Every summer, I hear the same concern from parents.
“I feel like I have to keep them entertained all day.”
And honestly… I understand why.
The school routine disappears overnight. The days suddenly become much longer, and before you know it, you’ve become the activities coordinator, the referee, the storyteller, the snack provider, and somehow you’re also expected to answer work emails.
Then comes the sentence.
“I’m bored.”
Most of us react immediately because we think boredom is something we should solve.
I’ve started to think the opposite.
As a psychologist, and after spending years working with children and nannies, I’ve realised that boredom is often the moment right before something wonderful happens.
Not always.
Sometimes children complain.
Sometimes they wander around the house dramatically telling you that there is absolutely nothing to do.
But if we resist the temptation to jump in too quickly, something interesting begins to unfold.
They start looking.
Really looking.
A cardboard box that has been sitting in the corner for three days suddenly becomes a spaceship.
The sofa becomes a mountain.
The cushions become lava.
A wooden spoon somehow turns into a microphone.
No one gave them those ideas.
Their brain did.
And that’s exactly the point.
As adults, we’ve become uncomfortable with empty space.
The second we have five quiet minutes, we reach for our phones.
Children deserve something different.
They deserve the opportunity to experience what happens when their own imagination is given room to work.
That doesn’t mean we never play with them.
Some of my favourite moments with children happen when we’re completely immersed in their imaginary worlds.
But I also know that children don’t grow because adults constantly create games for them.
They grow because, little by little, they learn that they can create their own.
Every time a child invents a game, negotiates the rules, solves a problem, changes the story, or keeps trying after something doesn’t work, they’re developing skills that go far beyond play.
They’re learning creativity.
They’re learning flexibility.
They’re learning frustration tolerance.
They’re learning confidence.
Sometimes, as parents or caregivers, our greatest contribution isn’t providing the next activity.
Sometimes it’s simply creating an environment where children feel safe enough to explore, and then stepping back just enough for them to surprise themselves.
At Tiny Heroes, this is something we talk about a lot with our nannies.
Our goal isn’t to keep children busy every minute of the day.
It’s to create spaces where curiosity can appear naturally.
Because play isn’t just a way children pass the time.
It’s one of the ways they build themselves.
So this summer, if your child tells you they’re bored…
Maybe don’t answer with an activity straight away.
Give them a little time.
You might be watching creativity wake up.
