summer hard. We spent some time in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula around the fourth and there is NOTHING like summer in Northern Michigan. If you are lucky enough to experience it, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
So we’ve returned from our time “up north” as us Michiganders say and we’ve settled back into our usual summer rhythm which leads me to today’s topic of being bored in the summer.
You’ve probably heard me talk about this on Instagram or on other podcast episodes, but it’s kind of a hill I’m willing to die on because ultimately it’s not about teaching my kids to find things to fill their time with— but at the root, it’s about teaching them to have a heart of contentment. To have a joyful heart, no matter the circumstance and to marvel and appreciate the simplicity and beauty of nature, of God’s creation.
But also, in a very real-life kind of way, it is inevitable that at some point in time no matter how action-packed or fun-filled your days are, you will hear the complaint every Mom has heard at least once this summer – “I’m bored!”
And today, I want to flip the script on that phrase.
Because I think a lot of times, especially when my kids were really little, I felt like their boredom was MY problem to fix. And if I’m being completely honest, a really easy way for me to curtail the whining was to jump in and provide a solution. And that doesn’t serve my kids well, or me for that matter. And of course, whatever I suggested would hold their attention for maybe 5-10 minutes before the whining would start all over again.So I want to challenge you today to think of boredom as a necessary ingredient. An ingredient that leads to creativity, emotional resilience, and real, actual brain development.
I’m here to tell you that letting your kids be bored this summer, is probably one of the best things you can do for them.
In a world that’s constantly telling us we need to keep our kids entertained, engaged, stimulated, and signed up for everything…I want to offer you permission to do the exact opposite.
And side note—I’ve been on the pool deck almost every day this summer as a full-blown summer swim team mom. My oldest is in her second season and LOVES it - she loves racing. ANd my middle - who just started this summer - has completely surprised us. He went from not wanting to be on the swim team to also loving racing, discovering his competitive side, and I think there’s a lot to swimming that gives him the sensory input he’s constantly craving. But, I will say this is the most structured activity we’ve done all year.
And I say that to share that I’m a mom who struggles with the push and pull of wanting to expose my kids to organized sports while also being fiercely protective of their unstructured time and our time together as a family.
So while swim team is a really fun, organized part of their summer - I’m still making space for my kids to have slow, quiet parts of their day.
So in today’s episode, I’m breaking down 10 legit, research-backed reasons why boredom isn’t just okay—it’s essential.
I’ll walk you through the science of boredom and brain development, how unstructured time outdoors benefits kids in ways screens and schedules never could, and practical ways to start building more boredom- and breathing room into your summer -without the mom guilt.
So let’s get into it.
1. Boredom fuels creativity and problem-solving.
When our kids say they’re bored, their brains are actually at the starting line of creativity.
According to a study done by Smith and published in the Journal of Educational Psychology in 2020, when children experience boredom, they are more likely to engage in unstructured
play, which is crucial for the development of divergent thinking. Now divergent thinking is the ability to generate multiple solutions to a problem. Therefore, divergent thinking, an essential component of creativity, and it enables children to approach challenges from various perspectives and come up with new ideas.
A further study by Walker and Perry published in Early Childhood Research Quarterly in (2019) supports this view, finding that children who are given time for unstructured activities tend to be more imaginative and develop better problem-solving skills.
Unstructured play gives kids the freedom to explore ideas, to experiment, and fosters
their ability to think creatively without adult direction.
So, yes – when your child flops on the couch, sighs dramatically, and says “I’m boooored” – that’s not the end of something – it’s the beginning.
Instead of jumping in with a billion suggestions or scrambling to fix it, pause.
Take it as an opportunity to connect. Ask yourself: Is this really boredom… or is it hunger in disguise? Do they need a snack? A hug? Five minutes of undivided attention from me?
Sometimes our kids say “I’m bored” – or if you have even littler kids “I’m bored” really just becomes an incessant chorus of whiny behavior. And I think oftentimes, when they say “I’m bored”, what they really mean is “I’m bored and I want you to fix it for me by giving me options but it can’t be those ones because I don’t like those ones.”
Okay, in all seriousness a lot of times especially with little ones, the root of “i’m bored” or whiny behavior is really them saying, “I need attention from you but I don’t know how to tell you that so I’m going to whine.” And what THAT really means is a reset.
That reset could look like a snuggle, a story, or a snack. And once their connection cup is filled—and their basic needs are met—they’re far more likely to wander off into the backyard and start creating a game with sticks and rocks you didn’t even know were there.
It’s not about ignoring their boredom. It’s about trusting that once we’ve grounded them with presence and support, their own inner creativity can take it from there.
