Ir al contenido principal
  • Español
American Heart Association Go Red for Women
American Heart Association Go Red For Women
  • Ataques cardíacos y síntomas de ACV en mujeres
  • Voluntario/a
  • TIENDA
  • DONAR AHORA
  • DONAR
  • site search Buscar
    Buscar
  • Las cardiopatías en las mujeres
  • Conozca su riesgo
  • Vida saludable
  • Etapas de la vida
  • Involúcrese
  • Acerca de nosotros
  • En su comunidad
  • Signos de alarma
  • Voluntario/a
  • TIENDA
    • English
    • Español

Summer boredom can spark creativity and learning through play in kids

Summer boredom can spark creativity and learning through play in kids
(pinstock/E+ via Getty Images)

Kids who are home from school in the summer may complain at some point about being bored.

It’s an age-old dilemma for parents, who often scramble to find activities to keep children occupied – organizing outdoor play, assigning chores or coming up with art projects.

But don’t overlook the value of letting youngsters figure out on their own how to keep busy. Finding ways to cope with boredom can help kids learn in multiple ways, experts say. 

“Let them feel bored. And let them try out ways to reduce it, because that’s how we learn to manage any of our emotions, including boredom,” said Erin Westgate, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Florida in Gainesville and director of its Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab.

Boredom, as defined in a 2023 Frontiers in Sociology study, is characterized by a lack of interest, stimulation or challenge that can show itself in a variety of ways, including restlessness, apathy and disinterest. Boredom can affect mental health, cognition and behavior and has links to depression, anxiety, impulsiveness and increased risk-taking, the study stated.

How people experience boredom can differ by situation, Westgate said, just like how some people may express happiness, sadness or other feelings differently.

In general, there’s a connection among the mind, body and heart, according to a 2021 American Heart Association report, which cited the importance of mental health as a component for the well-being of people who have, or are at risk for, cardiovascular disease.

Boredom is different from relaxation. However, relaxing activities can often stimulate the mind, such as riding a bike, gardening or reading a book, said Michael Rich, MD, MPH, director and founder of the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital and an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

Still, boredom may have physical benefits. Someone who is bored at night may find it easier to go to sleep and get more sleep, Rich said. The benefits of adequate sleep include improved heart health and a lower risk of chronic conditions, such as heart disease and high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rich is especially enthusiastic about the benefits that moments of boredom present for kids from a developmental perspective and the potential to spark creativity and free play. Such play can provide children an opportunity to figure out problems or think creatively. These are skills that become essential as they grow older, said Rich, who wrote a book about raising kids in the digital age.

“Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being of children and youth,” while offering opportunities for parents to fully engage with their children, stated a 2007 report from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A subsequent AAP report in 2018 pointed to additional evidence on the power of play, which is defined as fun, voluntary and often spontaneous. Play enhances brain structure and function and promotes the process of learning, the report noted.

People should embrace occasional boredom “as a gift of not having to do anything else right now,” Rich said, “and use that gift … in ways that enrich us, even if it’s daydreaming or just being silly.”

For parents, one solution for alleviating a child’s boredom is to book their schedule to completely occupy their time. But that also means that kids may never experience boredom and what they can do about it, Westgate said.

Instead, she said, one strategy for parents or caregivers is to talk with kids ahead of time about activities they might enjoy in moments of boredom. It’s an opportunity to teach children how to self-regulate their own emotions, similar to how parents may teach kids to soothe themselves back to sleep when they wake up in the middle of the night.

“Boredom isn't bad. It’s just feedback. And like pain, it’s not necessarily enjoyable, pleasant feedback,” Westgate said. “But it’s still really important, useful information that gives us sort of a tool to act on that tells us, ‘Hey, this is wrong, and this is an opportunity to fix it and feel better.’ ”


X formerly known as Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email Print

