New research has revealed that kids have been spending just 3 hours per day away from their screens, while only 31% of parents admitted to giving a bored child a digital device to keep them occupied.
Conducted by BIC® as part of its Young Artist Award, the study found that kids complain about being bored on average 122 times a month – that’s 1,500 times a year. With the words “I’m bored” being dreaded by 69% of parents. Fortunately I am not at the vocalising of the I’m bored stage yet… but I can see it happen. When she is, she asks for the TV to be put on. I don’t always give in but I am not going to deny I am a parent who will use the TV when I need it to help me get through the day.
However, we don’t always have it on and she only has use of a tablet once or twice a week for an hour. She is an outdoors child and whenever we can she is out there come rain or shine. I also think I’m lucky that my little one has a great imagination and will spend hours playing and making up stories with her princess dolls.
Parents worry that with all these Insta-perfect and Pinterest Mums around that they simply can’t compete and perhaps don’t even want to try. However, it doesn’t have to be a case of making a picture perfect set of cakes without a single piece of mess or creating clay sculptures together. What’s the matter with a good old bit of colouring?!
In response to the findings, renowned child education consultant Dr Martin Stephen said that “boredom is a brilliant platform from which children learn to use their imaginations …. It’s important that we continue to develop core skills such as drawing and writing.”
He continued, “Drawing and writing with a pen aren’t old fashioned and out-dated – they’re 
proved state-of-the-art and affordable boosters to the child’s body and brain: the ultimate fertiliser for the imagination.” Do you know, my laptop wasn’t working the other day so I picked up a pen to make some notes and within 5 minutes my hand began to ache holding the pen which would normally take a few hours to happen. I then noticed that the little welt that was a permanent reminder of the hours of school work and homework that I went through, which had been on my finger for as long as I could remember was no longer there. I wondered, how long had it been since I had picked up a pen for longer than a few seconds to write a quick note?!
The statistics emerged in a study by BIC® KIDS as part of its Young Artist Award, which celebrates the creativity of children from across the country by taking children’s artwork beyond the fridge door and onto public billboards.
Parents are keen to see kids move away from digital distractions; with two-thirds (65 per cent) feeling guilty about the amount of screen time that their children have. Just 14 per cent of parents claim it’s natural for modern children to spend time with screens. I’ve already admitted I am one of the percentage that feel guilty for popping the TV on but I also think I am one of the ones who will hand my little one a set of crayons and paper, whack the playdough out when I’m in a crazy mood or bring her into the kitchen and teach her how to safely cut vegetables.
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13 Comments
Using the tablet can be so tempting, especially where you’re exhausted. But agree, the more time off it using there imagination the better! #ablogginggoodtime
we have a art night every Thursday, we cover the kitchen table in paints and oil pastels and draw and create it is so rewarding, even I love it.
I was never bored as a child, there was always my imagination! I think tablets ruin the imagination #ABLoggingGoodTime
A real problem … that’s why we feel sports or activities that don’t involve devices are so important … but can be so hard to achieve. We find that much as our kids complain, when we do get them outside they always enjoy it. Their bodies need it!!! #Ablogginggoodtime
I remember being bored to tears as a child & I’m sure it did me good! #ablogginggoodtime
Some of the most wonderful moments of creative play among my kids happened AFTER they announced they were bored!
I totally agree. I think this constant bombardment isn’t good for kids or anyone. On a few occasions, I’ve said “it’s good to be bored” to them. When they were younger, we used to listen to The Little Tree House audio books in the car, but I wouldn’t get a TV for the car. Our in-laws later gave us one and I’d let the kids use it for trips that were over an hour away (vacations), but not for around town. Luckily, we had a neighborhood with kids who went outside a lot so my guys were outside a lot too.
I home educate but also work so it amazes me how my children left to their own devices come up with so much to do both on and off screen indoors and out. I am hoping that being so self-sufficient early in life will stand them in good stead for the future. But as a mum I worry I don’t do enough with them. Time will tell I guess which is perhaps one of the scariest aspects of parenting in the first place. Really interesting read #ABloggingGoodTimie
I’m lucky where I live kids still go out. A lot of it is scary mongering in my opinion. Bur heat tips to help distract them technology X. #ablogginggoodtime
Hello Katie,
Thank you for this post! It’s amazing how different our childhoods are with our children. I played a lot outside too with my siblings when I was little and I could not remember watching TV, even cartoons. In fact, I’ve only recently started appreciating cartoons because of my son. We’ve been TV free during the weekdays for a year now but on the weekends, my son goes all out. He loves watching TV and videos so we try our best to have family activities so we can minimize the screen time on the weekends. I admit that it’s sometimes hard to be TV free on the weekdays. We need to ensure we have activities like drawing or we do board games so my son will not say he’s bored!
Best,
Sigrid
I’m pretty fortunate in this regard. We live in a pretty private area surrounded by woods and my daughter loves roaming around by herself. My biggest concern is her going too far #blogginggoodtime
I follow my daughters in their wishes and that’s usually something in our kallax rather than the computer screen #ablogginggoodtime
My youngest child has been drawing since he could pick up a crayon. I still have crayons marks on my walls from those days lol. He is 11 now and is still drawing to this day. He still has a wonderful imagination that I’m so grateful for because that means he doesn’t spend majority of his time in front of a screen. I hope it continues into his teenage years. My teenager I have to pry away from the screens but he was always more interested in the TV than in playing. I think we have to parent each kid differently. It sounds like your little one is still full of passion for exploring and getting to know the world around her. I hope it stays that way 🙂 #ABloggingGoodTime