Why do kids get bored easily?

This is a question that most parents and teachers ponder about as most believe that kids are lucky to be kids and they could engage themselves in many activities. The word bored persists in the tot-through-teen lexicon even in this world of iPod, Xbox, DVD world. It would be advisable here to discuss why kids get bored easily, with the word bored meaning different things for different kids.

Reasons why kids get bored easily:

The word bored for some kids means that they need direction or activity ideas from parents. It may also mean that he/she does not like what he/she is doing. It is then the parent’s job to come up with ideas about the alternative activities he/she can engage in. You could as a parent devise a list of conversation starters for preschoolers like “What’s your favorite book? If you could buy anything at the grocery store, what would it be?” and give him/her little projects, such as counting how many apples are in the fridge or how many chairs are in the house.

Some children say they are bored because they want you to pay attention to them; give them some undivided attention time and help them feel secure and safe.

Some children say they are bored at school. This could mean various things. This could in most cases mean that your child needs to be redirected. It could also mean that he doesn’t find his/her class work challenging enough or it could also mean that he/she needs more guidance.  If your child is doing a project on bees, it is quite possible that he/she loves the project, but does not know where to start.

It is best understood by parents and teachers that kids need coaches and we should help your child through the report process, step by step, and create a pathway for him so he can understand how to put the project in order.

A child may also feel bored if his/her learning style doesn’t coincide with the instructor’s teaching style; this could be best tackled by asking him/her questions like ‘What’s boring? What did you do for this lesson? Were you done before the other kids?’

Some kids focus on the negative in school and complain that they are bored; this could be a part of the pattern of negative thinking. Parents could change this attitude of theirs by asking them to tell you three good things about their day and what they are looking forward to on the next day at school. This would help them see that there’s something positive that happens every day and they should also see the good things.

Being bored now-a-days has got to do with something really different; it is the failure of a child to be independent and organize activities to entertain themselves. This has to do with too much screen time in the form of watching TV and playing video games that are entertaining yet passive activities that need no attention skills and would not help children to overcome boredom. It would be right to turn off the electronics and get kids involved in old-fashioned play.

How to help kids get over boredom:

Young kids could be encouraged to take up activities like coloring and playing with Lego that they can do by themselves and stay busy. Parents could set a timer for different amounts of time to get children used to playing alone. The timer technique also works with homework where kids can do their homework without much conflict.

Parents can set the timer for a bit longer than your children can normally work by themselves; when the timer goes off, check on them and gradually increasing the time they spend alone.Also know if the child feels the projects at school very challenging or too easy; you could talk to your child’s teacher if there are other projects the teacher can give the child.

That goes to why do kids get bored; I am sure you know how to keep them fruitfully busy.