Beyond the Table

Beyond the Table
  • Stories
    • Sepsis is a serious but misunderstood heart threat
    • 10,000 steps a day: Uncovering the origin behind the popular walking goal
    • AED: a crucial tool in cardiac arrest
    • Beat the heat: Strategies to protect your heart and brain
    • Benefits of losing weight may abide even if pounds return
    • Cuff size matters in blood pressure readings
    • Do this and ward off both breast cancer and heart disease
    • Don’t ignore the quality of relationships when considering the link between good health and marriage
    • Eat healthier in 2023
    • Embrace the holiday spirit with these simple wellness strategies
    • Essential vitamins and minerals during pregnancy linked to reduced risk of high blood pressure
    • Expert tips to help avoid holiday stress and stay healthy
    • It’s American Heart Month: What every woman should know about heart health
    • Fish oil supplements may be more popular than beneficial
    • Healthy substitutions elevate holiday drinks
    • High blood pressure during pregnancy poses risks for mother and child
    • Secondhand smoke worse for children than many people think
    • How the Body Roundness Index offers new insights into cardiovascular risk
    • How to fit walking into any schedule
    • Is winter dehydration sneaking up on you?
    • It’s American Heart Month: What every woman should know about heart health
    • It's never too early for a healthy diet
    • Learn CPR and be prepared to save a life anywhere
    • Less salt leads the changes in school lunches
    • Let music step up your exercise program
    • Lifestyle changes key to reducing increased risks for heart disease as women age
    • Millions of U.S. households with children affected by food insecurity, survey finds
    • Nearly 1 in 4 young U.S. adults
    • Not just extra calories: Sugary drinks may boost risk of heart disease
    • Research confirms link between early menopause, higher ischemic stroke risk
    • Secondhand smoke worse for children than many people think
    • Sip and snack: The best foods to boost your hydration
    • Spring into a new exercise routine
    • Spring into better health
    • Study narrows focus on pregnancy complications and stroke
    • Study reveals lower cardiac rehabilitation attendance among Asian, Black and Hispanic adults
    • Not just extra calories: Sugary drinks may boost risk of heart disease
    • Summer boredom can spark creativity and learning through play in kids
    • Teens targeted by e-cig industry on new path to nicotine addiction
    • The fight against youth vaping: Programs, research and school strategies
    • There's a gender split in mini-stroke diagnosis
    • This volunteer does better by doing good
    • Understanding seasonal depression and how to cope with it
    • Weigh the benefits of a regular bedtime
    • What people with heart conditions should know now about COVID-19
    • Lend an ear: Why corn on the cob belongs at your cookout
    • Women and men are (not quite) equals on heart transplants
    • Prioritizing care for others, women often neglect their own health
    • Women's quality of life after stroke is worse than men — age may be a major factor.

CVS Health es un orgulloso promotor nacional del movimiento Go Red For Women de la American Heart Association.
Goredforwomen.org/es es posible gracias al generoso apoyo del Fondo Adriana Gallardo Legacy para la salud de la mujer.

* La American Heart Association revisó y aprobó toda la información médica y de salud de este sitio web conforme a investigaciones científicas y a las directrices de la American Heart Association. Obtenga más información sobre nuestro proceso editorial de contenido.

American Heart Association

National Center
7272 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75231

Customer Service
1-800-AHA-USA-1
1-800-242-8721

Contact Us

Hours
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT 
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT
Closed on Sundays

Tax Identification Number
13-5613797

Acerca de nosotros

  • Acerca de la AHA/ASA
  • Informe anual
  • Información financiera de la AHA
  • Carreras
  • Programas internacionales
  • Últimas noticias sobre salud cardíaca y derrames cerebrales
  • Sala de prensa de la AHA/ASA

Involúcrese

  • Donar ahora
  • Haga un regalo conmemorativo
  • Defensa
  • Distintas formas de donar
  • Voluntario/a
  • ShopHeart
  • ShopCPR

Nuestros centros

  • American Heart Association
  • American Stroke Association
  • RCP y ACE
  • Noticias sobre salud cardíaca para profesionales
  • Más sitios
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Threads
  • X formerly known as Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Tik Tok
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • National Health Council
  • Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity
  • Charity Navigator
  • Secured by Sectigo
×
American Heart Association

Estevínculo solo se proporciona para mayor conveniencia y no constituye una aprobación de la entidad vinculada ni de ningún producto o servicio.

Continuar
  • Carreras profesionales en la AHA
  • Política de privacidad
  • Renuncia de responsabilidad de recomendaciones médicas
  • Declaración de accesibilidad
  • Política de derechos de autor
  • Política de ética
  • Política sobre conflictos de intereses
  • Política de enlaces
  • Whistleblower Policy
  • Pautas de contenido editorial
  • Proveedores
  • Avisos de recaudación de fondos estatales


©2025 American Heart Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.
The American Heart Association is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
*Red Dress ™ DHHS, Go Red ™ AHA ; National Wear Red Day® is a registered trademark.