I’ll never forget the summer my kids were 5 and under – we were pretty much home-bound because one of my kids was potty-training. And we had just bought new patio furniture and the couch arrived in a HUGE box. So while I assembled the furniture, the kids started playing with the giant box. They played with that box for HOURS over the next 5 days. A BOX!! They flipped it on its side and it became a cave, the flipped it over on its bottom and it became a boat. I mean, the possibilities were endless and they went outside to play with that box over and over again.
So next time you hear whining, or “I’m bored,” don’t panic. Take a breath. Reset and ground yourself. Offer connection over correction. And then step back and give them the space to flex those creative muscles.
2. Boredom encourages independence.
When kids are constantly entertained, they’re being externally directed.
But when they’re bored, they have to decide what to do next—which is a powerful, confidence-building skill.I’m going to share a very unpopular opinion - I hated sensory bins when my kids were really little. I hated the pressure of putting them together, I hated buying random plastic junk for them to play with – even if it was open-ended plastic junk. I don’t know about you, but it always felt like when I offered a sensory bin or an activity every minute of the day - my kids would play with it for 5-10 minutes, make a mess, and then ask to do something else. When we come to expect to be the director of our children’s play, it’s no wonder Moms get so burned out and overstimulated.
Child development expert Dr. Peter Gray has become an advocate for what he calls, “self-directed education,” where children are learning through their own initiative and says it’s foundational for helping children grow into capable, confident adults. When we control or direct our children’s play, we prevent them from using their natural instincts
In our house, I’ve noticed that when I don’t rush in with ideas, my kids eventually wander outside, start digging, and invent a game or an adventure. And in my house, now that my kids are a bit older – we have an open (back) door policy. They’re always free to go outside in the backyard, they just need to give me a heads up but honestly the way our house is set up I pretty much hear them slam the sliding door shut so that’s my audible heads up.
I taught a nature class this year at my kids school and I always made sure to build in time for pure, unstructured free play for the kids. What I began to notice was that the boys always wanted access to a ball – and while I’m not against sports – I really wanted to challenge them to use their imagination during our time of free play while also appreciating nature. One day, I said no balls – you’ll have to play with whatever’s outside – I think I even said one of my favorite phrases, “I can’t wait to see what you come up with!”
So what did they do? The first time, they were moping around, kicking dirt, with their hands in their pockets. Then one boy picked up a pinecone and started tossing it to their classmate. They started a game of catch with pinecones. This game led to another game fueled by their own creativity, using whatever was around them.
…And once they realized they could make up their own rules, they stopped asking me what to do and started looking to each other.
The pinecone game turned into a race. It was wild, it was messy, it was silly, there was definitely some rough-housing but for thirty minutes, it was theirs to own. I didn’t make the rules for them.
That’s the magic of boredom, friends.
When we step back, we create space for our kids to step up. The next time your child says they’re bored, or there’s nothing to do, resist the urge to fix it. Try saying: “I trust you’ll figure it out.” or my personal fave, “I can’t wait to see what you come up with!”
Those simple words plant the seed that they can:
They can think for themselves.
They can create something out of nothing.
And that’s what builds true independence.3. Boredom makes space for emotional regulation.
Okay, this one’s big.
Boredom doesn’t feel good, and that’s kind of the point. It creates a palpable discomfort. My job as a parent is not to rid my children of every discomfort but to teach them the skills to cope and move through it. And when kids learn how to sit with that discomfort without immediately escaping it through a screen or pre-meditated activity, they’re practicing emotional regulation.
I see this one come to play a lot with my spirited middle. There have been many times where the “I’m bored” cries or the whining really just means “I need help resetting and redirecting.” When I sense that my kiddo is in that type of situation many times I’ll often go outside with them and be nearby while doing my own thing. I might be having my coffee, I might be plucking weeds - I may even say outloud to them, “I’m nearby if you need me,” but I’m holding space for them to work through the discomfort of boredom.
One of the very few “outdoor toys” we have in our yard is a saucer swing and my kids turn to that time and time again. We’ve had it for almost 5 years and it’s become a place for my kids to decompress after school, to have quiet time, to gain sensory input. And a lot of times, what starts out as quiet time swinging turns into getting their siblings involved and leads to a fun game, and of course giggles. If you’re looking for a good tree swing, I’m going to include a link to the one I recommend in the show notes.
I think one of the most important things to remember when boredom strikes is to hold your boundary and remember that it’s OKAY for your kids to be bored and to feel discomfort. Their brain is literally growing through this process.
4. Boredom leads to better outdoor play.
Yes—bored kids will go outside eventually.
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that exposure to nature not only boosts attention spans and creativity but also reduces stress and improves mood.
In our family, we’ve seen this firsthand. The days when I don’t plan anything and let my kids flounder a bit? Those are the days they end up building fairy houses, catching frogs, exploring the backyard and inventing their own societies back there.
