It's 11:47 AM on a Tuesday. You've already heard "I'm bored" forty-seven times since breakfast. Your coffee's gone cold. Again. And you're starting to wonder if running away to join the circus would be less stressful than managing another day of childhood boredom complaints.

Sound familiar? Welcome to the club nobody wanted to join.

The Boredom Myth: Why It's Not Your Job to Fix

I'm going to let you in on a little secret about how to deal with bored kids. It's a little-known fact that often gets glossed over in those parenting books written by people who either don't have kids or have so much money and help that it positions them far away from everyday reality. Here it is! Boredom isn't actually your problem to solve.

I know. This is some crazy, revolutionary thinking, right?

This summer, try using this new mantra.

"My child's boredom is not a reflection of my parenting skills."

Having bored kids at home is not a crisis that requires your immediate intervention. Being bored is a regular part of being human. Kids get bored. Adults get bored. Even dogs get bored, and these buggers are immeasurably entertained by their own tails.

The problem is, in this modern world, we have been convinced that boredom is a parenting fail. We've convinced ourselves that good parents don't have bored kids, or, at the very least, good parents know what to do when kids are bored. Yes, you are a parent, but forget the notion that it is your obligation to be the in-house entertainment every second of the day. You're not some cheap cruise ship cabaret act, ready to burst out a song, dance and or endless list of bored kids' activities.

Spoiler alert: you shouldn't!

Personally, I LOVE being bored. Some of my most creative ideas and most rewarding memories were born out of boredom.

Boredom teaches kids to use their imagination. It forces them to problem-solve. A boring day at home also makes them appreciate entertainment when they finally get it. The more you are a constant source of entertainment, the greater the expectation of that level of effort becomes. But most importantly, it teaches them that feeling bored is survivable.

Simple Bored Kids Activities That Don't Require a PhD in Pinterest

Alright, here’s the deal. You’re kids are more than likely going to be bored as fuck at certain points of the summer holiday. They will be bored because the weather’s bad; it’s raining, or it’s too hot. Their best friend is away on holiday somewhere, or simply because they woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and now everybody has to pay the price. If you want to avoid being hit by screentime guilt, then we’ve got you covered.

The following collection of quick and easy bored kids activities will give you a nice range of things for each age group. They don’t cost a lot, if anything, and some might say they are the product of parenting boredom, but who cares, right? They will keep the kids occupied for a while and let you enjoy a few moments of peace and quiet out in the garden with a gin. Because let’s face it, the summer holidays are the time all parents want to invest in a little more day drinking.

Now, these are practical activities, and certainly won’t win you the hearts of the nation when you spread the image on Instagram of tack on a happy tune for a quick TikTok. But that’s not what you are here for, is it?

Little Ones (2-5 years)

In many ways, the younger members of your brood are the easiest to entertain. Simplicity is key when it comes to this age range.

Water play: Fill a washing-up bowl with water and give them cups. Chaos? Yes. Effective? Also yes.
Cardboard boxes: The bigger, the better. They'll play with it longer than the expensive toy it came with.
Sensory bins: Fill a container with rice, pasta, or dried beans and hand them a couple of spoons or scoops for easy access. Messy but magical.
Dance party: Put on music and wiggle. Bonus points if you join in for thirty seconds.

Child using a cardboard box and their imagination to play and stop being bored.

Middle Kids (6-9 years)

The early school years are both wonderful and incredibly tiring. Their minds are always turning and the need for stimulation is endless. Activities here are a little more intensive on your part, but if done right, should still leave you enough time for a quick qin or an uniterrupted shit and a shower.

Building challenges: How tall can you make a tower with books? Can you build a fort with cushions?
Junk Modeling: Grab some scrap paper, old magazines, and glue sticks. If you’re feeling brave, crack open the paints you’ve kept hidden since last Christmas. Let them be free to create chaos.
Cooking projects: They can measure, mix, and make a mess. Start with sandwiches, work up to chaos cookies.
Nature scavenger hunts: Even in your garden. Find something green, something smooth, something that makes noise.

