The Benefits of Boredom

Living in a city as vibrant as Tokyo, we are always spoiled for choice when it comes to the array of extra-curricular activities available to our children. 

While it’s great to give your child the opportunity to try out a new fun activity, and find great ways to learn a new skill, or socialize with others, I think this is a good time to reflect on the benefits of having unscheduled time and the positives that can come from it. 

It is often in the park after school during unstructured play that children create and play a new game or perhaps make believe that the tree, they have climbed is now the crow's nest of a pirate ship!  It’s often in those ‘bored’ moments at home that a discarded cardboard box becomes a house, a boat or a space rocket! 

Improvised games, spontaneous craft activities and spur-of-the-moment outings have the opportunity to emerge only from unscheduled time and these are often the times where creativity can flourish the most. These kinds of creative exploits could be referred to as the collateral benefit of boredom - or in other words, a great experience coming from not having a plan.  

It is these moments of peak creativity we might miss if we over schedule our children with organized, adult-led activities at every opportunity. So let’s think about letting our children be bored sometimes, it really isn’t a bad thing at all! 

In many ways the same goes for adults. It is only in moments of quiet and calm that we can really switch on and think deeply.  It’s important that we take time in our daily lives for moments of mindfulness, or activities that nourish us.  This might be a work out at the gym, going for a meandering explore through the backstreets of Tokyo, or escaping to the coffee shop with a book. As we enjoy the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, and the many great experiences it offers us, let’s remember to make time for ourselves, and also down time for our children. 

Written by: 

Tamara Moore (Buds Teacher) 

November 19, 2021