After years of accepting that boredom is good for my kids, I’ve noticed that boredom and playing outside actually makes their indoor play so much more creative.
It’s almost as if because they’re so used to playing with very few traditional toys outside, they’re brains get stretched to be creative with sticks, rocks, branches, etc, when they come inside, they find different and more creative ways to play with their “inside toys”. And no, it’s not all open-ended montessori style wooden toys here - we have plastic toys but you know what toys get used over and over in a bunch of different ways? The open-ended toys like magnetic tiles, the play couches, legos, our costume bin. And you know what? These open-ended toys make for great toys to play with OUTSIDE too.
5. Boredom helps kids build stamina for solo play.
My youngest is your typical youngest child in the way that he loves his siblings and loves having built-in play buddies. It wasn’t until this year when both my oldest and middle went off to school that I realized how much my youngest relies on the other two for play.
It almost felt like I was going back to square one in helping foster these independent playing skills with him. I say this because solo play isn’t just helpful for you - as a Mom who wants go oh y’know get some stuff done during the day – but it’s also vital for them.
Learning these independent playing skills through solo play helps them to focus, to imagine, to entertain themselves without an adult or screen.
And it’s one of the foundational ideas behind my guide, Clingy to Confident: 14 Days to Independent Outdoor Play.
We started small with things like a visual timer, 15-minute stretches outside, and encouraging solo exploration. Over time, their capacity to play independently grew—and so did their confidence.
Last fall, when my big kids went back to school – I very much had to hold the boundary with my son that there would be periods between the time i picked him up from preschool until the time we had to pick up the big kids that he would be playing on his own or having his own quiet time. And there was plenty of opportunity for boredom during that time.
What often ended up happening is he would have freedom to play with toys - usually legos or magnetic tiles - in the family room while I worked on my laptop nearby. I’d set the timer for 30 minutes to start. As the days went on, this time for independent play grew and grew from 30 to 45 to sometimes a whole hour.
If you need help building that rhythm in your family, I’ll drop the link to Clingy to Confident my 14-day guide to independent play in the show notes.
6. Boredom nurtures resilience.
When kids experience boredom and learn to move through it, they’re practicing perseverance.
And if I’m speaking honestly, there isn’t much about indoor play that lends itself to learning perseverance and resilience. Tell me one video game that teaches a kid how to have grit.
Kids learn perseverance when they get back up after falling off their bike.
Kids learn perseverance when they figure out which tree branch to climb on so they can climb higher in a tree.
Kids learn perseverance when they spend an hour digging a hole just to see how deep they can get.
They learn perseverance when the dam they built in the creek breaks for the third time and they decide to try again anyway.
They learn it when they’re bored, frustrated, and tempted to quit—but something inside of them says, keep going.
Boredom creates the conditions for kids to push past discomfort, to experiment, to fail, and to try again. It invites them into the slow work of trial and error—something that fast-paced, screen-based entertainment doesn’t ask of them.
As Dr. Angela Duckworth, author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, points out, kids who are given the space to struggle and stick with something hard develop stronger mental muscles for resilience later in life.
That kind of perseverance doesn’t happen overnight. It has to be practiced. Kids learn it when they’re given the space to be bored. To fail. To figure things out for themselves.
When no one’s rushing in to solve all their problems, that’s when kids discover they’re capable of pushing through. They begin to be resourceful. And that’s what builds true grit.
7. Boredom helps children learn who they are.
Our society today is so quick to fill our children’s time with “what they’re doing” that I think sometimes we forget the value of helping them learn who they’re becoming, and speaking as a believer, a Christ follower - I’m reminded that my job as a parent is to point them back to WHOSE they are, and guiding them to becoming the young men and women that God calls them to be.
As a Christ follower, I’m given the sacred job of speaking truth into my kids and reminding them their identity is not tied to the things they do but to …the truth of who God says they are.
Not their accomplishments.
Not their grades.
Not how well they perform in sports or how many activities fill their calendar.When our kids are constantly busy, distracted, or entertained, they rarely have time to slow down and reflect on what matters. But boredom—quiet, unstructured, device-free boredom—creates margin. And I believe it’s in that margin that kids begin to notice what they’re drawn to. What lights them up. What frustrates them. What makes them feel alive.
And as a Christ-following mom, I believe that identity is ultimately rooted in being a child of God—fearfully and wonderfully made, set apart with purpose, loved beyond measure. I want my kids to know that they are not what they produce. They are not defined by how full their schedule is.
Boredom creates space for them to be still enough to hear God’s voice.
Whether they’re sitting in a tree daydreaming, or lying in the grass watching clouds roll by, I believe those moments matter. Because in a world that is competing for their attention and desperately trying to tell them who they SHOULD be – boredom and stillness gives them room to listen to the one who already knows who they are.