Big Kids (10+ years)

When it comes to boredom busting activities for the older kids in the home, well, here you can really let your fairweather self run wild and give them a combination of chores and other purposeful activities that keep them occupied but also deliver a much needed dose of assistance.

Real responsibilities: They can sort laundry, organize a drawer, or plan tomorrow's lunch. Revolutionary concept.
Craft projects with purpose: Making gifts, decorating their room, creating something they'll actually use.
Research projects: Let them deep-dive into whatever they're obsessed with this week. Dinosaurs, space, YouTubers who play video games. Anything and everything to keep their minds occupied. Hide it as play, deliver a bit of education and maybe unearth a few new interests that will buy you even more free time long after the summer ends.

The Boredom Jar: Your New Best Friend

This section is the game changer. This is where you can finally shed the facade of being an all-out child’s entertainer, and start being a smart parent who is counting down the days to September 1st and rapidly becoming unafraid to show and voice your distain.

Grab a jar. Any jar will do. This is now your boredom jar. Write a range of activities on pieces of paper and stick them into the jar. Then, when the dreaded drones of boredom strike, you have a wealth of boredom jar ideas the kids can pick from. The rules are simple. If they pick an idea from the jar, there are no take backs, no negotiations and no whining about “I don't want to do that."

They picked it, they do it.

glass jar willed with written ideas to stop kids being bored

Now, what sort of stuff can you put in the jar? Absolutely everything. I love throwing in a mix of fun, creative, educational and helpful tasks. Why? Because the threat of pulling something shit makes it all that much more entertaining.

Below are a few boredom jar ideas to get you started. :

Organize your bookshelf
Write a letter to yourself to read next year
Create an obstacle course in the garden
Learn to juggle with rolled-up socks
Make a comic strip
Teach the dog a new trick
Research something weird on the internet (supervised, obviously)
Make a snack for everyone
Create a photo story with toys

The real beauty of the boredom jar is that not only are you relieved of entertainment duties, but you are also no longer the bad guy. That honour goes to the jar, and maybe whoever picked out the idea.

The jar is the boss now. Embrace it and make yourself another cup of coffee. It’s been a long week.

Beat Screen Time Guilt By Maintaining Balance

Let's address the elephant in the room. Sometimes, screens are the answer. Sometimes, CBeebies is your babysitter and Netflix is your co-parent. That's fine.

There have been studies on the impact of tablet use and screen time, and while many people focus on the negatives, there are also positive aspects to tablet use. Certain interactive educational apps were shown to help young children with speech development. And yes, lobbing them in front of Paw Patrol for six weeks isn't the answer; but the occasional episode, so you can have a hot coffee and fold the laundry, isn't going to destroy your children's brains or eliminate their chance of getting into university someday.

Don't let screen guilt consume you.

Screen time isn't evil.

Two girls, lying on the floor watching their tablets, enjoying screentime together.

If you set reasonable limits for what you feel is appropriate for each age group, then you will be fine. It's the holidays, you can be more lenient without having to fret or worry. Don't make decisions on what some lab-grown expert who doesn't live in your house thinks you should do. I'm not sure about you, but I don't live under laboratory conditions. Although I'm sure a few scientists would be fascinated by what's growing in the cream cheese tub at the back of the fridge.

Your time limits need to work in your favor. It could be an hour before and after lunch on weekdays, more on weekends. Maybe it's "until Mummy's finished her coffee and figured out what's for dinner." There will also be days when it's "take your screens and get out because you're my kids and I'm too pretty for prison."

One of the best ways I have found to control screen time is to use an app called Family Link (not sponsored, but, you know, if they happen to read this and want to talk, I'm open). It's straightforward to set up and connects all child phones to a central adult phone. Time limits, downtime, and controls can be set on an individual app basis if you want. We have ours set with a daily limit and also lock times, so the kids can only use their phones between 07:45 and 21:15.

