Is it good for kids to be bored? Share your thoughts with BIC KIDS for the chance to win a £300 voucher - PLUS enter this year’s drawing competition!

[EmmaMumsnet]

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In celebration of the launch of the BIC KIDS Young Artist Award created to help children across the nation conquer their boredom over the summer months, we’re keen to hear your opinions on whether you think boredom is good for children and what you do when “I’m bored” strikes.

We are partnering with BIC KIDS again this year to challenge all budding artists aged between 5-11 to create their most imaginative drawings for a chance to see their artwork displayed on a huge billboard! Entries are open from Monday 2nd July – Sunday 5th August and 13 talented finalists will be selected by a panel of experts to represent their region in a public vote.

Rebecca Huda, BIC® UK and Ireland’s Stationery Product Manager says: “We’re delighted to be returning with our BIC® KIDS Young Artist Award for 2018. Last year’s competition was a great success and we were overwhelmed by the quality of the artwork we received. We can’t wait for this year’s imaginative entries to start pouring in, ready to be displayed across the country, there’ll be some proud parents for sure.”

As well as the priceless opportunity to have their drawings published, the 13 deserving finalists will win a hamper full of BIC® KIDS goodies, with the crowned champion receiving their very own creative arts party!

Once your children have created their masterpieces, you can enter them into the competition easily and quickly by visiting bickids.com/uk/youngartistaward and uploading the artwork before the deadline on Sunday 5th August.

Everyone who posts on this thread to share their thoughts on boredom and/or to share the drawing they have entered into the competition will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

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NB - you will only be entered into the BIC KIDS drawing competition by submitting your drawing via the link above. However, we also encourage you to share your drawings on this thread to be entered into the £300 voucher prize draw.

To be totally honest my DC are only ever bored when I say "enough technology (ps3/iPads/ laptop oh and god damn YouTube!)
Sorry when I say DC it is mainly my DD ( nearly9) and she is the most artistic one out of all 4 DC.
Once she is off all technology she is so creative! And her imagination it beautiful.
It was my birthday yesterday 🎂 and she created me the most beautiful present in my eyes.
Going to try put a picture up of what DD creates for me. (Bare other me as I have never uploaded a pic lol)

Here is the picture I said I would upload of my beautiful birthday present from my 9 year old daughter 😊....(🤞 the paint will come off when jet washed lol)

That's lovely @carebea . My 6 year old was off sick yesterday and he did this for me, he loves to draw and will choose it over other things. I find if I let them get on with it when they say they are bored then they usually find something to do!

Definitely important to be bored on occasion. Im ot here to entertain 100% of the time that would send me over the edge. We were bored as kids on summer holidays and we played the best imaginary games. If children are entertained all the time it isn't novel to them. Mine appreciate fun things however small.

My little one isn't old enough to appreciate the concept of boredom yet, but I can't remember ever being bored as a child - how can you be when you're equipped with an open, imaginary mind and lots of time to make your own adventures?

I thikn there is a balance to be struck. When I was little my parents rarely did anything with me at home and neither did I have many games or toys I could do by myself and that was too much. I was bored and it wasn´t good.

My kids have a lot of stuff to do and I make sure i do at least one thing with them every day, often more, but they have to entertain themselves. I don´t mind giving them suggestions, although it is at times irritating. They also know that if they catch me at the wrong moment, I will give them some housework to do - although often they really like this.

I don´t think there is any particular virtue in being bored and sometimes kids need a few suggestions and a bit of adult attention to keep them going.

I have explained to my dcs from an early age that they need to learn how to be bored. I spend a lot of my day doing something boring. It's an important life skill. It also teaches resilience and self soothing skills. Also patience is also a life skill that comes from boredom. Queuing is an example of this. Also dcs need to learn how to entertain themselves.
The only problem with this is ds1 is autistic, so queuing and other boredom inducing activities cause meltdowns.

When screens are banned and all their chores are done mine will often say they are bored. Then they start drawing. I love it. They need to learn how to entertain themselves.