8. Boredom can improve attention span.
This one might surprise you, but when kids are constantly fed stimulation—especially from screens—it shortens their attention span.
Some of you may know this as I’ve mentioned it before but I wasn’t always a SAHM. I worked full-time in corporate america through the births of all 3 of my children, and it wasn’t until after I had my third that I became a SAHM shortly after he was born. Up until that point, my kids had nannies, they went to daycare, they went to montessori.
So, I remember my first few days and weeks of being a SAHM - I truly thought I had to have like every minute of our day planned out with some type of activity. I thought I had to keep them entertained and preoccupied for all of the hours that they weren’t napping or sleeping. And that was EXHAUSTING.
If I could go back in time and give my new SAHM self some advice, it would be to 1. Chill, girlfriend. You do not need to do everything. And 2. Stop trying to be the cruise director of your kids’ childhood.
Because here’s the thing: when every moment is filled for them, they never have the chance to stretch their own attention and they’re constantly looking to YOU or to external sources to fix that. They bounce from one activity to the next without ever needing to stick with anything for more than a few minutes. And over time, that constant switch-up shortens their capacity to focus.
Allowing space for boredom invites them to linger.
It asks them to sit with something—an idea, a game, a project—long enough for deeper focus to develop.
There is now a growing body of research that points to how when kids engage in undirected, low-stim activities, it supports the development of sustained attention, an executive function skill directly tied to academic and emotional success.
With my own kiddo who struggles with attention span, a strategy that has worked for me is giving them space and time for free play so that we can come back together afterwards to focus on a task.
For example, I’ll say “hey bud, you’ve had some free time to play. Now I need you to bring down your laundry hamper and put your backpack in your locker.”
That time for boredom and free play outside - whether it’s drawing in the dirt or climbing in a tree – is making way for neural pathways to develop that will strengthen their brains! I mean, how cool is that?
9. Boredom lets nature do the teaching.
One of my favorite things about letting boredom run its course outdoors is that nature always has a backup plan.
The rustle of trees, a bug crawling across a rock, the sensation of bare feet on grass—these small moments grab their attention in the best possible way.
I can’t tell you how many times one of my kids was having a temper tantrum or whining about there being nothing to do and then a hawk would fly over our house and then it would be “I just saw a hawk!”
Or how a couple of funnels and a water table on a hot day could break the boredom barrier and give my toddlers ample opportunity for creativity, fun, and a cheap way to cool off.
Moments like that are the heart behind Outdoorsy Little Explorers, my monthly membership designed to guide nature-based play and connection for families with young kids. If you’re someone who loves the idea of more time outside but feels stuck when it comes to knowing what to do and how to help foster creative play for your little ones, this is for you. I'll link to it in the show notes!
Nature has a million tiny lessons to teach. Sometimes, all it takes is a little boredom to notice them.
10. Boredom reminds kids that it’s okay to slow down.
Moms, We are not cruise directors.
We are not responsible for curating every minute of our children’s summers.Kids can be bored and still have magical summers.
And when kids experience boredom, they begin to internalize something powerful:
That stillness is not the enemy. In fact, it’s something that God desires from us.When our kids are given time to be still—when there’s no screen, no schedule, no structured activity filling their time—
It’s in those quiet, “nothing to do” moments that wonder awakens.
That imagination has room to bloom.
That God’s presence can be felt in the rustling trees, in the cloud shapes, in the gentle rhythm of an unhurried day.Letting our kids be bored isn’t neglect—it’s believing that there’s something sacred in the slow moments.
And it’s a reminder—for them and for us—that we don’t need to fill every second for it to matter.We don’t need jam-packed calendars to make a summer meaningful.
We need margin. We need rest.
We need the hush that lets our souls—and our kids’ souls—breathe.Because when we slow down, we start to notice things:
The way the light filters through the leaves.
The questions our kids ask when there’s finally space to wonder.
The gentle tug of the Spirit inviting us to be present, not just productive.So let’s reclaim boredom.
Let’s see it not as a gap to be filled, but as a doorway to connection.Because sometimes, the most beautiful parts of childhood happen when there’s “nothing” to do.
And the most powerful parts of parenting happen when we stop doing, and simply be with them.
That concludes this week’s episode – I want to leave you with this week’s Outdoorsy Challenge and it’s a simple one: Let your kids be bored.Let them sit in the “I don’t know what to do” space and resist the urge to fill it.Watch what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised. Maybe they’ll play in the yard. Maybe they’ll dig through the recycling bin for cardboard (my middle loves doing this). Maybe they’ll just lie on the couch for 20 minutes. All of it counts.
And if you need some structure to help, I’ve got you covered with two different guides, Clingy to Confident or Outdoorsy Little Explorers—both are designed to help you build a lifestyle that embraces play, nature, and rhythms that work for your family. The links are in the show notes!
