Too often we hear, " If you're bored I'll give you something to do", and we all know what that means! That something is usually in the form of chores or distasteful tasks.
It's OK to be bored. It's OK not to know what to do next. Our minds need the TIME to rest and think to decide on our next move. Children need that time too.
Next time someone is bored:
- Ask them, "What do you feel like doing?" giving them time to think, all the while remaining silent, but ready to listen wholeheartedly to what they have to say.
- Ask about their recent projects and playthings, perhaps they want to continue on but have forgotten.
- "Strew". . . put things out in sight that might catch their eye or get them interested or spark a new thought.
- Start your own activity nearby and they might decide to join in or it may inspire an idea.
- Change it up. Life, that is. Do things in a different way. Change the room around. Eat meals in a new spot. Try new foods. Take different routes to the same places.
Other activities:
-Bundle up and go outside, even for 10 minutes. Breathing the cold air invigorates and refreshes. Explore and discover and find something to bring inside.
-Watch movies, mostly musicals, and set it up like a movie theater with popcorn and drinks.
-Make tents with blankets, sheets, tablecloths held together with clothespins. Bring in flashlights and books and playthings.
- Blow up balloons and bat them around the room with your hands. Make a line with masking tape as a boundary line to hit back and forth.
-Make a rice box ( or beans, lentils ,etc) and add clear containers , measuring cups, spoons, funnels.
- Have tea parties, with real tea using fancy adult tea cups and foods that you have prepared together.
- Have a picnic on the floor. Think summer and spread a blanket.
- Have treasure hunts throughout the house. Children LOVE to find things.
- Modeling with beeswax or playclay.
Whatever you do, do it TOGETHER. Sometimes boredom means they want and need your undivided time .
Stay tuned for more easy and fun activities for winter in the house.
happy day!
1 comment:
Great post. You're right, I often suggest a chore when someone is bored but that is certainly NOT what I would be looking for if I were bored. If you really think about how you feel when you are bored, you are tired of the same old thing and you need a break or a change. I'm so glad you posted this! Thanks!
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