Why boredom feels uncomfortable now

Technology has become very good at removing friction.

• Entertainment is instant
• Recommendations never end
• There’s always something next

This trains the brain to expect stimulation without effort.

So when that stimulation is removed, even briefly, children don’t know what to do with the empty space. That discomfort gets labelled as boredom.

Boredom is simply a pause between consumption and creation.

What boredom is actually doing

When children are bored, a few important things are happening:

• Their brain is searching for direction
• They’re deciding what matters enough to act on
• They’re confronting the effort required to start something

This moment feels awkward because it requires agency. Nothing is doing the work for them. And that’s exactly why it matters.

Why projects need boredom

Creative work rarely begins with excitement. It usually starts with:

• “I don’t know what to do.”
• “This is a bit hard.”
• “What if it doesn’t work?”

If children never sit with boredom, they never reach the point where ideas begin to form.

Projects don’t replace boredom. They grow out of it.

Why stepping in too quickly backfires

When boredom appears, it’s tempting to solve it:

• “Do you want to watch something?”
• “Why don’t you play a game?”

These offers are well-intentioned, but they teach a quiet lesson: discomfort should be escaped, not explored.

Over time, children stop trusting themselves to generate ideas. They wait to be entertained.

How to support boredom without ignoring it

Supporting boredom doesn’t mean doing nothing. It means guiding without rescuing.

You might try:

• “What could you make right now?”
• “What have you enjoyed building before?”
• “Do you want help getting started, or some thinking time?”

These questions keep responsibility with the child, while still offering support.

Boredom often comes before focus

Something interesting happens when children push through boredom.

They find momentum. They begin tinkering. They test ideas. They adjust.

And once that happens, focus often follows naturally.

This is why projects tend to lead to longer, deeper engagement than passive screen use.

Boredom isn’t the enemy of screen time

The real problem isn’t boredom. It’s a lack of opportunities to turn boredom into something meaningful.

When children have access to tools for creating, boredom becomes a signal:

“It’s time to make something.”

That shift doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through repeated, supported experiences.