Boredom is a common problem complaint among children, especially during holiday times. But is boredom good for kids or not?

A common response from parents is to find sporting and artistic activities to fill children’s time and ensure their child is busy all the time.

While this may prevent kids from getting bored, child psychologists assure us that boredom is actually good for kids and overscheduling them with activities is unnecessary and even harmful.

Activities definitely benefit a child’s physical, cognitive, cultural and social development, but they also need downtime to process life. By being left to their own, with no activities, they can have a chance to daydream, pursue their own thoughts and occupations, and discover personal interests and gifts.

So is boredom good for kids? Here are some resounding reasons why:

(more…)