I think it's important they are have to make their own fun at times, and at other times are offered age appropriate activities to help develop particular skills. I'm quite a big fan of open ended toys, and 'invitations to play' which prompt them but still require a level of imagination and creativity.

It's all about balance.

*Mutinyonthebounty;
*
Thank you for your comment..😊..also may I say you have a very talented 6 year old..👍...very neat I must say...well done LO...👍

Is it good for kids to be bored? Share your thoughts with BIC KIDS for the chance to win a £300 voucher - Sometimes yes, then they are able to look around their home and garden for things to see and do, then once they have this skill, they are more likely to become more aware of their surroundings, then the next time they find themselves with nothing to do, they can start a game of hopscotch in the garden, get some crayons and paper out, or take a book into the garden. (as long as boredom does not lead to mischief - it makes them think about their world)

When I was a kid I was often 'bored' but these days there is so much more to do now there are online activities and computer games but I limit how much he is allowed to do.

Sometimes being 'bored' can actually help with creativity as they come up with good ideas to fill the time.

I think it’s great for kids to be bored some of the time. I’m creative and put a lot of that down to being an only child who was “bored” (or at least thought I was) a lot of the time. My four year old tends to go to imaginary play when bored. If I pull out a board game or take us to the soft play he doesn’t get that chance.

Bored is a luxury these days. Children's days are filled with activities and groups even from newborn age. But constant teaching does not an innovative and creative child make. Boredom or unstructured time, allows children to show initiative and think for themselves. It helps them to problem solve and become resourceful. Boredom is the key to creativity.

I think it's ok for kids to be bored, as long as it's not down to laziness on the parents part. I think it encourages kids to come up with their own creativity and amusement! Plus when you arrange some amusement for them, it can be something they look forward to abit more! I love finding things for my daughter to do, but can't be done 24/7, we as parents need to sit and recharge sometimes!

If the children come to me saying they are bored, as long as they have had sufficient input from me that day, I tell them to list the things they could do. This seems to naturally lead them to happily do one of those things. Good for them I think.

Actually I think it is good for children to be bored, it encourages them to be imaginative. My children have fairly busy lives with after school/ weekend activities and I am constantly traipsing around museums and parks with them, but they still complain that they are bored quite often. I usually send them off to play, and I am lucky that they get on and enjoy each other's company. They have tons of toys, much more than I had, and I expect them to be able to entertain themselves for a while.

i try to make sure there are structured activities and outings at times but also times where they can get bored as given the right environment can lead to imagination and creative play. So as long as they have some materials and craft equipment to hand, then they can get themselves out of boredom quickly! Far easier with a certain age group as older ones do tend to try to veer towards gadgets at times.

I don't see anything wrong with boredom if a child has the ability/motivation to then make their own entertainment. Due to various issues/family loss recently we have been guilty of just putting the tv on if DS says he is bored but we're making an effort to really reign it in now. I feel like I'm having to reteach him how to use his imagination, so I'll start off by giving him some ideas and then once he's immersed and developing something by himself I'll disappear and get on with what I needed to do.

When the screens go off, there can be a short period of adjusment when kids don’t know what to do with themselves, but I find that that is quite short-lived. Making sure that they have access to pens, paper, balls, games etc means that they can decide for themselves what to do. Agree with pps who say that unstructured time is important.

It’s great to keep kids active and busy but however I believe it’s important for them to realise that if they are bored there is something they can do about it themselves.
On a day where I haven’t organised anything I have compiled a list of fun activities (I’m always adding and changing this list) which I encourage my son to go and look at and choose from.

Definitely a huge learning experience for children to have to entertain themselves sometimes, useful life skill.

I think it's okay to let them be bored and not do activities constantly, but not if the only options are screens...having a well stocked art cupboard is essential.

I dread my daughter crying “ I’m bored”, although actually I react differently now & don’t get drawn into an argument. She will often complain she has nothing to do despite cupboards & drawers full of craft stuff, games etc etc. When we were on holiday, she was allowed a lot more time on her tablet than usual & now she wants more at home. I don’t want her to think that the only ways to entertain herself are tablet or tv. Luckily she loves reading.