A new study has revealed the exact date kids' boredom 'peaks' during the long six-week school summer holiday - and revealed how parents are combatting it.
Kids may be excited about the school summer holidays now they're just starting, but parents are more than a little daunted at the idea of keeping kids entertained with fun things to do for the entire time. Even if you've stocked up on all the best outdoor toys and games to keep kids happy at home, according to a new survey, children complain about being bored a whopping five times a week when school is out - and their boredom reaches a peak on 1 August, just two weeks into the break!
It's understandable, as well as slightly irritating, that they grow restless so quickly - even though child experts say being bored can be a good thing for children. Over the school year, they get constant engagement, satisfying their developing and curious minds by learning interesting facts and new important life skills. Then, suddenly, all that's gone.
Kids' constant need for engagement can be exhausting with 63% of parents admitting they struggle to devise educational yet entertaining activities for the family in summer. In response to their children's boredom, the survey found that two thirds of parents permit more screen time in the break than during term time and 43% let their kids play more video games in order to stop the cries of 'I'm bored!'
It's something parents shouldn't feel guilty about doing over the holiday. The CEO of the company who commissioned the survey, Ben Drury of Yoto, a screen-free audio player for kids, said of the findings, "The holidays are fun but can also be tricky, particularly for parents. Children are naturally inquisitive and crave constant engagement, which is fantastic, but for busy parents, it can make things anything but straightforward.
"The summer holidays can be quite costly as it is, and not everyone has the money to pay for endless day trips. And with the break feeling a little long at times, the research has shown screen time does rise as a quick way to keep the kids happy."
But for those who are worried about too much screen time, Drury says there are ways to use tech without staring at a screen for hours and still get all the entertainment benefits from it too.
He revealed, "The best way to keep kids from boredom is to unlock their imaginations. A great way to do this is to listen to stories and music - this enables them to remain fully entertained without being glued to a screen."
If you're worried about the school summer holidays, you're not alone. It’s OK to feel stressed about the school holidays, parenting writer Lucy Wigley says, but here’s why she'll be embracing the joyful moments. And, for parents of teens, here are 4 ways to help your teen handle boredom over the summer holidays (#3 could be life-changing). Plus, holiday childcare costs up 6% says new report, with supply shortages still an issue.