It's a great tool as it also teaches them to find their own balance. The first day or so, they tear through their time in one sitting. Now, a few months later, they have learned to pace themselves and regularly have a bit of time left each day. Even better is that all downloads must go through parental authorization, so you can make sure they are not accessing anything harmful. Furthermore, the app is completely FREE and available for Android and iPhone.

Quick Wins: 15-Minute Activities That Buy You Peace

Sometimes you just need fifteen minutes. To have a phone conversation with an adult. To drink tea while it's hot. Hell, even 5 minutes is enough time to get something done that you've been putting off or to stare at the wall and remember who you were before you became the personal servant to a tiny gremlin who believes the entire world revolved around them every second of the day. Because we are all just sitting here twiddling our thumbs for the next time they ‘accidentally’ piss on the floor.

two parents sitting on the sofa, exhausted and in need of a break

We've got you covered. Here is your secret 'break in case of boredom emergency' list of 15-minute bored kids activities that will buy you a little bit of respite:

The timer challenge: Set a timer for ten minutes. Can they tidy the playroom before it goes off?
Mystery box: Put random household items in a box. They have to create a story using everything in it. If you don't have a box, I have always loved using StoryCubes to help develop imagination and creative thinking.
Exercise challenges: How many times can they hop on one foot? Can they do a crab walk across the room?
Quick craft: Give them paper and ask them to design a new flag for their bedroom.
Audio stories: Podcasts or audiobooks work brilliantly. Stick headphones on them and watch the magic happen.

The key is having these ready. Write them down. Stick the list on the fridge. When desperation strikes, you'll thank yourself. The above ideas are to get you started. Let us know in the comments what your go-to 15-minute activities are for when the kids start feeling more like a burden than a gift.

The Permission to Not Be Perfect

I've been dealing with kids and summer boredom for 18 years now. If there was one thing I wish someone had told me, or that I could go back and tell myself, it would be that you don't have to fix every moment of boredom. You don't have to have activities ready at all times. You don't have to be Pinterest-perfect or Instagram-worthy; just be present and available when it really matters.

Bored kids are normal kids. Kids who can handle boredom grow into adults who can handle life. Children who expect constant entertainment often grow into adults who struggle when life becomes ordinary. Not that I want to add another stress onto your plate, but leave your kids be. Let them be bored. Let them moan and groan. That's why we, as adults, can buy ourselves noise-canceling headphones.

Your job isn't to prevent boredom. Your job is to love your kids, even when it's hard. I mean, I've Googled it, and you need to stay at least fond of them until they are 18. You're role is to keep them safe and help them grow and mature into full-functioning adults who aren't going to hide away from the world every time someone says something mean.

They need to understand and accept that sometimes the real world is boring. And there is nothing wrong with that.

The Bottom Line

Stop feeling guilty about screen time. Stop buying into the myth that good parents are the last line of defense against childhood-destroying boredom. That line of thinking is not only a load of old nonsense, it's damaging for you and your kids. Stop trying to be the entertainment director for small humans who would be perfectly happy playing with a cardboard box or daydreaming if you stopped offering alternatives.

Create systems that work for your family. Use the boredom jar. Set reasonable screen time limits. Have a few quick activities up your sleeve for those emergency afternoons when you're close to losing your shit one time too many for a day.

Most importantly, remember that bored kids are learning valuable life skills. Boredom teaches kids that they can survive uncomfortable feelings. They're learning to entertain themselves.

They're learning that the world doesn't revolve around their immediate needs and wants. That's something modern kids need to know and learn quickly.

These are good lessons. Important lessons. Lessons that will serve them well when they're adults trying to figure out what to do with their lives.

So the next time you hear "I'm bored," take a deep breath. You've got this. Not because you're going to fix their boredom, but because you're going to teach them something much more valuable: how to fix it themselves.

The Boredom Buster Kit: Activities That Actually Work